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Lee v Petit - The Stats
Macdonald: My Wembley Nightmares
Arsenal's 1971 Double Winners
Moncur warns Lee
Simpson Can Watch Repeat
The Road To Wembley
Arsenal and Newcastle's Previous Wembley Finals
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Smith To Finish On A High
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Saturday 16 May 1998
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 News 3 
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WHY SUPERMAC TURNED INTO
CLARK KENT AT WEMBLEY
The Hero Who Flopped In Finals For Newcastle And Arsenal
WHEN the camera switched back to the BBC's temporary Wembley studio during half-time of the 1979 FA Cup Final, host Frank Bough had a slight smirk playing about his face. As you'll recall we've been running a phone-in competition, asking the question ‘What is taken to Wembley every year and never used?', he told a watching nation. A man from Liverpool has just called in asking if the answer is Malcolm Macdonald.
A cruel jibe, but partly fair. Supermac was ruled out of that epic game, between Arsenal and Manchester United, with injury. And for all his goals and honours, his two FA Cup final appearances for Newcastle against Liverpool in 1974 and the Gunners against Ipswich four years later were largely anonymous disappointments, with the habitual scorer finishing both goalless and on the losing side. He even lost a League Cup final beneath the Twin Towers, for United against Manchester City in 1976. The memories are still painful today, with Macdonald admitting: The only regret is that I never actually won a winner's medal.
In his first final, it was ironically a youngster called Kevin Keegan who scored twice in a 3-0 victory to deny Newcastle the trophy and Macdonald, who had promised to tear the Merseysiders apart, remembers the humiliation. ''Afterwards there was embarrassment, dejection and anger. Yet there was no argument between the players,'' he said. ''Nobody went for each other because everybody knew they were wrong. I remember one young lad saying to a player 'You didn't do it today.' And everybody said to him 'Shut up. We've learned the lesson.'"
The Geordies had been underdogs, but four years later Macdonald was back at Wembley and the Gunners were sure-fire certainties against small-town Ipswich. The result was depressingly similar. ''Ipswich were a good side, and Bobby Robson had put a very good team together,'' Macdonald says now. ''They were coming out with a load of hype about their injuries. Robson said 'I can't put a team out'. The truth was that we were keeping quiet because we were carrying injuries. We were a team of crocks. I has been playing with a torn cartilage since January. Liam Brady, Pat Rice and David O'Leary were all carrying injuries.
Arsenal were never at the races on a day when Town danced around their more illustrious opponents and Macdonald admits: ''We were flattered by the 1-0 scoreline. It should have been 5-0. We tried to go out and play - but Ipswich, on the day, were brilliant. Afterwards we were absolutely gutted - and all I had to look forward to was going into hospital and having my cartilage taken out. That was my prize.''
Almost 20 years on, meanwhile, Macdonald is predicting that, with the pressure off both clubs, the viewing public could be in for a highly entertaining 90 minutes. 'I think it's going to be a super game, I really do. My heart wants Newcastle to win, but my head says Arsenal.
''The essence of the spirit of the Newcastle people going to Wembley on Saturday is not that they have to win, but they must give them a good game. And that's a great thing because there is no pressure on Newcastle to win, only to make it a great game. Win, lose or draw the Newcastle fans will just be happy if the team have given them plenty to talk about. That is so unique.
''It doesn't really matter to the Arsenal fans because they've already won the Premiership. It's a 'Que Sera Sera' situation. There is a part of me which wants Newcastle to win to make up for 1974. I think the Newcastle supporters - for all the frustrations they've been through for so many years - deserve some silverware.
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ARSENAL'S 1971 DOUBLE WINNERS:
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
BOB WILSON (goalkeeper): Now 57, works as ITV soccer presenter having started broadcasting career with BBC. Coaches the goalkeepers at Highbury two or three times a week.
PAT RICE (right back): Now 49 and, as Arsenal assistant manager, Arsene Wenger's right-hand man.
BOB McNAB (left back): Became a successful agent in California's sport and leisure industry. Now 55.
