Colchester United fans relive their Leeds '71 game memories at Layer Road

He said: “I was ten when I went to the Leeds match and was standing next to the wall when Brian Lewis swung over the free kick for one of Ray Crawford’s goals.

“My late dad, Les Oakes lost his false teeth in the celebrations. He was known as ‘the voice’ and in the excitement of a goal, his teeth flew out and he was on the floor looking for them.

“People thought he’d fainted and St John Ambulance came into the crowd, but everyone laughed when he came up clutching his teeth.”

Russell Goodchild, 65, said: “I have very fond memories of the Leeds match, standing crushed together at Layer Road, and in particular the Leeds fans trying to breakup the timber stands.

“If I remember, the late Richard ‘Dick’ Graham promised to climb the Castle walls if we won and your paper showed him attempting it.

“I’m Colchester born and educated but now live 100 miles away in Leighton Buzzard. I still attend our home matches whenever I can and will definitely be there tomorrow.”

FOR Steven Marchant the Leeds match was his first U’s game.

Mr Marchant, now 63, from Layer de la Haye, said: “My father-in-law was a regular supporter and I went to meet him with Melanie, my then wife to-be, at the end of previous round game.

“As was the thing to do at the time, They opened the gates early, ready for an easy exit of the crowd, so we sneaked in to see the last few minutes.

“Having got caught up in the atmosphere of the night, I was easily convinced to get a ticket to the Leeds game.

“That was my first full game and I’ve been a season ticket holder ever since. I’ll be at the Spurs game in my normal seat.”

Ann Johnson, 70, of St Johns, Colchester, had her first date with husband Peter at Layer Road.

She said: “I was about 25 when I saw the Leeds match – we were squeezed in like sardines. I had long hair and each time the person behind me clapped their hands they grabbed my hair, but the excitement was just unbelievable. In those days Leeds were the team and nobody really believed we could beat them – it was amazing. I couldn’t sleep that night, as I kept reliving the day over and over again.

I would be quite happy with a draw tomorrow, because I would quite like to go to White Hart Lane. I’ve never been before.”

STEPHEN Joslin, 51, from Leigh-on-Sea, in the south of the county, a season ticket holder in the East Stand at Colchester, said: “I went to the Leeds game in 1971 with my mum, dad and brother.

“I’ll be there tomorrow with my 9-year-old twin boys, Sebbie and Connor.

“My dad, who is 81, used to be a policeman in Colchester. He knew the directors and he told them after the win the round before, ‘I’ll have four tickets for Colchester at home to Leeds in the next round.’ “Amazingly, that’s what happened in the draw and the directors got us four tickets.”

KAY Sharpe, 59, a freelance tutor from Wivenhoe, said: “Colchester United are in my genes.

“My parents met at Layer Road in 1948 and I went to myfirst match aged three.

“I can remember being very frightened of the noise of the crowd when we scored. When mum died in 2009, I found my Supporters’ Association membership card from 1960.

“I was at the Leeds match with my father and brother when I was 14 and will be at the match on Saturday with my son and grandson. We’re season ticket-holders.

“I remember the huge crowd, the goals, the excitement – was one of the best days of my life.”

LECTURER Mark Osborne, 53, a lifelong U’s supporter come goes to every Saturday home match from Lowestoft with his son.

He said: “I was there at the famous game in 1971 with my father and Mick, his work colleague from the Colchester Lathes, who is in Canada.

“Dad managed to squeeze me through the crowds and I stood at the front, behind the white emulsion-covered brick wall of the old Clock End corner flag, by the main stand.

“My most memorable moment was reaching over to pat Johnny Giles, the famous Ireland international midfielder on the back as he took corners.

“I still remember the smell of Woodbine cigarettes and Wrigley’s chewing gum and a man behind me shouting out to Jack Charlton that he was rubbish.

“Going down Hythe Hill after the match, I remember the car horns and people waving scarves out of car windows as we returned home to Ipswich Road. I don’t ever remember seeing such a state of euphoria in Colchester.

“Football in the school playground the following Monday morning was all about who wanted to re-enact the famous victory and who wanted to be Ray Crawford.

“Overnight, he became every boy’s hero in Colchester and mine in particular.”

DAVID Amoss, 68, a retired newspaper printer from St Albans was 24 when he went to the Leeds game.

"It was one of the most amazing giant killing games of all times," he said.

"Leeds were number one in the country at the time and Colchester were a lowly division four and every time we scored I said to my brother, 'We might possibly get a draw out of this if we are careful'.

"Going tomorrow rounds it off because the new grounds hasn't seen a big cup game and Layer Road used to host many.

"The way the defence has been playing this season we will do well to keep the score below three but it's the FA Cup and we have nothing to lose. It's not a league game so we can just go out and enjoy ourselves but having seen Spurs, I hope it's not too embarrassing."