Happy Milk Cup Final Day

Today marks the thirty-eighth anniversary of Oxford United's greatest achievement in the history of the club. They triumphed over Queens Park Rangers with a stunning 3-0 victory at Wembley, securing the coveted League Cup.

Oxford United has accomplished various impressive feats, but many would say that the Milk Cup final of 1986 was the most outstanding game. This doesn't necessarily mean it was the most crucial game - that title likely belongs to the 2010 Conference play-off final. It also doesn't mean it was the club's most significant achievement - being elected to the Football League in 1962 or promoted to the top-level in 1985 could surpass the cup final's importance. Nevertheless, the game on April 20th, 1986 stands out as the best one-time event.

On that particular day, 36,000 supporters of Oxford Football Club gathered at the English soccer arena. The Club Secretary Jim Hunt had to purchase additional tickets from clubs located in the northern region who weren't keen on selling their ticket allocations for a final match between two squads of the southern region. On the other hand, Oxford City was quite deserted that day, as almost everyone was either at Wembley or watching the game on TV at home since sports bars didn't exist back then.

The highway designated as M40, which leads to London, was heavily congested with various modes of transportation, including cars, buses, minibuses, motorbikes, and coaches that were transporting the Yellow Army over a distance of 48 miles to Wembley Stadium. Similarly, different travelers preferred to embark on the journey by train, with a special train known as the football special initiating the journey from Oxford station and passing through Banbury and Bicester until it reached the station lying adjacent to the stadium.

This is how I journeyed, and the feeling on the train was a mix of excitement and worry. Unfortunately, the train was delayed for a long time before arriving at Bicester station. Eventually, we arrived at Wembley Way, which was filled with fans wearing yellow and blue or blue and white. After passing through the narrow turnstiles and climbing the steps, we entered the stadium, and it was an explosion of sound and color. To this day, United has never played in front of such a massive audience, with over 90,000 fans in attendance and who knows how many more tuning in to watch the live broadcast - the first time the club had ever participated in one.

I arrived just as the charity game was ending on the Wembley field. The moments felt like they were passing very slowly until both teams emerged, walking together. Jim Smith, a familiar face, was leading one of the teams. After exchanging greetings with important people, the game began. The sound of the crowd cheering was incredibly wild and intense, one that I had never experienced before.

In the beginning of the game, things were quite uneventful as both teams appeared to be a bit overwhelmed by the stadium. The only noteworthy thing I recall was a massive yellow balloon bouncing around the track but never quite making it onto the field. However, a few minutes before the first half ended, I witnessed some commotion happening among the QPR supporters. When I turned my attention back to the game, Trevor Hebberd had already made it into the QPR penalty box with the ball.

"I don't think he's going to make it," crossed my mind. But then, I was instantly proven wrong as he swiftly shot past Paul Barron, landing the ball into the near corner and sending half of Wembley stadium into a frenzy. It was unimaginable for us to even play in a significant cup final at Wembley, and to take the lead felt almost unreal. The excitement and happiness carried us through half time and into the second period.

The initial 40 minutes of the game were slow and uneventful, but the remainder of the match passed quickly with the dominance of the yellow team. I don't recall experiencing any anxiety regarding QPR's control of the ball. Alan Judge's goal attempt was so minimal, that he could have relaxed and smoked a cigar while leaning against the goal post.

On the other hand, United appeared at ease, self-assured, poised and performed with a sense of style that contradicted their risky spot in the bottom part of the division standings.

Suddenly, a remarkable incident occurred as Houghton ran towards Hebberd. He swiftly sidefooted the ball towards the goal, achieving a score of 2-0. The ecstatic crowd’s excitement increased even more due to their team's success. The competition was pretty much over at this point. I distinctly recall witnessing John Aldridge being given a clear opportunity to score, and I already thought the score was 3-0. However, I immediately realized that his shot had missed the target and had gone wide.

As the game was coming to a close, Barron made a move that resulted in Aldridge taking a shot that went straight to Jeremy Charles. Charles then successfully poked the ball into the net, making the score 3-0 and causing Oxford to be overjoyed. The celebration began well before the final whistle blew, and it became even more surreal when Maurice Evans sent Ken Fish, their trusted physio who had been with the team for a long time, up the steps to receive his medal.

The sound that greeted Malcolm Shotton when he raised the cup was a fusion of dignity, joy, incredulity, and victory. These feelings were experienced by all Oxford supporters who were present to witness the momentous occasion.

Feeling drained emotionally, the journey back home on the train was a quiet one. Each person lost in thought about the unforgettable day that had just passed and that hasn't been replicated since. Was it the most significant day in the club's history? It felt that way then, and even now, 38 years later, it continues to hold that same significance.

Greetings and well wishes on this joyous occasion of the Milk Cup Final.

Alan Judge, John Trewick, Gary Briggs, Malcolm Shotton, Dave Langan, Ray Houghton, Les Phillips, Trevor Hebberd, Kevin Brock, Jeremy Charles, John Aldridge are all considered as legends of Manor Football Club. They are all greatly admired and respected for their contributions to the team.