Golden anniversary of a mythical tie at Plainmoor

For any football club, certain special days defy the passing years to become part of history and folklore.

They’re etched into the minds of the ever-dwindling band of fans who were there, but also cherished by those who weren’t (writes Dave Thomas).

Few Torquay United supporters survive from the record 21,908 crowd who saw First Division Huddersfield Town win 1-0 at Plainmoor in 1955.

Lots happily still recall heady days under Frank O’Farrell in the ‘Swinging Sixties’, Play-Off promotion victories at Wembley in 1991 and 2009 and, of course, that great final-day vindication for Leroy Rosenior’s stylish side of 2004.

But among all those memories, and many more, one day still holds a special, almost mythical, place.

It was 60 years ago this week: January 9, 1965 – Torquay United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 3 (FA Cup Third Round).

During the week before the tie, Fleet Street’s finest had descended on the English Riviera, building up the classic David-v-Goliath confrontation with the help of some often colourful imagery.

Apparently, Plainmoor would be packed with ruddy-cheeked fishing folk from Torquay and Brixham, strong-armed farmers from the South Hams and hard–nosed Newton Abbot railwaymen, all growling “Us’ll do they!” in broad Westcountry accents!

But for once, those London reporters and the United faithful who packed into every nook and cranny at Plainmoor – some even clung onto the floodlight pylons – were not disappointed.

For sheer drama that winter’s Saturday afternoon took some beating.

Spurs still boasted several of their great League and Cup ‘Double’ team of four years before.

Big clubs wouldn’t dream of playing weakened sides in the FA Cup in those days, so all Spurs’ international stars were there – Scotland’s Bill Brown, Alan Gilzean and Jimmy Robertson, Wales winger Cliff Jones, England’s Cyril Knowles, Alan Mullery, Maurice Norman and, of course, Jimmy Greaves.

Spurs asked for the kick-off to be brought forward from three o’clock to 2.45pm, so they’d have time to catch an early evening train back to London.

It hardly mattered. The all-ticket crowd had begun queuing around Plainmoor from mid-morning.

Only the wooden grandstand had seats then. The Pop Side, Ellacombe ‘Cow Shed’ and Babbacombe Ends were all terraced.

At the Babbacombe End, where fans stood on old railway sleepers, United tried to create a special area for kids, to help them avoid the crush.

There were some very old ‘children’ in there, and a fence nearby collapsed during the match. Luckily, no one was hurt.

United’s manager, as he had been for more than 13 years, was Eric Webber, who’d led the club with calm dignity to within goal-average of what’s now the Championship in 1957 and the first-ever promotion three years later.

His Torquay sides were always entertaining, always full of goals – just right for Cup football.

Torquay-born left winger Ernie Pym, in the twilight of a United career that saw him score 94 goals in just over 300 games, was injured.

But Webber still had one of the best striking combinations that United have ever fielded – the experienced, clever Tommy Northcott and the new darling of Plainmoor, the pacy, thrusting young Robin Stubbs.

They were backed up by an often underrated ‘inside forward’ in ex-Birmingham City man Geoff Cox, coming to the end of his eight years at Plainmoor, but still fired up for a last hurrah to remember.

The ever-confident Stubbs, who had twice played well against Norman before his 1963 move from Birmingham, was convinced that he could ‘have’ the burly England centre-half again.

And he was right.

But it was a foul by future Gulls manager Knowles on Stubbs that forced the first-half breakthrough – a penalty.

Stubbs would normally have taken it himself, but he’d missed his previous one, so right winger Billy Atkinson had the job... 1-0.

United were in front for barely a minute before they failed to stop Gilzean getting in a far-post header...1-1.

They did well to keep Greaves, the greatest goalscorer of his generation, pretty quiet that day, and a combination of their unstinting effort and Stubbs’ threat kept them in the match.

But when goals by Norman and Gilzean put Spurs 3-1 up in the second half, it seemed as if United were heading for a predictable defeat.

Then, five minutes from time, Stubbs suddenly pulled a goal back. It wasn’t one of his best – Robin admitted that he blocked a clearance and the ball looped into the Babbacombe End net - but it was in...3-2.

The flamboyant Daily Express correspondent Desmond Hackett loved to cover matches in a bowler hat and loudly threatened to eat it if one of his predictions was foiled.

In the cramped pressbox Hackett promptly speculated that it had all been ‘fixed’ for a money- spinning draw, much to the annoyance of the veteran Western Morning News reporter and lifelong United fan Roy Page.

With only a couple of minutes left Stubbs tried a snapshot, it deceived the despairing Brown... 3-3!

It was his 24th goal of the season.

As Plainmoor’s old stands shook with the roars of the crowd, Hackett burst out: “There you are. What did I tell you – it’s all arranged for a replay.” Page fumed quietly.

There were still a few moments left, United were in full cry and, as the now-pulsating tie moved into injury-time, Northcott rose to a high ball and headed against the bar.

Page picked up his typewriter, slammed it down, and growled at Hackett: “And I suppose that was bloody arranged as well, was it?”

Hackett beat a hasty retreat. But a replay it was.

Thousands of disappointed United fans arrived in north London four days later only to be told that White Hart Lane was waterlogged.

But more than 4,000 still made the same trip the following Monday to see the replay.

Unchanged United, who had beaten Stockport County 2-1 (Northcott, Stubbs) at Edgeley Park only 48 hours before, played gallantly again.

Stubbs brilliantly equalised – he would eventually hit 39 goals that season! – but a Gilzean strike just before half-time (2-1) proved the turning point and Greaves helped himself to a hat-trick as Spurs ran out 5-1 winners.

United went on to finish in mid-table in the old Fourth Division, but that memorable tie proved a huge boost.

Their share of the receipts from 20,000 at Plainmoor and 55,000 at Tottenham galvanised the club.

In the summer Tony Boyce, who had taken over as chairman 12 months before, decided to say Goodbye to Webber and bring in O’Farrell as manager.

The Spurs tie helped to fund O’Farrell’s recruitment.

United, including Stubbs, won promotion in 1966 and, with average crowds rising to 10,000, went on to become a power in Division Three (League One) for the next four years.

Six decades on only Stubbs, now 83, defender Colin Bettany and winger Micky Somers survive from those two never-to-be-forgotten days.

For the record, United’s side read: Terry Adlington; Alan Smith, George Allen; John Benson, Colin Bettany, Trevor Wolstenholme; Billy Atkinson, Geoff Cox, Robin Stubbs, Tommy Northcott, Micky Somers.

Tottenham Hotspur: Bill Brown; Ron Henry, Cyril Knowles; Alan Mullery, Maurice Norman, Tony Marchi; Jimmy Robertson, Jimmy Greaves, Alan Gilzean, Cliff Jones, Terry Dyson.