SCORE 79 FA Cup Final and Clifford Adams

ISSUE 04SCORE APRIL 2020 Your Local Football E-Magazine Score E-Magz THE 1979 FA CUP FINAL - NOW THAT WAS AN ICONIC GAME LOCAL FEATURE CLIFFORD ADAMS  FTrooImrisUh1P6rYemouitehrsChoipach Score: The Football E-Magazine

1 THE 5- MINUTE FINAL The 1979 FA Cup Final was to be contested by Arsenal and Manchester United. However before the final both sides played out very hard semi finals. Arsenal were the first team to cement their right to take part in the final as they had beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers by 2-0, with goals from Frank Stapleton and Alan Sunderland. Coincidentally both names pop up later for various reasons. Though Manchester United had to over come the mighty Liverpool side via a replay as their first game was a 2-2 draw at Maine Road with United's goals coming from Joe Jordan and Brian Greenhoff. It was in the replay where the game was then decided and at Goodison Park, the blonde bomber that was the cult figure of Jimmy Greenhoff, Brian's Brother, who sealed United's fate and send them to Wembley for the biggest day out of the year, that elusive trip to Wembley on FA Cup Final day. It's what dreams are made of. (Pic Credit: Pinterest) FA Cup Final day. All the pre-match preparations have been done. This is now the climax of the greatest football competition in the world. There will not be a player walking out onto the hallowed Wembley turf who hasn't dreamed of this moment. Its 2.50pm, it's Cup Final day. It's time to be welcomed by 100'000 fans at the tunnel. (Pic Credit: Arsenal.com)

2 The famous \"Abide With Me\" hymn is a moment that goes down in history, annually at Wembley Stadium on FA Cup Final Day, and on this day in 1979 it was no different.  The emotion that cry's out from 100'000 fans and the millions around the world who are watching is enough to sent shivers down anyone's spine. Arsenal v Manchester United in a game that has been previewed as a cracking game to look forward to most certainly did not let anyone down. Both sides were tainted with class. The London side had world class players like Pat Jennings, David O'Leary, and Liam Brady, the suave Irish midfielder who was without any shadow of doubt, as good a midfielder at this stage of his career as there was to be seen in the whole of Europe, such was his naturally skillful style of football. Whereas United had players of top class nature in droves. Gordon McQueen, Joe Jordan, Jimmy Greenhoff, Sammy McIlroy and Steve Coppell all fitted the bill as being as good a players in their positions as there was in Britain on this day. However, after kick-off the match began with the normal flurry of balls over the top to see if any of the defences would leak that nervous twitch that would set one of the forwards free on goal, though in this game there was to be none of that. Though after 12 mins there was a breakthrough when Liam Brady peddled a ball through to David Price for Arsenal. Price got to the by-line and pushed the ball back under the grasp of Gary Bailey in the United goal to Brian Talbot who slotted the ball into the net for the opening goal from 6 yards making it 1-0 to Arsenal after 12 mins. Talbot was playing in his second cup final in a row as he had been victorious aldiet against Arsenal the previous year while playing for Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town. (Pic Credit: Arsenal.com)

3 The game was now on and with a goal after only 12 mins, which is great to see in a cup final, this gave reason for both sides be more adapt to the fact that they were either in front or behind and that they had to gather more momentum, from the playing perspective. United tried to break through the defence of the gunners, however, big Willie Young and David O'Leary were having none of it. The same could also be said for the Arsenal forward line who after going up 1-0 tried to grab another goal right away but in return Martin Buchan and Big Gordon McQueen, who had a goal disallowed, controlled United's defence. With time passing and both sides pressing with no further progression coming towards the half time whistle, there was in one split second and wonderful weaving run from the Irish genius Liam Brady from the Arsenal midfield area where he beat three players and provided a pin-point cross to his fellow national and teammate Frank Stapleton who headed the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the United goal with the outstretched Gary Bailey missing the ball as it hit the back on the net making it 2-0 to Arsenal in the 43rd minute sending the gunners into the changing room at half-time 2-0 up. (Pic Credit: Arsenal.com) During half time one can only imagine there was a different atmosphere in one than there was the other. United, down 2-0 and the second scored just before the half....deflating. Whereas on the other hand Arsenal are bound to be elated and confident that they can see the second half out with this two goal lead.

