As previously reported the goalkeeper for Saints on that famous day against Manchester United at Wembley on 1st May 1976 was Ian Turner and sadly he had to place his medal on that day up for auction, it has now been announced that the bidding is finished and the medal has been sold.
The Daily Echo has revealed that Ian Turner's FA Cup winders medal from the 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Manchester United 48 years ago has now been sold and it has fetched a price far in excess of the estimated price it was expected to fetch.
The final price paid was £15,000, roughly £5000 more than it was expected to fetch.
It is interesting to make the contrast between footballers back in 1976 and those that contested this years FA Cup Final.
Back in 1976 footballers were well paid when compared to the average man in the street, but the reality was that once their career's ended, most had to find a normal job so to speak and like Ian Turner that was the case for many of the 1976 Southampton team, literally every man in that 12 man squad worked in normal employment once their career was over.
Ian Turner worked as a pipe fitter before a supervisory capacity in the oil industry, some became publicans at one point, including Peter Rodriguez, Jim Steele & Jim McCalliog, David Peach & Mel Blyth worked in the building industry, Nick Holmes ran a village shop and Bobby Stokes was running a cafe when he died prematurely in 1995.
Peter Osgood also ran a pub for a while, but did eek a living out of after dinner speaking etc, Paul Gilchrist worked in the motor industry, Hugh Fisher was a brewery rep and only Mick Channon had a job that enabled him to earn as much money if not more than he had in his days as a footballer famously becoming a race horse trainer.
Nowadays players earn offensive money, it is hard to believe that any of the players who played for this years two FA Cup final teams, Manchester united and their rivals Manchester City would ever need to work again if they all retired today, let alone if they do have careers stretching to their 30's.