Cup Heartbreak For Fulham

1975 FA Cup run

Fulham had to play a massive 11 games to reach their first ever FA Cup final after a succession of replays en route to Wembley. Could they summon up one last effort to take the trophy?

The West Londoners were pushed all the way on a long and arduous path to the Twin Towers. They needed multiple replays to get past Hull and Nottingham Forest in rounds 3 and 4, and a second game to defeat Birmingham in the semi-finals. However, Lady Luck abandoned them when they needed it most, as they went down 2-0 to London rivals West Ham in the final. The Irons sealed their second FA Cup thanks to a brace from Alan Taylor to break Fulham's brave hearts.

Results

Round	Opponent	Score
3rd Round	Hull City (h)	1-1
3rd Round replay	Hull City (a)	2-2
3rd Round 2nd replay	Hull City (h)	1-0
4th Round	Nottingham Forest (h)	0-0
4th Round replay	Nottingham Forest (a)	1-1
4th Round 2nd replay	Nottingham Forest (h)	1-1
4th Round 3rd replay	Nottingham Forest (a)	1-2
5th Round	Everton (a)	1-2
Quarter-Final	Carlisle United (a)	0-1
Semi-Final	Birmingham	1-1
Semi-Final replay	Birmingham	0-1

Key Games

Nottingham Forest 1-2 Fulham (FA Cup 4th round 3rd replay, February 10, 1975)

At the fourth time of asking, Fulham finally put Forest to bed to seal their place in the 5th round. The East Midlanders had proved a stubborn obstacle, but Viv Busby's brace, one in each half, finally broke their resistance.

Everton 1-2 Fulham (FA Cup 5th round, February 15, 1975)

Busby was the Fulham hero once more, scoring twice against Everton. But the Toffees were left to rue the costly errors that led to Fulham's first goal. Following a mix-up between keeper Dai Davies and defender Roger Kenyon, Busby was quickest to the rebound and duly slotted home. Kenyon made up for his error by bringing the Goodison Park side level, before Busby scored a decisive second with a shot on the turn.

Birmingham 0-1 Fulham (aet, FA Cup semi-final replay, April 9, 1975)

John Mitchell's last-gasp strike saw the Cottagers reach the final at the expense of the Midlands side. The Fulham striker had scored in the first game, and did so again in the replay, flinging himself at a rebound, before forcing the ball into the net. Despite being the better side over the 90 minutes, Birmingham were unable to cope with a rejuvenated Fulham side that dominated in extra-time, and Mitchell finally struck with seconds to go, to the delight of his team-mates.

Key Off-field Moments

Mullery Named Footballer of the Year

Fulham star Alan Mullery picked up the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award just 48 hours before the final. Mullery had been pivotal in the Cottagers' run to Wembley.

The Gong Show

As well as his football award, Mullery was also given an MBE for services to football.

On The Record

To commemorate Fulham's run to Wembley, Tony Rees and The Cottagers released a Cup final single, Viva el Fulham. It reached No.46 in the charts.

Key Figures

Alan Mullery

The Fulham skipper was instrumental in what would prove to be his penultimate season at Craven Cottage. Pulling the strings from his favoured midfield position, Mullery was the perfect foil for Viv Busby to fire the bulk of Fulham's goals as they fought their way to the final.

John Mitchell

Having started the season in the reserves, Mitchell took his first-team chance with both hands. His goals in both semi-final ties completed a wonderful turnaround for the man who went on to start the final against West Ham.

Viv Busby

Fulham's hot-shot striker scored six goals en route to the final. His double strikes in the 4th and 5th rounds saw him finish as the West Londoners' top scorer in the competition. However, he was unable to add to that tally at Wembley, being closely marked by West Ham centre-halves Tommy Taylor and Kevin Lock.

What Happened Next

Fulham fell at the first hurdle in the FA Cup the following season, crashing to a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Fourth Division side Huddersfield in the 3rd round. The previous year's beaten finalists lost despite taking an early lead, with Jimmy Lawson emerging as the hero for the minnows.

Similarly, holders West Ham were also knocked out at the first time of asking with Kevin Keegan and John Toshack on target for Liverpool. However, the Irons did reach the final of the European Cup-Winners' Cup, where they lost to Anderlecht.

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