Tom Boyd Recalls The '91 Final

[numpty]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/may/1...-boyd-cup-final

 

18 May 1991: Motherwell win 'Brothers Cup final'

 

Tom Boyd was 25 when he captained Motherwell to a memorable 4-3 victory in the 1991 Scottish Cup final.

 

The memories are very fresh for a number of reasons. It was my first major trophy, I was the captain and the game went back and forth so much it's been remembered as a classic, one of the best in recent history. There was a huge amount made in the build-up of the fact that the managers, Tommy McLean of Motherwell and Jim of Dundee United, were brothers and in the week before the match their father died, which added even more significance as well as a tinge of sadness. Either would have been relieved and pleased to get the victory but they would have loved their father to have seen one of them win a first Scottish Cup as managers.

 

Ian Angus put us two up in the second half and though they got one back, Phil O'Donnell restored our advantage. Between going 2-0 up and 3-1 up, though, our fortunes had changed dramatically. When you've got a two-goal lead you think you've got it done and dusted but the game changed after a collision between our goalkeeper Ally Maxwell and United's John Clark.

 

I don't think there was any malice in the challenge. John was a man mountain and it was a mismatch in terms of size and stature but I think he just didn't see Ally, who came off second best by miles. He was down for ages but when he got up we thought everything was OK. We could see he was in pain but didn't know how severely injured he was.

 

In fact when Darren Jackson equalised in the last minute, I shouted and screamed at Ally because I thought he had should have come off his line quicker. Having had a two-goal lead and in my mind getting myself ready to lift the trophy as captain, it was taken away with seconds to go and there was a moment of rage before the determination to get it back took over.What none of us realised was the extent of Ally's injury. His ribs and spleen were badly damaged and he could hardly move. Back then there was no substitute goalkeeper and he struggled on. He was rushed to hospital straight after and missed all the celebrations.

 

Normally, when you've lost a two-goal lead, you'd expect the manager to have given us a rollicking before extra time, but there was no point in him screaming and shouting - he knew how disappointed we were and badly handicapped by Ally's injury. If we thought once we'd regained the lead through Stevie Kirk that we'd be comfortable, there was absolutely no chance of that. There were several scary moments but we got there in the end. There was an element of shock when I went up for the presentation. After all that had happened I was shaking my head when I lifted the Cup.

 

Then what happened

 

The final was Tom Boyd's last game for Motherwell. He joined Chelsea in the summer and moved six months later to Celtic, where he stayed until his retirement in 2003. He currently works as a match day host at Parkhead.

[numpty]

Sorry, just realised this article was published last year, so dunno why it popped up in my Google Alerts today. Still, you can't read about it too often, can you?

[Rickoza]

Would have to disagree with one point. Clark knew exactly what he was doing. He did it for a second time during the game then, with Falkirk, how many others remember him deliberately battering Dougie Arnott after conceding a penalty at Fir park during the 5-3 game?

[Special aka]

Boyd's memory is shot .............. we were never 2-0 up. 1-0, then 1-1, then 2-1, then 3-1, then 3-2, then 3-3, then 4-3 is how I saw it.

 

As for Clark, his challenges on Maxy were more like an asssult - durty big fekker

[decorator]

[Special aka]

That reminds me .......... I do wish Bux would hurry up and create something special with my video footage ( HINT-HINT )

[Coolhandluc]

Boyd's memory is shot .............. we were never 2-0 up. 1-0, then 1-1, then 2-1, then 3-1, then 3-2, then 3-3, then 4-3 is how I saw it.

 

As for Clark, his challenges on Maxy were more like an asssult - durty big fekker

Aye, I'm sure he doesn't make any such mistakes with Sellick final winning scores

[mwellhighland]

Any more personal photos from the day/after celebrations? Would love to see some

[Yabba's Turd]

That reminds me .......... I do wish Bux would hurry up and create something special with my video footage ( HINT-HINT )

Nae bother big yin,

[Haggischomper]

 

i think a flying saucer is trying to get one of our guys with it's tractor beam. is that Ian Angus?

[Rammer]

Looks like Softie to me.

[Albie]

Is that a tri-color on the side of the us? Never noticed that before

[Al B]

No, it's just a green and yellow bus...

[Special aka]

It's a green and yellow bus...

 

Drove thru the town with a Jazz band on cup final morning.

[Alex Spark]

Have dvd with footage of bus going through M'well town centre&arriving at Fir Park+news reports on lead up to cup final day+preview programme night before final

[nethertonwellfan]

Have dvd with footage of bus going through M'well town centre&arriving at Fir Park+news reports on lead up to cup final day+preview programme night before final

Friday Sportscene with Hazel Irvine in the Fir Park club?

 

Oh the memories........