Terry Cochrane, Craig Johnston, David Armstrong and Middlesbrough’s 1981 FA Cup run

Match of the Day viewers – back in 1980-81, it was aired on Sunday afternoons and not Saturday nights – watched on as Swansea City, riding high in the second tier and ultimately destined for the top flight under John Toshack, were humbled 5-0 by Division One mid-tablers Middlesbrough in a one-sided FA Cup third-round tie at the Vetch Field.

Boro’s party piece arrived late on when tricky winger Cochrane – a Northern Irishman who would make his home on Teesside – scored a sublime overhead kick as Coleman waxed lyrical.

That January weekend 40 years ago represented the start of a Cup run which would have big ramifications for Boro in the short, medium and long term.

John Neal’s side had rich promise in Aussie tyro Craig Johnston, a striker with pace to burn in David Hodgson and a local lad making his name in midfield in Mark Proctor. There was also the wonderfully consistent David Armstrong, highly regarded in top-flight circles.

Hodgson (2), Billy Ashcroft, Mike Angus and Cochrane netted in their big win in Wales, earning Boro a fourth-round home tie with West Brom – with full-back Ian Bailey scoring the only goal of the game. In the last 16 in February 1981, Boro faced fellow Yorkshire side Barnsley at Ayresome Park, with a crowd of 37,557 swelled by around 10,000 travelling supporters.

Goals from Proctor and the late Bosco Jankovic in a 2-1 win saw Boro reach the quarter-finals, a hurdle which proved so notoriously difficult to overcome for the club.

In 1974-75, they lost 1-0 at Birmingham City in the last eight and were embarrassed in a replay at second division Orient three seasons later in 1977-78 as the O’s reached the semi-finals.

In that 1980-81 campaign, there was expectation as Boro welcomed Wolves in front of 36,382 at Ayresome. But it ended in a 1-1 draw with Cochrane cancelling out Andy Gray’s opener.

The replay at Molineux – in front of the last 40,000 crowd there – saw Wolves win 3-1 after extra time, a crushing blow for thousands of visiting Boro fans. Johnston would soon be sold to Liverpool and Southampton bought Armstrong in a close season which also saw Neal leave as his side was broken up.

Boro were relegated under Bobby Murdoch in the following 1981-82 season. Hodgson would depart for Liverpool in August 1982 with the club back in the second tier and dark times arriving – culminating in the club almost going to the wall in 1986.

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