Arsenal completed ‘the double’ by beating Liverpool in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.  They won the English League Championship by a single point ahead of Leeds.  It was the first time the Gunners had achieved this distinction 10 years after London-rivals Spurs achieved the same feat.

For the second year in a row the FA Cup Final ended in a draw with neither team being able to find the net in ordinary time in the London sunshine.  Extra-time however was to prove to a major reversal as 3 goals were scored.

Arsenal drew the short straw and Bertie Mee’s men were required to wear their away strip of yellow-and-blue but it didn’t stop them from winning a match that will always be remembered as “Charlie George’s cup final”.

Bill Shankley’s Liverpool dominated possession in the first half but failed to test Arsenal’s legendary keeper Bob Wilson.  The Gunners looked dangerous with several counter-attacks. In the second half Arsenal went close on 3 occasions to winning in regular time. Ray Kennedy sliced a pass from Bob Radford wide of the goal from close range and a George Graham header hit the bar.  Graham again went close when another header was cleared off the line by Liverpool defender Alec Lindsay.

The closest either side came to goal in regular time was when George Graham hit the crossbar with 12 minutes left on the clock but it was a different story in extra-time.  Liverpool striker Steve Heighway slotted a low drive past Wilson on his near side after just 2 minutes of extra time.  Arsenal showed enormous heart to take this into their stride and push for an equaliser.  The Londoners brought on Eddie Kelly and the Scottish substitute leveled the scores at 1-1 in the 101st minute. 

In a display that typified their fantastic season the Gunners sealed the win when flamboyant striker Charlie George made space between two defenders and let fly from 20 yards out with an unstoppable shoulder-high strike that flew past Ray Clemence in the Liverpool goal and bulged the back of the net.  George’s horizontal celebration has become folklore and Arsenal captain Frank McLintock lifted the cup that clinched their “Double”.

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