January 1971 was a particularly noteworthy month for Derby County. It commenced on January 2nd with an FA Cup third-round tie away to Chester. Derby emerged victorious with a score of 2-1 thanks to goals from Frank Wignall and Archie Gemmill. Notably, this was a significant match for Colin Boulton who was drafted in goal to replace Les Green, who was dropped after a tumultuous 4-4 draw against Manchester United.

Derby were subsequently drawn at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round. This fixture ensured that the Rams would face Wolves in consecutive home games. The league match on January 9th, 1971, proved to be an exhilarating encounter. A record crowd of 34,243 witnessed a formidable Wolves team battling against the Rams. Wolves took the lead in the second minute through a goal from Shaw. Derby were awarded a penalty in the 78th minute which was converted by Archie Gemmill. The match appeared destined for a draw until, in the 89th minute, Wolves snatched victory with a goal from Gould.

Two weeks later on Saturday January 23^rd – the day after my birthday – the teams faced off once again. I was eagerly anticipating this match as the FA Cup held immense importance during those times. The attendance was remarkable with 40,567 spectators crammed into the Baseball Ground. The atmosphere was electric, filled with anticipation as the fans yearned for an exciting game.

The match commenced amidst ankle-deep mud which quickly enveloped the players from head to toe. The mud obscured the numbers on many shirts making it difficult to discern the players’ identities. The game was characterised by intense tension and an electrifying atmosphere, embodying the essence of the FA Cup. Tackles flew in, and players refused to back down from challenges.

I was positioned in the front of the Normanton lower tier, adjacent to the walkway leading to the Normanton middle tier steps. I was a few yards from the goalpost, unaware that this would become an unforgettable vantage point.

Derby took the lead in the first half through a penalty scored by Alan Hinton after Kevin Hector was fouled in the penalty area. The score remained unchanged until the second half, when John Richards equalized with a close-range goal. This goal was scored after a long throw into the near post by Bailey, which was headed across the six-yard area and chested in by Richards.

As the final minute approached, the game was still tied, and the crowd was preparing for a replay at the Molineux. Suddenly, another unexpected turn of events occurred, serving as a form of revenge for the previous game two weeks earlier. On 90 minutes Kevin Hector received the ball wide right, he jinked one way then the other and sent the full back for a hot dog, he got his space and crossed the ball into the 6 yard box, John O’Hare got himself in front of his marker at the front post and put the ball in the net with his chest, it all happened just in front of me and I could not have been any closer to this amazing moment, pandemonium ensued and the crowd went crazy. We had won and the noise from the stands was genuinely deafening, it was a mixture of pure excitement and relief being released from the raucous fans packed into the Baseball Ground. It was also sweet revenge for defeat inflicted on Derby by Wolves in the previous game two weeks previously.