This week’s ‘Greatest Goal’ comes from one of Arsenal’s most memorable wins over rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 1978.
On 23 December 1978, Arsenal traveled down Seven Sisters Road for the first North London derby of the season. They won the match convincingly, with Alan Sunderland scoring a hat-trick. It was another Irishman, Liam Brady, who scored the goal of the game, although Frank Stapleton also scored.
After David Price curled a cross from the right wing to Frank Stapleton, who was standing between the penalty spot and the edge of the area. The ball was too high, but Stapleton was able to nod it to fullback Pat Rice a few yards ahead.
Rice wasn’t known as a prolific scorer, and that showed when he stuck out his left leg to take a shot toward the goal. The ball was tipped in the air and two Tottenham defenders got it to Peter Taylor 25 yards from goal.
Taylor looked over his shoulder for a moment before taking a touch, but Liam Brady rushed in and swatted the ball away. Brady took a few touches before firing a wonderful curling shot across goal and into the far corner of the net.
Tottenham goalkeeper Mark Kendall couldn’t even get close to the shot. He made a vague attempt to get closer to the ball and took a few steps across the goal, but didn’t have time to dive or extend his arms.
BBC commentator John Motson cried as the ball hit the back of the net. “Look at that, oh look at that! “Brady’s goal!” In pure disbelief and admiration for the goal he had just witnessed.
This was one of Arsenal’s greatest goals of the 1970s. Liam Brady was one of the heroes of the decade and loved by the Highbury faithful. Many hearts were broken when the Irish midfielder decided to leave the club and join Italian side Juventus in 1980.
Arsenal finished the season by winning the FA Cup, beating Manchester United 3-2 on a sunny afternoon at Wembley. In a game known as the ‘5-minute final,’ it was Brady who took control of the midfielder’s ball at the end of the game and rushed towards the Manchester United defense. He laid the ball wide to Graham Rix who crossed the ball to the far post for Alan Sunderland, who scored a hat-trick at White Hart Lane, to poke the ball into the back of the net.
