Express & Star

Classic match report – Wolves 2 Manchester City 1, 1974

Underdogs Wolves take on Manchester City in the League Cup and beat them...yes, it's happened before.

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In 1974 City were by no means the overwhelming odds-on favourites they are tomorrow when Pep Guardiola's superstars face Nuno Espirito Santo's Championship outfit, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.

But with the likes of Denis Law, Francis Lee, Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Rodney Marsh in the side they were still expected to beat Bill McGarry's Wolves and lift the League Cup at Wembley.

McGarry though formulated a masterplan to win the cup and with the likes of stand-in keeper Gary Pierce, commanding centre half John McAlle and midfield terrier Mike Bailey playing out of their skins, Wolves took home the trophy for the first time.

"If we play as well as we can there is no reason why the cup should not come back to Wolverhampton," McGarry said on the eve of the final.

McGarry made sure preparations had been relaxed as possible, with the squad enjoying a four-day excursion to Worthing, Sussex and even 'paying scant attention' to the General Election which had been held on February 28, according to an Express & Star report.

In fact the players had quite the trip, playing a morning's golf at Worthing, paying two visits to the cinema (watching The Sting and McQ) and then moving to a secret hideout nearer Wembley on the Thursday night.

"McGarry deliberately kept them out late last night by taking them to see No Sex Please, We're British at a West End theatre," John Dee wrote in the Express & Star on the day of the game.

"The first they could think of today was a midday lunch of steak or chicken without the trimmings."

Man City boss Ron Saunders named his team two days in advance but McGarry left it late to choose between Barry Powell or Kenny Hibbitt in midfield, with the latter getting the nod.

The rest of the team picked itself though, with Pierce in goal owing to Phil Parkes being injured with a fractured ankle.

And it was Pierce, a £45,000 buy from Huddersfield a year earlier, who was one of Wolves' many heroes on that famous afternoon, producing a string of excellent saves.

But to single anyone out would be unfair. There were 12 heroes that day (Powell would get on the field, replacing Wagstaffe who was actually on the transfer list at the time, at his own request, but would come off it straight after the final) as John Dee details in the below match report.

March 2, 1974

Wolves 2 Manchester City 1

By John Dee

Wolves manager Bill McGarry took the biggest gamble of his life at Wembley on Saturday then pulled off an amazing stroke of good luck which helped bring the League Cup to Molineux for the first time.

The gamble had been made when he announced his leading scorer, John Richards, would be in the side despite a three-week absence through injury.

But with the scores level and no more than 10 minutes remaining, came the one moment of drama from the touchline and the element of luck that can be so vital when a cup final is at stake.

Substitute Barry Powell has begun warming up and it was McGarry's intention to bring off Richards, whose stomach injury was causing so much discomfort. But the Wolves boss knew winger Dave Wagstaffe was in some trouble with a thigh strain and for a couple of minutes longer, he pondered over the situation.

It was just long enough for Wagstaffe to solve McGarry's predicament for a right-wing run had him pulling up sharply and limping out of the game.

On went Powell and within three minutes Richards fired Wolves ahead to kill the hopes of Manchester City and land the big prize which Wolves has so valiantly fought for.

John Richards scores the 85th minute winner at Wembley

Richards had proved spectacular ending to a superb final that sent the vast contingent of Wolves fans into delirious scenes.

They will never forget the 43rd minute goal from Ken Hibbitt and while City levelled through Colin Bell in the 59th minute, the memory of Richards' winner will linger for a lifetime.

Yet, while Hibbitt and Richards got the goals, there were nine other heroes who provided the sort of football fit to grace any Wembley final.

In particular there were Frank Munro and John McAlle. Munro must have made sure of a place in Scotland's World Cup squad with his ice-cool judgement and efficiency glowing throughout the entire 90 minutes.

McAlle, the ferocious tackler, who stopped Francis Lee and Rodney Marsh so many times, has never played better and he couldn't have chosen a more appropriate place than Wembley to display his five-star ability.

And when it was all over, Gary Pierce, who was 23 on the day of the final, was saluted by everyone in the 100,000 crowd for a goalkeeping display that that edged him ahead of the man-of-the-match award.

In his 14th game for Wolves, he showed quite outstanding talents in the best performance from a Molineux goalkeeper in years.

How the Express & Star captured Gary Pierce's heroics

Last by no means least was skipper Mike Bailey. He lacked in match fitness after nearly four weeks out of the game, but the inspiration provided by him kept his team at action stations whether the accent was on attack or defence.

Now, at last, Bailey, The Doog and Waggy, have something to show for what they have put into football for so long and how richly it is deserved.

There had been City's 20 minute spell to contend with at the start of the second-half when the game might easily have been lost, but the assault yielded only the one goal and in the end victory went to the better team.

Post-match quotes

Bill McGarry: "It was more than a calculated risk playing Richards. I thought if we could get past the first 10 minutes having so many inexperienced players in the side, we would be in business.

"Pierce had an outstanding game but my number six (John McAlle) was tremendous.

Gary Pierce: "I shall remember today for as long as I love. I doubt whether I shall experience anything quite like it again."

Kenny Hibbitt: "When Geoff Palmer screwed the ball across the box I mis-hit it.

"I saw the ball going for the corner of the net, but I didn't see it go in. I just turned round and made a beeline for where the wife was sitting."

Derek Dougan: "It's wonderful. I am delighted not only for myself, but the club and everyone in Wolverhampton. You could say I'm knocked out."

John McAlle: "I thought we were the better all round side.

"We were under pressure early in the second half but that was because our midfield had worked so hard they had to have a rest some time.

"But we soon got to grips with the game again."

Mike Bailey: "The lads were great. It was hard work for me, having been out for so long, particularly during those 20 minutes when City got on top.

"We were all a little shattered then, but credit to everyone for sticking to their guns.

"I always thought we would get the winner and when we did, we did it in style."

Line ups

Wolves: Pierce, Palmer, Parkin, Bailey (c), Munro, McAlle, Sunderland, Hibbitt, Richards, Dougan, Wagstaffe (Powell 83).

Goals: Hibbitt (44), Richards (85)

Manchester City: MacRae, Pardoe, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Towers, Summerbee (c), Bell, Lee, Law, Marsh.

Goal: Bell (59)

Attendance: 97,866