Wembley Memories

Each matchday, Andy Greeves speaks to a former Spurs player about their memories of Wembley Stadium during their career. This afternoon, Paul Allen looks back on his FA Cup successes at the ‘Venue of Legends’.

Aged just 17 years and 256 days old, Paul Allen created a piece of Wembley Stadium history on May 10, 1980, by becoming the youngest player ever to be selected for an FA Cup Final at the venue. The teenager was making his 46th appearance in his breakthrough season for West Ham United that afternoon, as the Hammers took on Arsenal at the ‘Home of Football’.

“It was certainly a surreal experience playing in an FA Cup Final as a 17-year-old,” says Paul, who scored 11 goals in 197 appearances for West Ham between 1979 and 1985. “I think it’s the pre-match memories that most stay with me from that day. It was an amazing feeling arriving on the team coach, going out onto the pitch before that match and being in the dressing room. Then there was the walk up the tunnel, accompanied by a noise like I’d never heard before!”

The Hammers – then plying their trade in the old Second Division – upset the odds in the 1980 FA Cup Final, beating top-flight side Arsenal. Trevor Brooking’s 13th minute goal ultimately proved enough to secure a 1-0 victory for the Irons in front of 100,000 spectators.

“I remember feeling very emotional going up the steps to collect my medal,” recalls Allen, on the Hammers’ triumph. “I guess it was that realisation of what we had done as a team, beating a very good Arsenal side and, from a personal perspective, it was a massive thing to be winning the FA Cup as a 17-year-old.”

Paul started in West Ham’s 1-0 Charity Shield defeat to Liverpool on August 9, 1980, but would then have to wait nearly seven years to play at Wembley again. His next visit came as Spurs player, for our FA Cup Final against Coventry City on May 16, 1987.