Photos of the Week: 1978 FA Cup Final

By TownFans.co.uk
November 27 2012

In the second part of our weekly feature, we delve into the TownFans.co.uk archives to bring classical photos from moments of Town history.

This week we focus on Town's 1978 FA Cup win against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium. Town were in their first appearance in a FA Cup Final up against an Arsenal side who were double winners seven years earlier and the leading team in London.

Arsenal were odds on to take the cup but once the game kicked off it soon became clear that the cup was heading in an East Anglian direction it what proved to be a very special day in the history of Ipswich Town.

Three times Town hit the woodwork, John Wark and Paul Mariner displaying their international class. Kevin Beattie and George Burley both had headers superbley saved by Jennings and at the back Mick Mills and Allan Hunter kept the Arsenal at bay.

Clive Woods, the Ipswich winger, was in magical form as he toyed with the Gunners defence. Pat Rice had a nightmare in defence as Woods flashed past him again and again.

The breakthrough came after 77 minutes as Woods pushed a ball through to David Geddis who squared the ball after beating Sammy Nelson. Willie Young, the Arsenal centre back, tried to clear but only succeeded in laying it into the path of Roger Osborne who slammed it back into the net (pictured below) to make it 1-0 to Town.

Osborne was substituted not soon after, part injury and part excitement being the cause.

Please note: All photos are copyright of the Press Associaiton and are used under licence to TownFans.co.uk. Any reproduction is prohibited and may lead to future editions of this feature being withdrawn.

Past Photo of the Week features can be found here.