4 THE SECOND HALF The second half kicked off with both sides knowing that a goal from either side could have a massive effect on the outcome of the game. The second half right until whenever Steve Coppell had the best chance of United's game so far to grab something from the match had been a drab affair, however, unfortunately for United fans Pat Jennings was at hand to safely hold the ball after Coppell should have scored for United. Liam Brady, the Irish master on the ball, was playing a first class role in distributing the ball and maintaining possession for the gunners. His artistic style and relaxed on the ball touch and sense was that of the most wonderful sight. Brady was in many ways the man that could change any game on it's head in the blink of an eye. Having literally set up the two Arsenal goals, Brady was well on his way to winning the man of the match trophy. Brady had come to Arsenal alongside O'Leary and Stapleton. Since his arrival he had shown nothing less than a master class in passing, dribbling and understanding how to read the game. (Pic credit: Arsenal.com) He was also extremely pivotal in selection for his national team anytime they would have a game. If Brady is fit he is usually the first name on the team sheet. The 1979 FA Cup Final had looked like as if as a game it was literally over coming into the last ten minutes or so. Arsenal were trying to kill time whereas United were not giving up. With time ticking away and Arsenal fans signing loud and proud it looked like as if they had their name on the cup, however, in 1979 the Cup Final went down in history as \"The Five Minute Cup Final.\" The reason for this began in the 86th minute when United had a free kick on the right hand side just outside the 18 yard box.

5 Steve Coppell crossed the ball into the box, the ball made its way through a number of players, however when the ball was returned back into the box by Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen got on the end of it to slot it into the Arsenal nets past Pat Jennings to give United a glimmer of hope. There was 4 mins left and what ever injury time the referee for the day Mr Ron Challis would add on. (Pic Credit: Arsenal.com) It was within another two minutes of McQueen's lifeline that United pushed forward against a tired Arsenal. Steve Coppell managed to get on to the ball and when he did he slipped a ball through to United Midfielder Sammy McIlroy who after beating O'Leary then beat David Price and somehow slipped the ball below the outcoming Pat Jennings to the ecstatic roars of the United fans who were in sheer disbelief that their team had equalised in the 88th minute of the game. (Pic Credit: Getty Images)

6 United had performed the miraculous comeback that no-one though possible. The game now was looking like as if it would go to extra time. Arsenal players looked like as if they had been totally rushed off their feet with this United whirlwind, especially at this late in the game. Sammy McIlroy was on record after the game for saying \"At the stage when I scored the equaliser we had them. But then they also had a player called Liam Brady and Brady is world class and he proved it all day long.\" In the moments after United celebrated with so much joy, Arsenal took the centre and the ball made its way to Liam Brady who with one last effort beath three men like a demon. He then slipped the ball to Graham Rix who crossed the ball long to the back post where when the ball had made its way over the outcoming Gary Bailey in the United goals, Alan Sunderland was there to slide in and push the ball into the United net which caused nothing short of hysteria in the stadium all round. The shock, the elation, the sheer phenomenal moment of complete and utter footballing wonderland had just taken place when Sunderland ran away in celebration being chased by his teammates. Surely this was it, sure the referee was going to blow his whistle after this re-start. It was literally direct from the kick from the centre that the referee then blew his whistle ending what can only be called one of the most iconic cup finals ever seen.

1 CLIFFORD ADAMS FROM YOUTH COACH TO IRISH PREMIERSHIP COACH There is many a story in local football well worth listening to, however, there are few better than the tale that Clifford Adams has to tell. First and foremost Cliffy, as he is known in the ranks, is a married man and a devoted father, he is then a football lover. Cliffy 40, originally from Broughshane now resides in Galgorm due to the pulling pressure of his greatest supporter and team mate in many ways, his wife Deborah. Cliffy is the first to state that without the support of his wife there would have been no chance of him trying to take the route he has taken into football coaching that he has pursued. I first of all began by asking Cliffy about his younger days and did he play as a lad. The Broughshane man told me \"In my teen years I played for a number of years for Wallace Russell (R.I.P) and Gerry Sexton (R.I.P) at Michelin who were two of the best men and had a big influence on me wanting to progress as a coach as I knew I wasn't good enough to progress as a player.\" I asked Cliffy about the way Wallace and Gerry, sadly since deceased, made him want to take up coaching, Cliffy replied \"It was the way they made you feel which always stayed with me. Gerry and Wallace made you believe you could do anything and made you feel that they cared and even to this day that's a big part of what I do and who I am. These two great men are no longer with us but I was very privileged to have been involved with them for a short time.\" Cliffy also documented that he was heart broke at the recent news of the death of these two local stalwarts in amateur football. However, Cliffy's football coaching career took off when he was asked by a friend, Uel Biggerstaff, to come on board at a newly put together U16 side from his area in Broughshane called Broughshane Wanderers. (Pictured Below).

