The victory of Wimbledon in the 1988 FA Cup final against Liverpool is still considered one of the most astounding surprises in the tournament’s history.
Accompanied by John Motson’s unforgettable words, “the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club”, the triumph at Wembley – positioned at number 20 in FourFourTwo’s compilation of the biggest FA Cup upsets of all time – marked the peak for the south London team, with their former England goalkeeper Dave Beasant playing a crucial part.
Beasant, the Dons’ captain, achieved a milestone by becoming the first goalkeeper to block a penalty in an FA Cup final that day. He successfully stopped John Aldridge’s attempt from the penalty spot, granting the goalkeeper the honor of guiding his squad up the renowned Wembley steps to hoist the trophy.
Beasant recalls Wimbledon’s 1988 FA Cup final trophy lift
“Amazing,” the former Edgware Town player conveyed to FourFourTwo. “The memories of that day are still vivid. When we went to receive the trophy, Princess Diana was present as the royal representative.
“I recall Wisey [Dennis Wise] closely following me. Upon lifting the trophy, I could hear him behind me, jubilantly yelling, “You bastards!” My initial thought was, “You can’t utter such words in the presence of Princess Diana!” But that was simply characteristic of us.”
Beasant also holds the belief that the penalty save significantly influenced his career trajectory, leading to his participation with England and surpassing 900 senior appearances for both his club and country.
“At that point, we were leading by 1-0, and I would have been content even without making a save,” he adds. “I had thoroughly prepared, having watched John Aldridge take several penalties. I noticed he incorporated a stutter, and typically, when he paused, the goalkeeper would move in one direction.
“I sensed that if I mirrored that stutter, he would aim for my left. That is exactly what happened, and I made the save. John and I have since discussed it and become good friends. The fact that he missed a penalty at Wembley had an impact on him. My career progressed from that point.”
The penalty quickly became an iconic moment in the club’s history, and it was even recreated by Baddiel and Skinner on Fantasy Football League, where Beasant appeared dressed as an astronaut.
“Indeed!,” Beasant remembers. “David Baddiel and Frank Skinner were seated on the sofa when the doorbell chimed. They exclaimed, “I wonder who that could be at the door?” And to their surprise, it was me, dressed as an astronaut!
“They remarked, “Oh, weren’t you the goalkeeper who saved a penalty in the FA Cup final? Could we possibly recreate that moment?” They thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and I had to dive across the sofa to make the save while fully clad in an astronaut suit. It was quite the memorable experience.”
