It was a hectic time 43 years ago this week, on the Saturday we lost the League Cup Final at Wembley and then on the Monday we played Arsenal at the Dell in the FA Cup quarter finals, by the Wednesday we would have played them again in a replay.

Saints fans left Wembley on Saturday 17th March disappointed at having lost to Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the League Cup final, but confident that they would be back at the same venue a couple of months later in the FA Cup Final.

Saints had an exciting side in the making led by Alan Ball and Chris Nicholl and backed up by the likes of Steve Williams, Phil Boyer, Nick Holmes and Ivan Golac, perhaps this could be a very good year.

Next up was Arsenal in the FA Cup, this was our 4th Cup tie in 10 days, we had drawn with West Brom on Saturday the 10th, beaten them in a replay at the Dell on Monday 12th, gone to Wembley on the 17th and now we faced Arsenal on Monday 19th.

In fairness to the FA they offered the chance for the game to be put back to the Tuesday if both sides agreed, guess what Arsenal that so called bastion of marble halls and fair play, refused, so the Monday night it was.

Saints were backed by the majority in a crowd of 24,536 and received a great welcome for their efforts on Saturday at Wembley and the team rose to the occasion, the first half saw plenty of goalmouth action but neither side could score.

In the second half it was Saints who took the lead through Austin Hayes and the Dell was rocking, but it would not last long.

Saints keeper Terry Gennoe had endured a nightmare at Wembley and his confidence was shot to pieces, he flapped at a cross he really should have dealt with and patted the ball onto the bar and it dropped for an Arsenal player to force home.

That was the end of the scoring and so it was to Highbury for the 5th cup match in 12 days.

Lawrie McMenemy would make two major changes, in goal Gennoe was dropped and in came Peter Wells and Terry Curran was omitted for Charlie George, the winger would only play one more game for Saints before transferring out.

Likewise Gennoe, he would turn out once more and although he would start as number one the next season, his confidence had clearly not recovered and his Saints career would span only 13 months between his debut and his final game.

It was a cold evening but 44,820 were present at Highbury, this was Saints 14th Cup tie of the season and it was a game too far, the inclusion of George who had arrived at Saints injured and he was clearly not fit was not a success and although Saints had a chance or two, they went behind on 32 minutes and that was really just about it.

Arsenal added a second in the second half, but Saints were clearly a beaten side and there was no way back.

But the supporters were appreciative, after all this was our first season back in the top flight, we ended up in 14th place and could have finished higher, we reached a League Cup Final and the quarter of the FA Cup, we had been contenders.

Photo: Action Images

Southampton Polls