2 I asked Cliffy to tell me about these early learning days, \"after two or three seasons with the wanderers and a great time at Braid FC, Rodney Crawford then manager of Raceview Rangers, who were very successful in the intermediate league, asked me would I start a reserve side for club to give the young local lads somewhere to progress after the age of 16yo. I then spent a few seasons their under Rodney Crawford and Jason Cairns which was really enjoyable and a fantastic club.\" THE NEXT STEP t was that man Biggerstaff again who initially got me into Carniny U17s to help Uel Biggerstaff and ended up staying four years in total. During his tenure at Carniny, Billy O'Flaherty who was and still is Mr.Carniny, then asked Cliffy to take the U17s the next season as they had finished near the bottom of the division. However, under Cliffy's coaching and man to man approach, the following season the side just missed out on the league by 3 points which in anyone's book was a massive improvement from the previous year. From that side that Cliffy brought together and made formidable, many have went onto play BSML, Intermediate League and Irish League football such was the strength in core of the side. Cliffy then also gave Anthony McCartney a hand at Carniny Amateurs, an afternpopon branch of the club, for a short time. This side had an abundance of quality young players who all came up through their youth set and Cliffy explained \"To see the cream rise to the top was just fantastic.\" \"During my time at Carniny Billy had put me in as head of youth development looking after all mini soccer creating a program for coaches to follow all while I was running 17s and helping out Anthony when required.\"  Cliffy went on to say \"It was during a coaching week that I was running for Billy that I had a chance meeting with Terry Moore who at this stage was Roy Walker's assistant manager at Ballymena United. I always went down 1hr 30 mins before hand to set up every night.\" \"Terry approached me and started asking general questions who I was with, what I had done and so on. Then Just out of the blue he asked me would I be interested in taking on Ballymena reserves. I then met the boss Roy Walker who chatted to me for 30 mins and offered me the the role and that was my start at working at the higher level in football coaching.\" \"Sometimes opportunities arise at times when you least expect and iv always banged onto any young lads I worked with when a chance comes to go higher you gotta go with it, whether you believe your ready or not makes no difference if you want it bad enough you will work hard to stay their\" says Cliffy who from any man's perspective is 110% correct. Some of stand out players from my time at Ballymena United were the likes of speedster Neil Lowry, Jamie Davidson, Colin Moore, Eoin and Caolan Gillan, Michael Ruddy, Mathew Shevlin, Corey Price, Stewart Nixon Kyle Rowe, Ben McCauley, Davy Reid, Leon Bonnes, Josh Corry, Kyle Beggs, Peter Duffin and I have got to mention Conor Ross.

3 Cliffy, who by this time has grabbed every opportunity given to him with open arms had then formed a side that was ready to go to take on the rest of Europe in the Foyle Cup, a prestigious youth tournament where only the best prevail. Clifford is seen celebrating a goal in the Foyle Cup final by one of his progeney Jamie Davidson Cliffy tells me \"My first staff/coaches who worked with me at Ballymena was big John Heron the former Ballymena United stalwart and captain. We had a great time together. Then John Clarke and Paul Quigley who I brought in after our Foyle cup final defeat to Hibernian also became a close companion as must have worked together for five years. We also coached at intermediate level with Wakehurst and Ballyclare Comrades together.\" Below is one of Clifford's Reserve sides at The Showgrounds.

4 MOVING ON Ballymena United was Clifford's first love in football. They were his hiom club. He supported them faithfully since he was a lad and now to get the chance to work with the club was \"An absolute honour and nothing that money could ever have paid for,\" explained Adams. Having worked Under Glenn Ferguson at The Sky Blues, \"Ferguson was a top man to work\" says Cliffy. \"He brought me into the first team staff as a performance analyst, scout.  The success that we had altogether as a squad was just brilliant. First of all we won the County Antrim Shield at The Oval in front of a massive crowd with a penalty shoot-out win vs Linfield. The we lifted the Shield again at Windsor beating Linfield again which was just something else. These are memories that will live with me and drive me forever. These moments are the times when I stood back in amazement thinking about my days as a coach at Broughshane Wanderers saying to myself, this has been some journey. SKY BLUE 1ST SQUAD MEMORY LANE Clifford also went on to tell me about these times at the club. \"The club was buzzing at this time. We had been doing better all round. We had got to finals which we won, we had also gave the supporters something to savour and remember as it had been a long time since the club had silverware. The most important thing for me personally, however, was to remain learning off Glenn Ferguson, Norman Kelly and Lee Docherty who were all of the best pedigree that Irish League football had to offer.\"

