The term David versus Goliath is often used in a sporting context. But when it came to the 1984/85 European Cup Winners' Cup first round tie between Wrexham and Porto, it was hard not to return to the often quoted tale from the bible. If it had been a boxing bout, the tale of the tape would have left you wondering if this was one of the biggest mismatches of all time.
In the blue corner was a heavyweight of European football, a club that had pushed Juventus close in the previous Cup Winners' Cup final, had won the Portuguese Cup final in 1984, and had provided Portugal with nine players of their squad that reached the 1984 European Championship semi-finals.
The contrast in the red corner was striking. After narrowly avoiding the need to apply for re-election to the Football League in May 1984, Wrexham then lost the Welsh Cup final to Shrewsbury, and only entered the Cup Winners' Cup due to the ineligibilty of their opponents. Cash-strapped, and with only 13 professionals in their ranks, the decline of the club showed no signs of slowing.
After reaching the Cup Winners' Cup quarter finals in 1976, and the same stage of both domestic cup competitions in 1977/78, the future looked bright as Wrexham climbed into Division Two. But there was trouble ahead. When manager Arfon Griffiths departed after clashing with the board over cost cutting measures in 1981, the rot began to set in.
Relegated in consecutive seasons, Wrexham were now counting the cost of declining attendances - down from over 10,000 to just under 2,000 in the space of a few years - and where in 1976 they had paid £210,000 for Joey Jones, manager Bobby Roberts was now expected to build a squad using a very limited budget.
It was hard to make a case for Wrexham, although Roberts tried his best to sound positive before the first leg at the Racecourse Ground on September 19. "If we give a red-blooded performance there just might be an upset," Roberts said. Yet Roberts had spotted a glimmer of hope in the videos that Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson had given to Wrexham's manager prior to the tie.
Although Ferguson's Aberdeen had lost to Porto in the semi-finals of the previous Cup Winners' Cup competition, Roberts felt that the Portuguese team had a weakness with crosses coming into their box. A small window of opportunity perhaps, yet keeping the likes of Paulo Futre and Fernando Gomes quiet at the other end of the pitch appeared to be mission impossible.
In front of a crowd of 4,935, Roberts' theory relating to Porto's defensive weakness gained strength when Jim Steel rose to head a sixth minute free-kick against the bar. It would be a night where the woodwork would be tested regularly. Gomes struck post and bar, Steve Wright headed against his own upright, and Barry Horne tested the same part of the goal as both teams looked for the breakthrough.
The only goal of the night came in the 77th minute, after Steel headed home from substitute John Muldoon's cross. The 6 foot 3 inch, 14-stone centre forward demonstrated his strength and skill in the lead-up to the goal. Steel was only at the club due to the generosity of David Wells, a businessman who loaned his beloved club £10,000 to buy the striker from Port Vale.
Despite the win, on paper the return leg felt like a mere formality. When Porto struck three goals - Gomes netting twice - in the opening 37 minutes of the match played in torrential rainfall at the Esadio das Antas, Wrexham's were close to drowning, flapping around helplessly as the apparent gulf in class finally demonstrated itself. However, there would be a twist in this tale.
Seemingly dead and buried, two set pieces saw skipper Jake King score twice before half-time, turning the tie upside down. Now ahead on away goals, Wrexham had something to hold on to as the second half ticked on. But for all their brave efforts, once Futre edged Porto back in front just after the hour, goalkeeper Stuart Parker had to be at his best to keep Wrexham's slim hopes alive.
"This is the greatest moment of my life," Roberts revealed in the glorious aftermath of Wrexham's away goals win. "It's difficult to put into words the pride I feel at the performance of those lads out there tonight," he added, before questioning the quality of their opponents: "We would not have found it so easy to score had we been playing a Fourth Division side. They were awful on crosses."
The Horne family would go through a range of emotions and experiences during the closing stages of the match. For the 22-year-old midfielder who scored the clincher, the night would remain a highlight of his career. Yet his father, Clive, in attempting to celebrate the win with his son at the end of the match was about to feel the long arm of the Portuguese law.
"I had climbed on to the fence to shout to him," Horne senior explained. "But suddenly I was pounced on by some of the Portuguese police, who laid into me, battering me with truncheons. But it was worth it to see Barry score and Wrexham triumph."
From a footballing point of view, the tie had been beyond the wildest dreams of Wrexham. Yet financially, the club ended up losing out, due to a combination of the low home crowd in the first leg and a UEFA rule stating that home clubs would take all the gate receipts. Reportedly £5,000 down after defeating Porto, a kind draw in the next round would be welcome.
Two days later the club were drawn against another club that had lost a European final the season before. "We might as well beat the best first," Roberts joked as Wrexham were paired with Roma, and although the Italian club won 3-0 on aggregate, the 14,007 gate at the Racecourse Ground in the second leg boosted the coffers.
Three days after their exploits in Portugal, Wrexham lost another match
4-3 away from home, in front of just 1,195 fans at Torquay. The journey from Portugal to Plainmoor had seen the players crash down from cloud nine. You can be heroes, just for one day. But the next you return to reality with a bump.
Winning just five more matches post-Porto, Roberts was sacked in March. Yet his place in Wrexham history is assured due to the drama of that night in Portugal on Wednesday October 3. The victory at the Racecourse Ground, followed by that fantastic comeback in the second leg, is the stuff of legends. Sweet dreams are made of this.
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