One For The Oldies Orient v Chelsea, 26 Feb 1972 FA Cup

[Lucky7]

https://the1888letter.com/orient-v-chelsea-1972-fa-cup/

Happy Anniversary

[Lucky7]

[ComeOnYouOs]

I was there. Hard to believe 47 years have past since. Pitch was atrocious.

[banqo]

Yep, the greatest Orient match I've ever seen!

[KC & sunshine band]

was standing on the west side - it seems like yesterday

In the final minutes the crowd surged forward and the wall collapsed

Thought that we were dead and buried at 0-2, but what a comeback

Love the commentary and the music when Webb blasts over !

[redintheface]

I was there. Hard to believe 47 years have past since. Pitch was atrocious.

The pitch might have been atrocious but it didn’t stop the game being absolutely brilliant! What a match!

[Lovejoy]

I was there in the West Side, what an unbelievable match. We had some very good players and Chelsea were supposed to be the pride of the King's Road but we stuffed them. The pitch was in an appalling state but it was the same for both sides.

[Max B Gold]

To be honest I never get bored with repetitive threads like this. I don't. No way. They're great.

[Clive Evans]

I woz there & we woz robbed. How can a team of professional artisans be expected to produce their masterful football on such a quagmire. The defeat left me deeply disturbed, I could hardly drive my Reliant Supervan home. I ended up being an Orient supporter

[KC & sunshine band]

In the build up to our first goal that little shimmy and turn by Peter Allen , on that pitch , pure class

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

Etched into my mind … and my heart!

Standing in the Chelsea Shed 6 years later and watching Lord Peter dump their defence on their a** in the Cup was great but this had the edge. No real reason just my opinion.

C'mon you Os!

[Cheshunto]

I was standing in the West stand with my Dad as a 15 year old. Fantastic game but one of my first experiences of Hooliganism as when our 3rd goal went in, the Chelsea fans around us surged forward trying to get on the pitch to get the game abandoned.
Anyone wearing a Red and White scarf got a punch or a kick, I recall, as my Dad dragged me out of the way and out of the ground.

[EastDerehamO]

Ah, classic memories, thanks for the post Lucky7.

Couldn't get to the match, but was the first time in my memory as a kid we'd taken out a top flight side. Remember the Match of the Day coverage so well, recall us buying three Sunday newspapers the next day to read the reports.

We had a decent team then, the nucleus of the side which almost took us up a couple of seasons later.

[redintheface]

Ah, classic memories, thanks for the post Lucky7.

Couldn't get to the match, but was the first time in my memory as a kid we'd taken out a top flight side. Remember the Match of the Day coverage so well, recall us buying three Sunday newspapers the next day to read the reports.

We had a decent team then, the nucleus of the side which almost took us up a couple of seasons later.

Interestingly three players from that 1972 team also featured in our equally exciting FA Cup run in 1978 - Peter Allen, Peter Bennett and Phil Hoadley.

[BIGRON]

Benn a supporter for 50 odd years , was on the North terrace , that is still my greatest day as an O's Fan

[Real Al]

It was a huge upset, especially at 2-0 down. Chelsea were the EUEFA Cup Winners' Cup holders at the time and were one of the top clubs in Europe. All of their players were household names.

We narrowly lost in the next round to Arsenal, who were the league and cup double holders. Amazing to think of it now.

[Stamford O]

Had just moved to cambridgeshire so missed game.amazingly in the wilds of the fens my German master at school was an orient fan

[i8ubutler]

I was there.
Wonderful day. When they opened the gates of the Coach and Horses the O's players were already in the back room.

[banqo]

I was standing in the West stand with my Dad as a 15 year old. Fantastic game but one of my first experiences of Hooliganism as when our 3rd goal went in, the Chelsea fans around us surged forward trying to get on the pitch to get the game abandoned.
Anyone wearing a Red and White scarf got a punch or a kick, I recall, as my Dad dragged me out of the way and out of the ground.

Yeah, I was at the front of the West Side that day too, same age as you.

[FargO]

I was on the Coronation Gardens terraces and had a perfect view from behind Phil Hoadley of his screamer to make it 1-2.
Fans were mixed up then of course and the Chelsea fans around where I was standing didn't take it well.
That and the Peter Kitchen replay at Stamford Bridge a few years later are my favourite Orient games ever.

[Oforever]

I was there as well. Sat in the East stand so saw the goals from the opposite side to the cameras. Probably still my fave Orient game.

[Lucky7]

For those with Black & White TVs Orient are in Red

[Top of the JES]

Was a fantastic day, stood at the front of the West with my Chelsea supporting mate who had predicted a sound thrashing for the Os and at 2-0 you would have been forgiven for thinking he would be right. Hoadleys goal just before half time seemed to instill belief in the team, we played really well second half. My mate sulked all the way home and hardly spoke to me for a couple of weeks after the game he was absolutely gutted.

All those years ago and still a vivid memory.

[WGC O]

I wasn’t allowed to go because of the size of crowd... I was 7. I do have the Evening News and Evening Standard for that evening - great reading

[BIGRON]

I was on the Coronation Gardens terraces and had a perfect view from behind Phil Hoadley of his screamer to make it 1-2.
Fans were mixed up then of course and the Chelsea fans around where I was standing didn't take it well.
That and the Peter Kitchen replay at Stamford Bridge a few years later are my favourite Orient games ever.

I was behind the goal and didn't have a great view due to the packed terraces , had a fab view of Fairbrothers winner though