Gould Back Among Cup-Happy Dons

Bobby Gould has used a weekend shrouded in FA Cup interest to make another visit to Wimbledon.

The man who led The Dons to the ultimate shock triumph against Liverpool in the 1988 final relished his walk-on role at Saturday’s League One home game against Port Vale.

The appreciation of supporters who remembered his memorable work at the old Plough Lane has been underpinned over the weekend by the club, who have used his picture on their website on stories about tonight’s Cup first-round draw.

Wimbledon were paired at home with Gateshead – a far cry from the 4-1 victory they achieved over Albion in South London in the opening assignment of their famous journey 38 years ago.

Gould was characteristically full of smiles on his latest visit to a stadium to which he gave a big thumbs-up following his first appearance there a few years ago.

The welcome was just as warm this time and he was photographed with Cup-winning defender Andy Thorn and in the club’s museum, complete as it would be with valuable memories from the most famous day in Wimbledon football history.

Gould, who turns 80 next summer, had Wolverhampton-born Don Howe at his side when he was in charge of The Crazy Gang and was thrilled when the club finally built a permanent home again following all their nomadic years. 

Saturday’s game against the club who have Darren Moore and his assistant Jamie Smith at the helm was drawn 1-1 at a time when the final qualifying round of this season’s FA Cup was being played out up and down the country.

The Goulds remain as busy as ever, having returned from a holiday in Lanzarote since he appeared at a tribute dinner to former Albion captain Graham Williams at The Hawthorns.

They are now exploring the possibility of spending some of the winter in New Zealand, where their son, Jonathan, lives and works in professional football. 

Gould was part of the Wolves side who reached the quarter-final of the FA Cup in 1975-76, scoring a winning goal at home to Ipswich in a Molineux replay along the way.

Five seasons earlier, he netted twice in the competition at Molineux against the other East Anglian club, Norwich.