City icon David White looks back fondly on our 1986 FA Youth Cup final triumph over Manchester United – although insists beating Arsenal in the semi-final was probably a more difficult feat than seeing off the Red Devils in the showpiece.
White recalls the run to the final vividly looking back now 40 years on.
After beating Tranmere 7-1 in the first round, where White himself bagged a brace, the Blues then enjoyed another 7-1 triumph over Blackburn before a narrow 1-0 victory over Blackpool. Then a 4-1 success over Leicester followed before a 3-0 win over Fulham in the quarter-final.
City lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the semi-final first leg before Paul Moulden hit two – making it a whopping eight in the competition overall – in the return leg as the 2-1 success set up a penalty shootout that the Blues triumphed in 5-4.
That double header with Arsenal - to set up the tussle with our neighbours and rivals – was the one White pinpointed as the most difficult en route.
“In 1986, we walked through the tournament to the semifinal really. But Arsenal in the last four was really, really tough.
“Michael Thomas was playing left back directly against me. He was in the Arsenal first team.
“It was a massive step up for me, even though I’d played reserve football by then.
“Michael was obviously an unbelievable footballer for his age so it was hard.
“I think Arsenal were a much better team than United. Those semi-final ties we were well matched. We really did well to get beyond that tie. We got through on penalties in the end to set us up for the derby final.
“We were playing in the Lancashire League that season and we were playing Everton 18s, Liverpool 18s, United 18s and my memory, if it’s right, was that we lost the first game of the season against South Liverpool and then I’m pretty sure we didn’t drop a point after that.
“We were playing our peers in some really difficult places like Morecambe and Marine and playing really strong, aggressive reserve teams, and beating absolutely everybody.
“I think we went into the United game confident because we’d already beaten them a couple of times in the League.
“But it was still tough, going to Old Trafford and the second game was probably more of a stroll than the 2-0 suggests.
“I didn’t think my contribution was anything special but within a few weeks of that game I was on a plane going to the United States with City’s first team and that was the start of a long career for me.
“Beating United meant more, of course, than if it’d have been another team. There’s not the media glare you have these days but there was always that big, big rivalry between the clubs and they were important games whenever we played against them, at any level.
“It was important to get the bragging rights and always great to beat them.”
White did it alongside a cohort of starlets whose names are remembered fondly by Blues fans past and present.
There was cool and cultured captain Steve Redmond who went on to play 287 times for the Blues over eight seasons.
How about ever-dependable Ian Brightwell who starred in 380 games over 12 seasons.
Andy Hinchcliffe, he of the sweet left foot and the fantastic final goal in the 5-1 massacre of United in 1989 as well as versatile Paul Lake who would have gone on to star for club and country for an eternity had it not been for injury.
Add to those, Paul Moulden who bagged 289 goals in 40 games – 7.2 goals every match on average – yes you read it right! – for all-conquering Bolton Lads Club ahead of his switch to City and 79 goals plus 26 goals for the Blues as well as midfield marvel Ian Scott who spent three seasons and 33 games with City before a switch to Stoke.
It was truly a young pool of pedigree and White has fond memories of lads who were friends as well as teammates.
“Reddo was a centre forward,” said White.
“He joined as a centre forward and then almost immediately moved to centre midfield and then after a while moved to centre back and went on to play 700 league games and had an amazing, amazing career.
“He and I went on to play well over 200 games together for the first team which is ridiculous when you think about it.
“He was a great leader and great lad and brilliant player.
“Brighty was a great defender, fit as a fiddle, great runner, set great standards in training. He could play everywhere.
“You knew what you were going to get with him, he’d never let you down and he’d always give you a good performance. He never fell below that.
“He went onto play more games for City than all of us which is testament to what a good player he was. He was Mr Reliable.
“Lakey was gifted but incredibly versatile too.
“When he made it into the first team, he was the guy who if anyone was injured, Lakey would fill in and they’d be worried their position was at risk.
“Usually, you’d miss a game and then come straight back in but with Lakey, you’d know he could go and play there and keep his place in the team.
“It wouldn’t be a guarantee that you’d be back in the next week.
“He moved back to centre midfield and a lot of people think he would have ended up as a central defender had serious injury not struck but I think centre midfield was where he excelled.
“I roomed with Andy up to when he left for Everton. He was always a great player. If you look at the famous 10-1 over Huddersfield, Andy and Paul Simpson were irresistible that day.
“He was dogged, strong, quick and had a great left foot.
“He had a brilliant delivery of a ball and always took a great corner.
“When he left, he was always a difficult opponent and only once or twice I got the better of him. He ended up with seven caps for England which is some accolade.
“Paul was incredible as a kid.
“He was very developed. He’d never been a big guy but he’d done more training as a kid. There was definitely an element of us making more marginal gains in our fitness, our strength, our pace, our game but he’d already hit those really, really high standards.
“The fans loved him. He was an unbelievable goalscorer. He wasn’t a scorer of great goals but he was a great goalscorer. He really was prolific.
“Scotty was an unbelievably talented player. The centre-back or full-back would feed the ball to Scotty and he’d hit a diagonal behind the full-back and I’d cross for Mouldy who’d score. We’d do that two or three times every Saturday.
“He got his injuries and it wasn’t to be for Scotty but he was a really good player and a great passer of the ball, probably one of the best we’ve ever had.
“I’ve got to say, too, that everyone looks at us guys. But then there’s John Beresford, Earl Barrett, Jason Beckford, Ashley Ward, Michael Hughes, Neil Lennon, the list goes on.
“There’s a massive group during that time period of several years who went on to have brilliant careers.
“From our team, too, Andy Thackeray and Steve Macauley as examples, their longevity in the game was incredible.”