THE third round of the FA Cup starts this weekend and it always conjures up memories of years gone by, like the time the FA Cup came to Bickley! Its strange but true, as Roger Wright reveals

THINK of the FA Cup and the likes of Manchester, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds come to mind. But what about Bickley?

No, this is not an early April Fools joke. The FA Cup HAS been to Bickley. I know, I was there ... and I held it!

The year was 1973, when Sunderland pulled off one of the great David and Goliath upsets in FA Cup history. Their opponents were Leeds, one of the most formidable teams in the country during the early Seventies.

Leeds had won the cup the previous year when they had beaten 1971s double winners, Arsenal. Sunderland, who were in Division Two in the days before the Premiership, on paper, did not have a prayer.

Joseph Mourat was another who had his doubts, even though the owner of the Bickley Manor Hotel in Thornet Wood Road, was a fanatical Sunderland fan.

Mr Mourat, who had arrived in England from Cyprus in 1946, had always had a soft spot for the men in the red and white stripes.

"I had always supported them," he told me. "Unfortunately, I could not get a ticket for the final and nobody expected Sunderland to beat the mighty Leeds," he said.

But beat them they did. In an extraordinary game, the men from the north-east withstood attack after attack from Leeds, and at times their goalmouth looked like a scene from The Alamo. Spectators and TV viewers alike, including Mr Mourat, thought that it could only be a matter of time before Sunderlands brave defence would be breached.

Dave Watson, once a centre-forward, was a tower of strength in the middle of the

defence but, after it was all over, most of the talk was about the heroics of goalkeeper Jim Montgomery, who pulled off one of the most amazing saves of all time.

Montgomery was on the ground, having already parried a diving header from Trevor Cherry, when Peter Lorimer thumped the loose ball at the gaping goal from just six yards.

Incredibly, the Sunderland keeper then sprang and somehow managed to divert the ball up against the crossbar and

away to safety. His amazing effort, which made him look as if he had defied gravity,

happened so quickly that most spectators in the stadium thought that Lorimer had shot directly against the bar.

Mr Mourat could not believe it either. "It was a brilliant save, one that must go down in Cup Final history. Perhaps it was going to be Sunderlands day after all."

But still the Leeds attacks kept coming. Watson, almost singlehandedly somehow managed to subdue Mick Jones and Alan Clarke, who were arguably the best pair of centre-forwards in the country at that time.

Three times in the first half, Watson had to make last-second saving tackles on a goal-bound Clarke.

It was Ian Porterfield, a player whose career had been in decline, who volleyed home the winner through an unusually static Leeds defence after Vic Halloms aggression had won a vital touch to Billy Hughes corner.

Then, as the seconds ticked away, and Leeds became increasingly frustrated, Sunderland supporters could hardly bear to watch.

Finally, referee Ken Burns blew for time. Sunderlands manager Bob Stokoe was almost in tears as he raced across the Wembley pitch in his brown mac. He went straight to Jim Montgomery, knowing it was his wonder save which had won Sunderland the cup as much as Porterfields goal.

Mr Mourat could not believe it. He sent the team £500 and invited them to have a meal at his restaurant near Liverpool Street. They gratefully accepted.

Bringing the coveted cup with them, the Sunderland players and staff had a marvellous evening, which included a sumptuous meal and entertainment from a belly-dancer!

I was working for the News Shopper at the time and was lucky enough to be invited along, with my wife, and the Shoppers photographer George Hoole. It was quite a thrill to be able to handle the FA Cup, and pose for a few photos.

Afterwards, the Sunderland team came to Bickley, complete with the cup, to spend the night there.

The squad also posed for many pictures, which have been put into a large frame and can be seen on one of the corridor walls in the Bickley Manor Hotel.

During the 34 years that he has owned the hotel, Mr Mourat, 76, has entertained many famous people, including Aristotle Onassis, Nubar Gulbenkian and Margaret, now Baroness Thatcher. He has also been awarded the British

Empire Medal.

Mr Mourat still supports Sunderland, but the morning after they had been knocked out of the Worthington Cup by Crystal Palace may not have been the best time to interview him.

"The game has changed so much in recent years," he added. "Its all about money, money money, which seems to spoil the spectacle."

But Mr Mourat has many memories to cherish. The sight of Bob Stokoe running across the Wembley turf to embrace Montgomery, and an afternoon of sheer guts from the Sunderland defence, against all the odds.

But most of all, you cannot help feeling the best moment was the day the FA Cup came to Bickley!