FA Cup Shocks Special

Happy New Year.

Following the weekend's FA Cup shocks of Forest beating Arsenal and Coventry defeating Stoke, the History of Goal Nets kicks off 2018 with a glance back at FA Cup shocks of the past, and the terrific goal nets architecture that hosted the matches.

Sutton United v Coventry City 1987

Great white saggy nets, Chelsea-style crooked A-frames. Two goals from corners.


Wrexham v Arsenal 1992

Strict triangular Continental D's as per the early 1990's fashion at the old Racecourse Ground (and check out David Seaman being beaten on his post by Mickey Thomas' free-kick.)


Manchester United v Southampton 1976

The grandfather of upsets and the grandmother of old goal nets. Always - always - loved the way Bobby Stokes shot rebounded off the old Wembley stanchion...

A-list A-frames - Crystal Palace FC

Involved as they were in one of football's greatest 'ghost goals' (which many erroneously credit with the box nets of today) the Eagles have a special place in the history of goal nets.




Selhurst Park - like those at Coventry's Highfield Road at the time of Clive Allen and the blind referee - was a long time home to classic English-style A-frames.

1972

1989

Then 1995, Eric Cantona and all that...

A-list A-frames - Coventry City FC

True, by the time the Sky Blues were leaving Highfield Road, their home for more than a century, they were shooting into a generic set of box nets.



True too, that through the club's glory years in the 70's and 80's, Coventry were synonymous with Continental D's.


But go far enough back and you find that, at heart, Coventry were A-listers all along.

Off the stanchions at Wembley - Keith Houchen

The best diving header from one of the best cup finals at Wembley?

You'll see from the replay it goes in off the post... but rebounds out, off the stanchion

Sutton United

Check out the classic A-frames at Gander Green Lane, as non-League Sutton dismisses Coventry City, the last time a non-league outfit defeated a team from the English top-flight in the FA Cup.



Do these look a little like the mid-70's A-frames at Barcelona?

Why is it important for the goalnet to retain the ball when a goal is scored? #5

Two great free-kicks are your last example.





The le Tissier goal is probably superior, but would it be even better if the ball didn't rebound round the goals like a pinball?