15 CLASSIC GOALS 1970-1995 ( No particular order)

1. Diego Maradona, Argentina v England 1986  
A truly great goal from the then Argentinian captain. Picking up the ball in his own half, he spun @
away from two England midfielders, then glided past Hoddle, left Reid for dead, raced past Fenwick, @
before slipping past Shilton.  A goal that made up for the blatant handball just minutes earlier.

2. Carlos Alberto, Brazil v Italy 1970
The goal that sealed Brazil's World Cup dominance climaxed with a goal which ranks as one of the @
best ever - Clodoaldo salsaed past five Italians before passing to Rivelino, onto Jairzinho, onto @
Pele who casually laid the ball off to his captain Carlos Alberto who unleashed a piledriver of a shot @
past the goalkeeper. The Jules Rimet Trophy was rightfully Brazil's.

3. Ricky Villa, Spurs v Man City 1981
Argentine import Ricky Villa had trudged off the Wembley pitch in the 1981 F.A. Cup final, substituted @
and not knowing whether he would play in the replay.  But Villa did come back, first he gave Spurs an @
early lead, then with the game poised at 2-2 he scored a memorable goal.  Villa picked the ball up on @
the left and aimlessly made for the City penalty area, he cut inside one player, then evaded a lunge @
from Caton, before sealing it for Spurs by squeezing past Corrigan.

4. Norman Whiteside, Man Utd v Everton 1985  
Manchester United were down to ten men, after Moran became the first man ever to be sent off @
in a F.A. Cup Final.  The game had gone into extra time, but the ten men of United seemed the @
stronger side.  In the 110th minute, Mark Hughes found Norman Whiteside on the right, the Irishman, @
bamboozled Van den Hauwe with a feint, giving him just enough space to curl the ball past Southall @
and inside the far post. 

5. Ronnie Radford, Hereford v Newcastle 1972  
A goal that must rank as one of the most shown ever on British television.  Hereford were a non @
league team, who had held Newcastle to a 2-2 draw at St James Park.  15,000 packed into Edgar @
Street for the return.  Malcolm Macdonald put the geordies one up with ten minutes to go.  Three @
minutes later Radford won a tackle in midfield, struggled through the mud before unleashing @
a 30 yard shot which seemed to gather in speed and momentum past McFaul in the Newcastle goal.  @
Thousands of kids invaded the pitch and Radford's name was etched into F.A. history.  For the @
record Hereford won the tie with a goal in extra time.

6. Glen Hoddle, Watford v Spurs  1983 ,
An ordinary league match was lit up by a piece of virtuoso Hoddle skill.  There seemed to be no @
danger when a tightly marked Hoddle collected the ball from a throw in with his back to goal.  @
However Hoddle is no ordinary player, a quick back heel and a sharp turn later and Hoddle had lost @
his marker and made room for a delightful chip which drifted past the backtracking Watford keeper @
into the net.

7. George Best, Man Utd v Sheffield United 1971

No list of great goals would be complete without one from perhaps the greatest ever British player.  @
This one came towards the end of his tragically short United career.  Best collected the ball in the @
opposition half and ran and ran.  His run took him past five Sheffield defenders, but he seemed to be @
going nowhere.  A quick swivel and at a near impossible angle, Best managed to squeeze the ball @
past the keeper.  

8. Michael Thomas, Liverpool v Arsenal 1989
If Arsenal were to win the championship they had to beat Liverpool 2-0 - a formidable task.  In @
the 52nd minute, Alan Smith put Arsenal one up with a glancing header.  The title looked to be @
staying at Anfield when in the 91st minute, when the ball was hoofed up field to Smith, he held @
off two challenges before putting trough  21 year old midfielder Michael Thomas who slipped the @
ball past Grobbellaar to send the League trophy to Highbury for the first time in 18 years. 

9. Mark Hughes, Manchester Utd v Oldham, 1994 
With 1 minute of extra time remaining, Man Utd were one down in this F.A. Cup semi final.  They @
had already lost the League Cup to Aston Villa, were stuttering in the league and now seemed to @
be going out of the cup.  Hughes so often the United saviour scored a great goal to steady United @
nerves.  The ball was bobbing about in the penalty area, Hughes falling back made contact and @
with very little backlift volleyed past OldhamÕs keeper.  United were back in the hunt for the @
double.

10. Eric Cantona, Sheffield United v Manchester United 1995 
In one of his final United matches before his Bruce Lee impression, Eric Cantona demonstrated @
what a great talent he was.  United were struggling in this scrappy cup tie, when Cantona received @
the ball forty yards from goal.  Spotting the keeper off his line he lobbed the ball delightfully into @
the net.  Magnifique.

11.  Matthew le Tissier Southampton v Wimbledon 1995
The south coast sorcerer has a made his name with catalogue of fantastic goals.  This one @
illustrated Le Tissier's skill and inventiveness.  Southampton were awarded a free kick outside @
of the Wimbledon box, the ball was passed to Le Tissier, he flicked the ball up for himself and @
volleyed past Seger in the Wimbledon goal.  Segers later complained that it was the only thing @
that Le Tissier had done all game.  Segers missed the point, with skill like Le Tissier's it was all @
that he needed to do.

12.  Paul Gascoigne, Spurs v Arsenal 1991
Gazza had been a major force in Spurs' cup run, in the first semi final ever to be played at @
Wembley, he again proved what a valuable player he is.  Gazza, back from a stomach operation @
and only half fit lined up to take a free kick 35 yards from the Arsenal goal.  Gazza strode up and @
blasted the ball past the Arsenal wall and Seaman into the top corner of the net.  This piece of @
skill and audacity helped Spurs reach another Cup Final.

13.  John Barnes, England v Brazil 1984
John Barnes scored one of the best goals the Maracana Stadium has ever seen on England's @
South American tour.  Barnes received the ball and jinked his way into the penalty area beating @
defender after defender before slotting the ball past the Brazilian keeper.  The Maracana crowd @
so used to great pieces of skill rose to acknowledge Barnes' classic goal.

14. Marco Van Basten, Holland v USSR 1988 
Van Basten was the player of the 1988 European Championship and followed up his hattrick against @
England with a fabulous goal in the final.  Eight minutes into the second half, Arnold Muhren swung @
over a cross and Van Basten from the tightest of possible angles spectacularly volleyed past the @
Soviet keeper.  This piece of breath-taking skill underlined how invaluable Van Basten was to @
Holland.

15. NAYIM, Real Zaragoza v Arsenal 1995  
Arsenal, looking to become the first side ever to retain the Cup Winners Cup came unstuck in the @
Parc de Princes with only 10 seconds of extra time left.  The 1995 Cup Winners Cup Final was @
drifting towards the notorious penalty shoot out when the Moroccan Nayim, collected the ball ten @
yards inside the Arsenal half.  He looked up and noticed that Arsenal keeper Seaman was 5 feet @
off his line and audaciously lobbed the ball, Seaman backtracked desperately but couldn't prevent @
the ball dropping into the net.  The trophy was on its way to Aragon and just to add insult to injury, @
Nayim used to play for Spurs of all teams.
