Gertcha! When the Poles knocked England out the Cup...

It's Wednesday October 17th 1973 and England expects. It must be serious because they've moved Coronation Street for it. The nation will have to tune in half an hour early to see how Len Fairclough is getting on in his battle with the VAT man.

Sir Alf Ramsey is facing an altogether different battle. England - World Champions just seven years ago – are facing off against Poland in a do or die encounter to see which team is going to West Germany for the 1974 World Cup Finals.

Not qualifying seems unthinkable, but the Poles have already beaten us once in the group and consequently only need a draw to go through. This is Wembley Stadium though, surely we can win. Can't we?

Len worries about his VAT

I am seven years old (though I'm rapidly approaching the ripe old age of eight) and this is my first real experience of a vital England encounter. When England won the World Cup, I was a babe in arms, literally, as my family made the journey home from a summer break in Devon and they listened to the match intently on the radio.

For the 1970 disappointment, I was just a toddler and unable to process why so many of the grown-ups were distraught at events in Mexico, especially as the more animated ones were Irish. Puzzling indeed.

Three Wise Men?

Now I'm old enough to understand, but not old enough to go. So, along with most of the nation I'll be tuned into ITV who have the game live. In 1973, this is seen as a good thing because – thanks to ITV's invention of the panel – more people watch football on ITV than the BBC when they go head to head. Those die-hards that refuse to watch ITV or cad's television as they like to call it (and such people do exist in 1973) will just have to wait for Sportsnight and the dulcet tones of Barry Davies. On ITV we get StarSoccer's very own Hugh Johns, while On the Ball's Brian Moore is chairing a panel which includes Brian Clough and Derek Doogan. The two men don't appear to get on awfully well.

First the anthems, God Save The Queen is sung loudly and with gusto. The Polish anthem is roundly booed, a sure sign than any last vestiges of gentlemanliness are being swept from the English game, at least on the terraces.

The man charged with keeping order on what is a highly emotional night is Belgian Vital Loraux and he's quickly called into action after Allan Clarke is fouled by the Polish right back. He seems far less keen to bring proceedings to a halt seconds later when Polish keeper Jan Tomaszewski injures his hand and play continues for a considerable length of time before he can receive treatment.

It is twelve minutes before Poland can manage to launch an effective counter attack but when it comes, it's cause for concern. Lato seems to be able to outpace McFarland who has to resort to using his arm to stop the pacey Pole leaving him for dead.

It's mainly England though and I'm miffed after eighteen minutes when one of my favourite England players – Mick Channon – is hacked down brutally by Bulzacki, who goes into Loraux's book. Martin Peters chips the wall with free kick and McFarland picks out the quickly recovered Channon who agonisingly hits the post.

If you ask the seven year old me why I like Mick Channon so much, I'd probably say for his windmill celebration. (Ask me forty years later and it'll be for all of the winners he's provided for me on the horses, while in eighties it was his pronunciation of “Lineker”).

If England have been dominant in the early stages, it only gets better. There's just one flaw. We can't get the goal. There's a five minute spell that's an absolute barrage; Clarke can't turn in time to get on to a cross chested down by Chivers, Tony Currie's shot is deflected over the bar by Channon's head, Martin Chivers has a shot charged down and Tomaszewski – branded a clown by mouth almighty Brian Clough - makes a cracking save from Bell.

The Polish keeper is proving to be more acrobat than clown and caps a fine first half by tipping a Mick Channon header over just on half time.

England are frustrated and just can't turn their dominance into goals. Surely a winner will come though?

Not unless we get more clinical. In the fifty-third minute Currie somehow contrives to shoot wide after being set up by Chivers and two minutes later Tomaszewski shows he first sign of weakness, only parrying a shot into the path of Channon who can only find the side-netting.

Suddenly, disaster! Norman Hunter inexplicably loses it on the halfway line and we're cut wide open. Lato is away down the left wing. draws McFarland, finds Domarski who is given enough space by Emlyn Hughes to get a shot off past the despairing Shilton. It's there or as Hugh John's depressingly points out, “One Nothing Poland!”.

I normally love Hugh's One Nothing catchphrase.

Not tonight.

Peter Shilton can't look as Allan Clarke takes a vital penalty

It's only a few minutes until we're back on terms but it feels like a lifetime. Peters dribbles into the area where he is impeded by Musial. Penalty. You can tell there's something wrong with the mentality in the England camp when you notice that several players can bring themselves to watch. Allan Clarke is the definition of icy cool though and slots home for one apiece.

It won't be enough though, Poland have two decent chances themselves to score as Sir Alf's men throw caution to the wind and England just can't find a way through as the clock ticks down. The World Cup dream is over.

There's disbelief and as England's shell shocked fans try to come to terms with the defeat, Clough is still calling the Polish keeper a clown and being berated by Moore and Doogan. Just adds to the gloom really.

It's scant consolation that Poland will go on to light up the 1974 World Cup, eventually finishing third, while West German stalwart Paul Breitner will go as far to say they are the team of the tournament, though some will claim this is his way of having a sly dig at the Dutch.

For England though, Don Revie, Ron Greenwood and years in the international footballing wilderness lie ahead.

Gertcha!

ENGLAND: Shilton (Leicester), Madeley (Leeds), Hughes (Liverpool), McFarland (Derby), Hunter (Leeds), Bell (Man. City), Currie (Sheff Utd.), Channon (Southampton). Chivers (Spurs), Clarke (Leeds), Peters (Spurs).