Truly the forgotten man of the Saints FA Cup winning side of 1976.

Ask Saints supporters to reel off the names of the team that played in that famous win against Man Utd almost 35 years ago and they would probably be able to get most of the side if they were over 40 and the number would then diminish, but the one name most would struggle to recall is that of Paul Gilchrist

Gilly joined Saints from Doncaster Rovers for £30,000 in March 1972 and at the age of 21 was something of a football nomad having already played for six clubs albeit four of those on loan.

He was sigend as a centre forward to replace the aging Ron Davies and in the second half of 72/73 season forced his way into the first team to finish the season with 19(3) league appearances scoring 6 goals, in 73/74 he was once again a virtual ever present and again netted 6, but with the signing of peter Osgood he found he was no longer considered first choice number 9 and was played in a deeper midfield role and it would be here he made his mark, although he now found that he was no longer an automatic choice, in 74/75 he played 16(5) weighing in with 5 goals and even in his greatest season 75/76 in the league he played 20 (1) but failed to score, however it was in the FA Cup he came to the fore.

In the 3rd round against Villa he started the game but was hauled off for Pat Earles and in the replay Peter osgood returned with Gilly dropping to the bench although he replaced the tiring ex Chelsea man at the end of 90 minutes.

In the 4th round at home to Blackpool there was no place not even on the bench for Paul and at this stage he could probably see his Saints career heading for the door marked exit, however with Osgood suspended for the trip to West Brom in the 5th round he was back in the side and played his part in a 1-1 draw as an illness ravaged Saints brought the Baggies back South.

With Ossie completing his two match ban for the replay Gilchrist held his place and fate was giving him a helping hand and he gratefully took it in the 17th minute as he doubled Saints lead with a sublime scissors kick, Saints had blitzed their opponents and the game was won 4-0 to send Saints into the Quarters.

At braford it was once again fate that kept Gilly in the side, Nick Holmes was injured and he dropped back to replace him in midfield, a solid performance helped a 1-0 win, but surely Paul must have felt unsure about whether he would even make the bench for the semi, although the fact that he could play either in midfield or up front was going to help his cause.

But fate once again stepped in, Nick Holmes was back but with Hugh Fisher putting the team before his own desire to play and declaring himself not quite 100% Gilly once again found himself in midfield as yet again a replacement and luckily for Saints he was about to score his most important ever goal.

With the score against palace at Stamford Bridge evenly poised at 0-0 with 16 minutes left Gilly took an Osgood pass in his stride 25 yards out and let fly, Mick Channon has always jokingly claimed the goal brushed his sock as it went past him, perhaps that was enough to put off the Palace keeper a bit but the shot flew n and Saints were on their way to Wembley after David peach had made the game safe.

For the fist time in two years Paul found himself a first team regular and their was little doubt he would play in the final which of course he did, Hugh Fisher sadly paying the price for his own honesty in the semi, but little did Paul know as he ran round Wembley with the cup that he would only pull on a Saints shirt in anger on three more occasions, twice in the league and once as a sub in the league cuo, after a short loan spell in Saudi Arabia he found himself at Fratton Park where he would be a virtual ever present in his time there, however the supporters wouldnt forgive him for his Saints past and he was barracked in virtually every game as pompey slipped to a second consecutive relegation.

It was Swindon next  although 17 starts in two seasons suggests this wasnt a happy time and he moved to Hereford in 1980 playing every game till the end of the season, things looked to be picking up for paul, however in the early part of 80/81 he suffered a cruciate injury that finished his career at the age of only 29.

Paul is often the least remembered of the Saints 76 squad, but his contribution to the most famous four months of Saints history was as much if not more than most in that squad.        

Photo: Action Images

Portsmouth Polls