5 HEARTBREAKING NEWS United had finished in the top tier of the table in the same season as winning the shield. However, this was not sustained the next season as a run of league results under Ferguson left a lot to be desired.  News had filtered through to Cliffy that it looked almost a certainty that there was going to be shake ups within the first team staff. Then the bombshell arrived. Glenn Ferguson's tenure at Ballymena United had come to an end, he had been sacked David Jeffrey was to be installed as the new club manager. I asked Cliffy about this time and how it felt about the whole situation. Cliffy told me that this was at a time when he was thinking about his own future in the game. \"This whole situation arose at a time where I was thinking of what I needed to do progress myself. David had spoke to myself and John Clark about staying on, however, I knew within myself that the time was right to move on. I had spoke to Ian Gregg about becoming Wakehurst manager several times and this was a hard decision for me as I had spent over five years at United. Also being a fan of United didn't but I knew if I wanted to progress I had to move on.\" So for Adams it was the time when he would have to impress to make his own way if he was to justify his UEFA LIcences which he had successfully completed. Clifford has always showed a great will to chase his dreams and that was always very evident when he would produce certificate after certificate which earned him the right to be touted as a future Irish League qualified coach. Therefore, the opportunity of not only working with but managing a club of Wakehurst's stature at this stage of his coaching career was to be a great learning curve as not only did the buck stop with Cliffy, he also learned the art of disciplining his players mentally to therefore get the best out of each one. Clifford brought that professional approach to \"The Hurst\" where even dress codes were stamped up on match days. Respect for each player was a pivotal aspect of the changing room and the all-round enthusiasm that he brought to the club was always easy to see.

6 I asked Cliffy about his days at Wakehurst, he told me \"Myself, John Clark, Paul Quigley along with Rodney Quigley took over Wakehurst and built up quite a strong young squad of players who we had worked with as well as some from the BSML.\" He went on to tell me about some of the players that he had signed and gathered for his attack on Intermediate football. \"I signed players like Ryan Bamber, Lee McLelland, Andy Finlay, whom we got on loan from Coleraine, Zach Barr, Stewart Nixon, Kurtis McCartney, Conor Ross, Johnny Logan, Andy McLaughlin, Andy Millar, Corey Price and many more and they gave us 100% and a great season. However, with about seven games to go in the league championship I had received a phone call from our Chairman that Ballyclare had Rung them and requested to speak to me and at which time they asked me up to a meeting at Dixon Park to speak to them about becoming manager. Having spoken to Cliffy about what was going through his head at this stage between being an Intermediate League coach or taking the opportunity to step on up that ladder and become an Irish League Championship Club Manager, Cliffy told me \"I took 3 days to think about it, especially after building the squad up after their relegation from the Championship Division 2, but progression is also progression in one's own career. I spoke to Ian a few times and the staff and as hard as it was I had to take the opportunity.\" Ballyclare Comrades Football Club So the challenge was new, the challenge was fresh and Clifford has shown that over the years, this is what he thrives upon. Ballyclare Comrades had started off the season with a run of impressive results therefore sustaining momentum to be challengers before the Christmas period. This is most necessary if you are to become serious challengers after the Christmas break. After the break the club began to take on defeats which after a short time meant that the challenge for the division was over. Though this did not take away the fact that a top tier finish was not achievable. At the end of the season the club had managed to finish 5th in the Championship and it was then that Cliffy and Ballyclare Comrades took the decision that they would break the relationship. Cliffy tells me of the friendships he made while manager at the club \"I have to be honest and state that I met some of the nicest people at the club. The club will always have a place in my heart.\" Cliffy also added \"I enjoyed my time at Ballyclare. Things didn't end how we would have liked but that's football.\"

