3-2

Coventry City vs Tottenham Hotspur

The Match

Coventry City pulled of one of the biggest giant-killings the FA Cup has ever seen in 1987, particularly as this wasn’t a simple qualifying match, this was the FA Cup final. Everyone had written off Coventry in what seemed to be a foregone conclusion with Tottenham to lift their 8^th FA Cup trophy. Virtually all of Spurs’ squad had international caps, while Coventry only boasted four players who had previously played at Wembley, the difference was sensational, yet this is why football is so popular, and why the FA Cup has a form of romanticism that cannot be matched. Chris Waddle terrorised Greg Downs for majority of the first half and found Clive Allen to put Spurs in front. Coventry responded well and Bennett equalised for the underdogs 7 minutes after Allen’s opening goal. Hoddle put Spurs 2-1 up before the break with a scintillating free-kick but Coventry came out fighting after the interval and their perseverance was rewarded in the 63^rd minute as Keith Houchen scored a goal which would go down in FA Cup final history. The match went to extra time and step forward Gary Mabbutt, who’s looping finish evaded Clemence in the Spurs goal to send Coventry fans, and neutral fans alike, into absolute delirium.

It wasn’t a surprise that John Motson dubbed the game “the most exciting FA Cup final on which I’ve had the pleasure of commentating”.

The Writer

Lee Child

Born

Coventry, England

29th October 1954

Connection to Club

Birthplace

Notable Awards

2011 Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year

2014 RBA International Prize for Crime Writing

Jim Grant, who is known by his pen name Lee Child, was born in Coventry and has become one of the most successful thriller novelists of modern time. His Jack Reacher book series is probably what he is best known for, and this explores the adventures of a fromer American military officer in the USA since leaving the forces. Child is a self-proclaimed fan of Aston Villa Football Club, however, his roots very much lie in Coventry where he and his brother Andrew, also a thriller writer, spent their early childhood.

Find The Jack Reacher Series here