As we look forward to the 2011 FA Cup final, Gary James focuses on the XI players who made the starting line-up for City’s last FA Cup final in 1981. Here the spotlight is on captain Paul Power.

The scorer of the only goal in the semi-final victory over Bobby Robson’s treble-chasing Ipswich Town, Mancunian Paul Power was a wonderful choice as captain in the early 80s.

He was given the responsibility in October 1979 but his first year came at a time of struggle for the Blues.

See Nicky Reid's profile here

However, the atmosphere improved considerably with the arrival of manager John Bond.

Power later recalled: “By the time we reached Wembley in 1981, the captaincy was relatively easy.

"The other experienced players were able to marshal their areas of the pitch well and the mix between inexperience and experience was good.”

Reaching the final – and it should be remembered the semi-final of the League Cup – was ultimately a great achievement for City but, inevitably, the replay defeat remains a painful
memory.

“I’m still very disappointed about the final result,” he admitted when I interviewed him in 2004. “But it was a major honour to be there and to captain the side.

“Everybody knows the story of the own goal and of the replay, but I still believe that had the game been played to a conclusion on the Saturday then we’d have won. We were still going strong and were still confident. Some of the Spurs players were suffering with cramp and we definitely had the game under our control.”

In the years that followed Wembley, City’s fortunes took a spectacular nosedive and in 1983 the Blues were relegated.

“Looking back I realise that experiencing the bad times helps you appreciate the good times more but back then I didn’t feel like that at all. A very, very low moment,” he said.

Power could easily have moved on but he vowed to help City return to the top flight.

Bargain basement signings were made due to the club’s poor financial state but, despite a gallant effort, the Blues missed out on promotion.

Power, perhaps as a reminder of what City had been only a few years earlier, did receive some minor abuse at times.

“I had a great relationship with supporters overall, but I guess for that one season we all felt the frustration,” he recalled.

“Funnily, 12 months later we won promotion and I was voted player of the year.”

 In 1986 Power captained the City side beaten in the Full Members Cup final by Chelsea in front of 68,000 people at Wembley.

And at the end of that season the 32-year-old was transferred to Everton as cover for Pat Van den Hauwe. He astounded almost everyone – including himself – when he went on to appear in all but two games as Everton won the League title.

“I suppose in many ways it was like being dropped into City’s championship team of 1968. Every member of the side was of the right quality and all I had to do was pass the ball on,” he said.

Despite his modesty, Power thoroughly deserved his title medal, and scored a memorable goal against his former side.

He remembered: “I kicked the ball and remember thinking ‘save it, save it’, but he didn’t and I scored! I felt awful. I couldn’t celebrate. I knew City were struggling and I couldn’t bear inflicting any pain. Awful.”

Power did ultimately return to City to take on a role with the Blues’ highly successful Academy. It is worth recalling that when he was first spotted by City, chief scout Harry Godwin’s view was that the 13-year-old Power needed development himself.

“His left foot was a beauty, but there was nothing on the lad. No flesh, no height. Paul was the tiniest of tots, he made Ronnie Corbett look like a giant.” he said.

After much effort on the young player’s part Godwin took a second look: “He’d grown, the stride had lengthened and the delicate left foot was still there. I’d seen all I needed to in the first half hour of the game.”

Power now helps some of the Academy’s youngest and brightest prospects develop, but he will always be remembered fondly for his unwavering dedication to the Blue cause during the highs and lows of the early 1980s.

:: Gary James tells the story of City’s 1969 FA Cup success and the other trophy wins of that period in the biography of Joe Mercer, City’s most successful manager to date. ‘Joe Mercer, OBE: Football With A Smile’ (£19.95, ISBN 9780955812743) was published April 2010 by James Ward (www.manchesterfootball.org or facebook.com/james

What are your memories of Power? Have your say.