Page 70 - 368603 LP250721 AWY AWY AWY Book (238pp A5)

mackintosh and red and white tracksuit, making a bee-line for Monty, who we all knew had been the major hero in a team of heroes.
Because of my position in the ground I couldn’t see the presentation of the cup, though I’ve seen it many times since – lots of kisses and slipping down the steps. Leeds slunk away while the Lads did their lap of honour and Blaydon Races echoed again. It was all a dream come true. We were the first 2nd Division team to win the F.A. Cup since West Brom in the early Thirties and although it was subsequently achieved by Southampton in 1976 and West Ham in 1980, it could never have been as stunning as our victory. We ourselves again got to the final as a 2nd Division team in 1992 and even for us the considerable buzz just wasn’t the same.
The team were obviously relishing the day and took their time going round but finally it had to end and after they’d disappeared down the tunnel I made my way back to Wembley Park in a daze. In the crowds I saw several faces of lads I recognized from school. Walking back to my room along Euston Road a Routemaster bus went by and the conductor pointed at me and shouted, “There’s one of them!” Even I was a tiny celebrity for a day or two. Back in the hall of residence I soon linked up with Keith and Col again and we all headed round the corner to Kings Cross where we knew thousands of fans would be amassing before getting the train home. The place was a seething mass of happy red and white and after we squeezed our way into a pub in York Way
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