PETER STOREY (right half): Retired to run mini-cab and chauffeuring business. Now aged 53.
FRANK McLINTOCK (centre half): Became soccer agent and general entrepreneur but lately specialises in after-dinner speaking engagements and regular television soccer analyst for Sky. Now aged 58.
PETER SIMPSON (left half): One-club man who tinkered around in non-League football before buying a garage business. Now aged 53.
GEORGE GRAHAM (midfield/striker): Captured six major trophies in eight years as Arsenal manager before his sacking over the infamous 'transfer bungs' affair. Now 53 and rejuvenating Leeds.
GEORGE ARMSTRONG (winger): Brought back into the Highbury set-up by manager George Graham in 1990 and now, aged 53, the club's reserve team manager.
JOHN RADFORD (striker): Retired from football to become a publican in north Hertfordshire where, aged 50, he has been running local non-League club Bishop's Stortford for 10 years.
RAY KENNEDY (striker): Sadly now suffers from Parkinson's Disease, aged 47.
CHARLIE GEORGE (striker): Now aged 47, he is living back in Islington and works part-time as hospitality host in the Arsenal Museum at Highbury.
EDDIE KELLY (midfield): Now aged 48 and working as a salesman in the west of England.
JOHN ROBERTS (centre back): Retired from the game through injury. Now aged 51, a driving instructor in Cheshire.
JON SAMMELS (midfield/forward): Now aged 52 and working as a driving instructor.
PETER MARINELLO (winger): Returned to Scotland but fell on hard times and was last heard of doing menial work in the Bournemouth area. Now aged 48.
SAMMY NELSON (full back): Now aged 49, he works as a financial adviser and lives in the Brighton area.
ENJOY IT BUT WIN IT, SAYS MONCUR
ROBERT LEE has been told to enjoy himself today by the last Newcastle captain to lift a major honour.
That was Bob Moncur, who is going to Wembley as a fan. He lifted the European Fairs Cup 29 years ago, but remembers his FA Cup Final with Newcastle as a total disaster Liverpool stuffed them 3-0 in 1974. So he warns Lee to enjoy the opportunity he and his team have to rescue what Moncur describes as "an abysmal season".
"I hope Rob has enjoyed the run up to the final because sometimes it passes you by too quickly,'' Moncur said. ''When we won the Fairs Cup it flashed by and I have very few memories of it. So when we beat Burnley in the FA Cup Semi-Final I remember saying I'm going to sit back and enjoy the next few weeks regardless of the result at Wembley.
"Being underdogs will suit Newcastle. If you enjoy it there's a fair chance you'll perform well. I know they're going to go out and do the best they can and play to their maximum - something we were accused of not doing but it wasn't for the want of trying, it just didn't happen for us."
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SIMPSON GETS CHANCE
TO WATCH REPEAT
THANKS to the ratings war between ITV and the BBC, former Newcastle goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson can watch his beloved Magpies attempt to win their first FA Cup since he helped them to a 3-1 win over Manchester City in 1955.
Living in Scotland, Simpson would normally be watching the Scottish Cup Final but after ITV took the FA Cup Final away from the Beeb at the start of the season, it meant the Wembley showpiece would be shown live by Scottish TV. And the 67-year-old will not be watching with any jealousy.
''I don't envy the players these days,'' Simpson said. ''I had my day and we all enjoyed our time. It's the same with any era: it's no good looking back. You just have to make the most of your day, but I don't remember that much about it to be quite honest. The build-ups are all the same. On the day is what it is all about. If you don't focus on the game, your mind wanders and you're in real trouble.
''I enjoyed the experience but I was there twice, against Arsenal and Manchester City, so I knew what to expect the second time. Any big game holds a fear for you. You're always a bit uptight but you just hope for the best. It was great to get to the final twice. We had never expected to go back soon after the Arsenal final in 1952. Many people don't even get one but some of our players had three medals after the 1951 win over Blackpool! I've got two which is more than enough."
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