Sunderland 1-0 Leeds
FA Cup final, May 5, 1973
Second Division Sunderland had been the surprise of the competition, defeating top-flight Arsenal in the semi-finals to take their place at Wembley. Now they faced Don Revie's all-conquering Leeds, with the Cup holders overwhelming favourites to retain the trophy.
Ian Porterfield (31)
FA Cup,
May 5, 1973
Wembley,
Referee: Ken Burns,
Att: 100,000
Sunderland stunned their illustrious counterparts to lift the famous trophy, running out 1-0 winners thanks jointly to Ian Porterfield's first-half strike and the heroics of goalkeeper Jim Montgomery.
Key Figures
Bob Stokoe
Stokoe only joined the club in November 1972 but it took him just six months to make his mark as he led the Second Division club to a Wembley final. Not content with that remarkable achievement, he then masterminded what nobody thought possible - victory over Don Revie's mighty Leeds. Stokoe's celebratory jig onto the pitch, complete with trilby hat, remains one of the most iconic images in FA Cup history.
Ian Porterfield
Hardly renowned for his goalscoring prowess, Porterfield showed great composure to dispatch the goal that created arguably the greatest shock in FA Cup final history. With 31 minutes gone, the midfielder controlled the ball on his left thigh before smashing the ball into the roof of the net with his weaker right foot.
Jim Montgomery
After Porterfield's strike, the Wearsiders had to withstand heavy pressure from Leeds, but the Yorkshire side could no find no way past Montgomery in the Sunderland goal. The keeper was magnificent all afternoon, with his crowning moment an unbelievable double save from Trevor Cherry and Peter Lorimer which drew comparisons with Gordon Banks' famous stop from Pele.
Did You Know...?
Sunderland were the first Second Division side to win the FA Cup since West Brom in 1931.
The 1973 showpiece is the only FA Cup final ever to be played with an orange ball.
Since 1973, only two clubs have equalled Sunderland's achievement of lifting the FA Cup while playing outside top tier of English football: Southampton in 1976 and West Ham in 1980.
What Happened Next
Sunderland's reward for winning the FA Cup was a place in the European Cup-Winners' Cup, the club's first foray into Europe. Stokoe's men saw off Vasas Budapest in the 1st round before their European adventure came to an end in round 2 with defeat to Sporting Lisbon. The Wearsiders endured a disappointing league campaign, finishing fifth to again miss out on promotion to the First Division.
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