Saints had won the FA Cup and now as the celebrations started back in Southampton, those at Wembley had to get back home and join in.

There was a feeling of foreboding as Saints fans left Wembley, as we came down the stairs and into the concourses the chanting and singing died a little, those on the coaches didn't have far to go with the coach park being right next door, but with it not being segregated it would not be an easy task.

For those of us on the train, we had to get back down Wembley Way, a 30 minute tube journey to Waterloo and then perhaps the party could begin.

Certainly there were celebrating Saints fans on Wembley Way, they were big brave and in a minority though, we queued for the tube in silence trying to look as hacked off as the United fans who were shocked and stunned, they had been the biggest favourites to win ever according to the hype and now they had been beaten they weren't sure how to react, they didn't even have the enthusiasm to wreck the place as was their normal behavior back then.

The tube journey was in silence, it got easier once we got past the change stations for Euston and it felt like a scene from the film the Warriors when we finally reached Waterloo, we knew we were almost home, suddenly Saints fans were the majority again and we started to enjoy it .

On reaching Southampton the party had clearly been if full swing for a few hours, cars were driving around with people sitting on their roofs, it was utter celebration, the pubs were packed and no one cared that you were under 18 as they served anyone, or at least anyone who looked vaguely over 14.

People paraded up and down the Streets singing dancing and hugging complete strangers, it was something to say you had been to the game and many people wanted to know what it had been like and how we had managed to get out alive lol !

The Police were out in force but they weren't interested in arresting anybody, the only offence would have been drunkedness as no one was interested in fighting anyone, when someone fell over the police picked them up and if they couldn't stand then they laid them in the parks to sleep it off.

Having just turned 15 I didn't have the money to drink myself senseless, so I soaked it all in having the odd pint or two along the way, knowing that a night like this had never happened before in this City and sadly not knowing that so far it has yet to happen again.

The pubs apparently stayed open way past usual closing time but I had to get the last bus home, back then there were no video recorders so I could not even watch Match of the Day.

I got home about midnight, my Mum worried sick as we didn't even have a phone back then so I had no way of getting in touch with her and as I said I had only just turned 15.

I went to bed that night with a smile on my face, it had been the best day of my life and surely this was going to happen a lot more often from now on !

All that now remained was to watch the open topped bus tour on Sunday afternoon and then go to Mick Channon's testimonial on the Monday night, but more of this in the next episode tomorrow.

Photo: Action Images

ericofarabia added 11:19 - May 1 Lovin It!!!
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densham41 added 14:05 - May 1 May 1st 1976. Difficult to stop my eyes welling up when my memory goes back to that date. I was 13 at the time, I'd been to the majority of the home games that season including the game when the voucher was given out. My problem was finding someone to take me to Wembley, unfortunately I never found that person and gave my voucher to a friends mother as their family were going and needed an extra ticket her her. I remember saying to her that I didn't mind as there would be lots more times when Saints would get to a cup final. How wrong could I have been. I watched the final at the home. I wanted to watch on my own so watched it away from my family in a separate room. It's was my cup final not there's. I kicked every ball, telling the players where to pass the bal, out loud. Then it happened Bobby Stokess scores. My life changed for ever from then on when ever I see that goal tears well up. The final whistle and Southampton FC won the Cup. That evening I went straight out and played football on a green near where I lived with friends. A lady who always used to complain if the ball went on her front garden came out and gave us chocolates, cars tooting horns. The following day the team bus came down our road, Somerset avenue. In front of our house painted in the middle of the road super saints. This stayed there for years. My real celebration was at Mick Channons testimonial on the Monday night. Queued for hours but go into the Milton road just before the turnstiles closed. God bless you Bobby

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