7 TAKING A BREAK - WELL THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT So for the first time in many years Cliffy had no Saturday routine. He was out of doing what he loved doing. Cliffy lives for football, he knows nothing more than preparation, dedication and maximum efforts not only for the good of his love for coaching, but more importantly for the end performance of his teams after the final whistle on a weekly basis............it is fair to say that Clifford bleeds football. Clifford tells me about this rather strange time in his life. \"This was my first time being out of football in about fourteen years and boy it was strange. Then out of the blue one Sunday afternoon the newly appointed Carrick Rangers manager Niall Currie rang me for a chat and asked me to come in and be 1st team coach. I have to say that personally I was always used to being the manager. I didn't know how it would go but my love for the game and of course the direction in which Niall had stated to me that he wanted the club to go in was just too much for me to turn down, and besides, it meant I was not only back in the game, it meant that my inner soul could rest satisfied that I thought I had made the greatest decision so far in my coaching career and that feeling is priceless\" said Cliffy. Cliffy has been on record for declaring that so far his time at the Amber Army has been an absolute dream ride. Last season the club went on this run which dreams were made of throughout the season. They sustained momentum right up the final night of the play- offs where they played Ards for the right to become a premiership club. This was the pinnacle of every once of effort that Clifford had ever put into his football coaching career ever since the first night he entered the changing rooms alongside his friend Uel Biggerstaff as coaches of Broughshane Wanderers all them years ago. Going into the 2nd leg of this play-off Carrick took a 1-0 victory with them. However, the club's effervescent captain Mark Surgenor put the amber men 2-0 up on aggregate with a bullet header from a corner. The dream result was then sealed when Mark Strain scored late in the game to push Carrick Rangers into the Premiership, the top tier of the Irish League. The mecca for any coach or player. Therefore Clifford Adams, who has since been promoted to Club assistant manager is by now living his dream like never before.

8 CONTINUING THE JOURNEY Clifford kept reminding when chatting of his days when he was starting out. He also stated that the time he spent at Braid FC was a great time for him in learning the rigours of management. It was times like this that Cliffy said he looked back on when he had any major successes, such is one man's personal journey. When asking Cliffy about his new role and his new role at the club he said \"The staff down here are like a family. Niall Currie, John McAlister, Andy Hunter, Noel Dean, Jimmy Nesbitt and Lee Wilson are all gentlemen of the highest order. They are also professional and extremely energetic toward giving their utmost best in the goal of achieving at the club. \" Promotion from the Championship and a good 1st season in the Premiership, so far, albeit with the outbreak of this current pandemic, the club, it's ethos and very ideology is most certainly headed in the right direction. The community spirit has been rekindled, the togetherness of everyone at the club goes from the head manager and assistants to the youth who gather in their droves forming the club's format which therefore sends the sign out that at Carrick Rangers Football Club, the future definitely is bright. Before the break the club were sitting safe in 8th position in the Danske Bank Irish Premiership and that is a great achievement for their first season back. Asking Cliffy about the highs and the lows and of course his inspirations during his trip through the ladder of local football he said \" My highlights or games that have stuck in my mind are the quarter final of the U19 Foyle Cup where Jamie Davidson scored a last minute penalty to send us into the semis versus the previous years winners Derry City. We then won that game 1 - 0 Peter Duffin scoring the winner. In the final Scottish premier team Hibernian beat us 1-0 but these were truly great memories. \" \"Other games that were special were the Irish Cup Final even though Glenavon beat us. Being on the first team staff for Ballymena first trophy win in 20yrs with the Co. Antrim in 2012 then to beat Linfield again the next Co.Antrim win of 2016 are memories that will never ever leave me. Wakehurst Irish cup win versus Dundela was the highlight of my Wakehurst involvement\" \"My first game in charge of Ballyclare v Mathew Tipton's Warrenpoint where they needed a point to win the league and we beat them 1-0 with a Thomas Robinson goal and the Comrades 1st clean sheet in quite a few games was also a day that I will never forget and then at Carrick it has to be versus Ards and getting promoted. It all seemed very unreal as nobody had gave us a chance from the play-off semi's, however, going forward with the esteem that we held ourselves in and the belief that the whole club had intact our lads proved the doubters wrong.\" So there you have it. One man's journey from the bottom to the top of the ladder as far coaching is concerned in Northern Ireland. If there is a step on the ladder that Clifford has missed, it is not worth stepping on. Clifford also wished to point out that right from the off, when he took his first step into coaching and leaving the house on Saturdays and during the week for training, that if he had not had the full support of his loving wife Deborah, he doubts whether his dream would have prevailed. Score Local Football E-Magz wishes to thank Clifford Adams for his participation in this the 4th edition of Score Local Football E-Magz.