Express & Star

Wolves v Manchester United: Eight great FA Cup clashes

Joe Edwards looks back at the rich Cup history between two of England's greatest football names.

Published

Man United 1-1 Wolves – Mar 26, 1949

This semi-final at Hillsborough was, without any doubt, tense.

It was a massive test of Wolves' resilience – one they passed for a second shot at getting to the final.

In the sixth minute, full-back Roy Pritchard was injured, and the old gold team had to be reshuffled as he went on to continue through the pain.

But Wolves still went ahead, with Sammy Smyth calmly trapping the ball and rifling into the back of the net from the edge of the area.

A report of the semi-final draw in the Express & Star

United continued to press hard though and drew level when Charlie Mitten cleverly lobbed home.

Wolves' other full-back, Laurie Kelly was also forced off with an injury later on in the game – and then reintroduced, painfully hobbling around.

Wolves were then able to navigate an anxious period of extra time to set up a replay the following weekend against the holders, at Goodison Park.

Wolves 1-0 Man United – Apr 2, 1949

Just like at Hillsborough, Wolves displayed enormous character – and it was rewarded with a place at Wembley.

The scales were weighted so heavily against them, but this narrow victory at Goodison Park took them to the final for the second time in 10 years.

Many were resigned to another spell of extra time (and possibly a visit to Huddersfield for yet another replay) when an opportunistic burst on the part of Jesse Pye and Smyth allowed the latter to score.

Pye raced down the right-hand side and the sent the ball into the box where Smyth rose highest of a crowd of bodies, with four minutes remaining.

United were then around the Wolves goal like flies, desperate for an equaliser, but skipper Billy Wright and Co kept their cool to held on to the lead – and went on to beat Leicester 3-1 in the final, Pye (twice) and Smyth scoring.

Wolves 3-5 Man United – Mar 10, 1965

Wolves' best just was not enough to win this quarter-final.

After 15 minutes, it looked like what was a woeful league season – finishing second-from-bottom in the First Division and getting relegated – would have an outstanding Cup victory.

Hughie McIlmoyle took two opportunities brilliantly in the first quarter of an hour.

The first came just three minutes in, slamming the ball past Pat Dunne, and he showed superb skill for the second.

But it was not a great enough margin to feel comfortable against United, and Denis Law had the easiest of headers on the stroke of half-time.

Just after the break, David Herd made it 2-2 – and then the Red Devils were in command.

George Best scored directly into the Wolves net from a corner, Pat Crerand got the fourth and Law the fifth with a cheeky free-kick. Peter Knowles then grabbed a consolation towards the end.

Wolves 2-4 Man United – Mar 5, 1966

It was a case of deja vu in this fifth-round affair as Wolves raced into an exciting two-goal lead just like the year prior, only to be pegged back by the might of United.

It was 1965 all over again for Wolves

After just nine minutes at Molineux, the hosts were two goals to the good through two penalties from Terry Wharton – Harry Gregg being particularly well beaten by the second spot-kick.

Wolves produced way above the accepted Second Division standard, but they were made to pay for the merest slips.

The home side displayed tremendous spirit in what everybody agreed was a tremendous task. Ron Flowers, in particular, covered so much ground.

But United undoubtedly had that all-important know-how, proved in the way they converted their chances.

Herd and the iconic Best both got one each and Law was at the double. Everton went and won the Cup that year, beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in the final.

Wolves 1-0 Man United – Jan 13, 1973

After Derek Dougan and John Richards scored in a 2-0 First Division victory over United at Molineux earlier in the season, Wolves were victorious on home soil once more in the Cup.

Meeting in the third round, skipper Mike Bailey was the scorer in front of 40,005 fans, in the second minute.

And Phil Parkes' outstretched leg played a big part in keeping Wolves in the competition and beating Bobby Charlton and Co.

Derek Dougan, left, battles for the ball

United had a golden opportunity with minutes to spare. It fell to Welshman Wyn Davies, but with only Parkes to beat he put the ball just near enough for him to stick out his leg and divert it for a corner.

Luck, which you need a bit of in the cup, was on Wolves' side the only time they needed it in a scrappy game in which United substitute Tony Dunne was sent off for kicking Steve Kindon.

Man United 1-1 Wolves – Mar 6, 1976

United were gunning for the First Division title when this Cup quarter-final took place at Old Trafford, while Wolves were battling against the drop – being unsuccessful in their quest to stay up in the end.

The hosts had already beaten Billy McGarry's men twice in the league – 2-0 on the opening day, 1-0 on December 20, 1975 – so only one outcome was really expected from this encounter.

But Wolves were not just going to lie down and let the Red Devils have their way with them.

It was goalless at the break, and then Wolves dealt the first blow in the second half, Richards superbly guiding the ball past Alex Stepney with the outside of his foot.

Wille Carr, left, and Steve Kindon, right

Gerry Daly, though, managed to come up with an equaliser, finding the far corner from the right-hand side of the box and setting up a replay a few days later.

Wolves 2-3 Man United – Mar 9, 1976

Richards got six goals in six Cup games during this season, and his last came as Wolves bowed out having put up a mighty fight.

On the back of the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, a 44,373-strong Molineux crowd fancied an upset – and at half-time, it looked they were going to get their wish.

The hosts led 2-1 at the interval through goals from Richards and Kindon, with Stuart Pearson scoring for United.

Defender Brian Greenhoff netted for the visitors in the second period though, taking the tie to extra-time.

It was test of nerve which the Red Devils came out on top of as Sammy McIlroy got the winner.

United went onto to reach the final, thanks to a 2-0 victory over Derby in the semis.

They were unsuccessful at Wembley though as Southampton, the Second Division underdogs, prevailed through an 83rd-minute goal from Bobby Stokes.

Wolves 0-3 Man United – Jan 29, 2006

The last FA Cup meeting between the two sides saw an Englishman strike twice for Fergie's Red Devils.

But not the one you would have expected.

While Wayne Rooney led the line at Molineux, wideman Kieran Richardson took just six minutes to get on the scoresheet.

He then added a second just after the break, following Louis Saha's strike.

This was a breeze for United, with Richardson pouncing on a defensive mix-up between Joleon Lescott and Gabor Gyepes for the opener.

Saha sprinted clear of Wolves' square backline for the second, and Richardson headed home Ruud van Nistelrooy's cross for a well-worked third.

United's Kieran Richardson tackles Colin Cameron

An error by Rio Ferdinand should have gifted Wolves a consolation, but Carl Cort, who was later replaced by new signing Tomasz Frankowski, poked the loose ball past the post from six yards.

A disappointing occasion for Wolves and especially skipper Paul Ince against his old side.