Marc Jones, an AFC Wimbledon fan since the '80s, recounts the unforgettable 1988 FA Cup victory against Liverpool, capturing the spirit of the Crazy Gang. Jeff Harris, a Portsmouth supporter who returned from military service, shares the thrilling journey to Portsmouth's 2008 FA Cup win, featuring Kanu's dramatic moments. They delve into nostalgia, emotional highs and lows, and the vibrant community spirit that defines football fandom, highlighting the unique joys and heartbreaks that unite fans across clubs.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Football Under Fire
Jeff Harris nearly died watching the FA Cup first round during a mortar attack in Iraq.
They kept watching football despite having to take cover repeatedly, showing their passion.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Preparing for 1988 Final
Marc Jones recorded the entire 1988 FA Cup final day on video while also planning a big celebration trip to Wembley.
He hired a double-decker bus decorated with handmade ribbons and rosettes for the journey to the final.
insights INSIGHT
Roots Shift to Underdogs
Fans grow to want smaller clubs to win as they mature, shifting from liking big clubs to rooting for underdogs.
The magic of the FA Cup lies in its unpredictability and chance for smaller teams to triumph.
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Remember When is a show that brings together football fans from across the UK to talk about the seismic moments that shaped their club’s history - and had a massive impact on their own lives too. Rather than being about tribal division or comparing between the haves versus the have-nots, it’s about the stories, the memories and the moments that unite us as football fans - whoever we support.
This time, Remember When looks back at two of the most memorable FA Cup triumphs in English football history. Wimbledon and Portsmouth have suffered more than their fair share of hardship over the years, with trophy cabinets smaller than plenty of their Football League counterparts. But both clubs and their fans share an increasingly rare privilege: they won the FA Cup against the odds.
Broadcaster Rick Edwards is joined by two guests who were right at the heart of the action. Marc Jones fell in love with Wimbledon after an inadvertent trip to Plough Lane in the 1980s and followed their ragtag bunch of cult heroes to the 1988 FA Cup final, where the Crazy Gang ended the day on that hallowed top Wembley step after beating a brilliant Liverpool team. Jeff Harris made a similar pilgrimage 20 years later, when his beloved Portsmouth scratched and clawed their way to the final of the 2008 FA Cup. He’d recently returned from working overseas for the British Army and watched Kanu and company complete their own journey to greatness at the new Wembley.
Marc and Jeff share their hilarious and often heartfelt memories of seeing their local clubs reach footballing immortality. From that snowballing belief as their clubs marched through the rounds at the expense of numerous top-flight counterparts, to organising double-decker buses and flights back from military bases to make sure they joined friends and family at Wembley. They also remember the aftermath as Jeff bolted back down to Portsmouth and joined in celebrations across the city while Marc caught sight of Wimbledon manager Bobby Gould bringing the trophy back to Plough Lane at the front of the team coach.
They also touch on how these victories marked important moments in their own young lives, with football acting as the catalyst for moments of joy, melancholy and belonging. Remember When is a celebration of what football’s all about: moments etched into history for the fans and players of two clubs who might never experience it again. This is Remember When… We Actually Won Something.
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