Newcastle-Online comment: 11th June 2004
The Toon Brung The Fairs Cup
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Ujpesti Dozsa 2 (2) Newcastle United 3
(6)
2 Weeks had elapsed since the first leg of the Fairs Cup Final between
Newcastle and Ujpesti Dozsa which United won 3-0 at St. James' Park
- the magpies were now 90 minutes away from lifting their first ever
European trophy in their debut season in Europe.
United entered the Nep Stadium in Budapest to face a team who had
been savaged by their own media since the first leg. Ujpest had never
lost a game by such a margin in two years and the manner of the Toon's
win brought out the knives but the 34,000 plus home support was very
much on Ujpest's side chanting: 'Uj-pest, Uj-pest, Uj-pest.'
Backed by their vocal home crowd the Hungarians responded like a team
possessed and tested United's Willie McFaul repeatedly
in the opening 25 minutes and it wasn't long before they started clawing
back the deficit.
With 30 minutes on the clock the skillful Bene put
Ujpest 1-0 up after cracking in a shot into the far corner and with
only two minutes remaining in the half the home side doubled their
tally when Gorocs netted at the far post. It was
2-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. Ujpest were very much in the
ascendancy.
Newcastle went into the break well beaten with heads dropped and tired
legs wilting. Having just celebrated his 50th Birthday United's manager
Joe Harvey knew he had to do something to rally his
battered men to rescue the night. If they performed as they did in
the first half the Toon would be on the end of a cricket score.
"Listen," he snarled, "you're winning. You're bloody 3-2 up in a Cup
Final with only 45 minutes to go. What's the matter with you? Hit'
em once early and they'll collapse like a pack of cards. One goal
and we've got the pot."
Newcastle ran out, heads held high and with chests pumped out like
that of triumphant boxer. Inspired by Harvey's team-talk
United were a different team in the second half and the cocky, arrogant
Hungarians didn't have an answer to the confident, snappier and more
determined Toon.
Into the second half Newcastle grabbed one back when first leg hero
Bobby Moncur thundered in a shot to record his 3rd
Final goal after Jackie Sinclair's lofted ball in
from a corner fell to the Skipper. The Hungarian fans were shocked
into silence and the all in white home side stood hands on hips shaking
their heads in disbelief.
Six minutes later Newcastle equalised on the night and made it 5-2
on aggregate when the Great Dane Benny Arentoft powered
home a fierce drive to send the traveling Toon Army into utopia.
There was only going to be one winner now and when substitute Alan
Foggon cannoned in his shot that had rebounded off the bar
past the hapless keeper Szentmihalyi United had made
their greatest ever comeback to win the game 3-2 and 6-2 over the
two legs. The Fairs Cup was theirs - Newcastle were European Champions,
35 years ago today.
United manager Joe Harvey with the Fairs Cup:
Team: McFaul, Craig, Clark, Gibb, Burton, Moncur,
Scott (Foggon), Robson, Davies, Arentoft, Sinclair. Subs (not used):
Hope, McNamee.
Legends - each and everyone of them! |
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