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Top Football Highlights - From Maradona to Mickey Thomas: A Festival of Soccer

Every true football fan has a whole host of memories, both good and bad. With victories to savour and defeats to wallow in, the life of a football fan is never dull!

What follows is just a small clutch of my own football memories and highlights. It shouldn’t be too difficult to work out my football allegiance.

Mark Hughes Volley Goal Wales V Spain

In April 1985 the Welsh national team was actually fairly competitive and its strike force of Mark Hughes and Ian Rush was the envy of many, if not all other nations! So it was, on April 30^ththat Wales set about dismantling the Spanish team (who had finished runners up in the 1984 Euro Championships) and a 3-0 victory, with 2 goals from Rush and the other from Hughes, being fully deserved.

The Hughes goal though was something to savour, a trademark “in the air” unstoppable volley! The view from the Kop behind the goal was stunning, what a goal!

Maradona at Wembley

I was lucky enough to see Maradona play at Wembley (I also saw Madonna play at Wembley in an entirely unconnected incident!)– In August of 1987, the English Football League celebrated its centenary year by staging at match between stars of the football league and a team comprised of players from the rest of the world. The two managers were Bobby Robson and Terry Venables (then in charge of Barcelona).

Maradona of course was roundly booed every time he touched the ball, the “Hand of God” goal still fresh in the minds from the previous summer and Mexico 86. The game itself wasn’t great with 2 goals from Bryan Robson and 1 from Norman Whiteside delivering a 3-0 win for the Football league team.

However, the day will be remembered for seeing the Argentinean maestro actually play football. Other greats also on display were Michel Platini, Josimar, Paulo Futre, Thomas Berthold, Peter Shilton and Gary Lineker.

1981 FA Cup Final Man City v Spurs

Most people remember the replay and Ricky Villa’s amazing goal when they think of the ’81 cup final...but not me! This was my first real memory of a cup final and being a football fan. I remember City apparently being the underdogs and I remember the joy and despair for Tommy Hutchinson who scored a spectacular diving header at the right end and a deflected own goal at the wrong end. It finished 1-1 and of course then Ricky Villa and that replay happened.

Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1 - FA Cup 3^rdRound 1992

In January 1992 a Mickey Thomas free kick was rifled past David Seaman in the Arsenal goal, sparking scenes of disbelieving joy at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Steve Watkin added the winning goal (2-1 to Wrexham) in what will probably always be the club’s most famous win. Standing in the Kop (ironically in pretty much the same spot as the Mark Hughes volley) watching the Gunners pretty much outplay the reds for most of the game, little did we know what was about to unfold in that 3^rdround FA Cup tie!

Now that is my top football highlight. England goalkeeping great, Seaman, apparently gave his gloves from the match to Mickey Thomas’ child as a souvenir. 

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