... he was the same at Newcastle with the Carling Cup, insisting "the league is out priority, the cups can take a back seat."
But just as everyone old enough can name the Newcastle side that played in the FA Cup final against Liverpool in 1974, and League Cup final team of 1976, Supermac says a trip to Wembley in the Carling Cup would make the players "household names for the rest of their lives and beyond."
Malcolm Macdonald: "United got away with fielding a weak team in the Carling Cup against Nottingham Forest, but they won’t get away with it for long if they don’t change their stance.
"I cannot for the life of me understand how clubs outside of the Champions League can justify fielding weakened teams in the domestic cups.
"For a start, winning at Wembley would make both players and manager household names for the rest of their lives and beyond.
"It certainly would up here on Tyneside.
"It is also a direct avenue into Europe. You don’t even have to win a pot, for goodness sake, just make the final because you will probably be playing a club already in the Champions League.
"That’s what Stoke did, of course.
"If Pardew wants to totally win over the fans, let him walk out at New Wembley in the Carling Cup final this season. Win it and he’s made.
"Pardew can do something that even Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson did not – win at Wembley.
"That thought alone should be enough to make him field a top team in the last 16."
LEAGUE CUP FINAL 1976
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 MAN CITY 2
The 1976 final was the third time Manchester City had reached Wembley in the competition after winning the competition in 1970 by defeating West Bromwich Albion, and finishing runners-up to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1974.
Manchester City made a slow start to their cup run, the second round tie against Norwich City went to two replays, Manchester City winning the second replay 6–1 at Stamford Bridge.
A 2–1 home win against Nottingham Forest in the third round set up a Manchester derby against local rivals Manchester United. City beat their neighbours 4–0 to reach the quarter-finals.
A 4–2 win against Mansfield Town secured a two-legged semi-final against Middlesbrough. City lost the away leg 1–0, but a comfortable 4–0 win at Maine Road took them through to the final.
1976 was Newcastle's first League Cup final appearance. Their previous best in the competition was reaching the quarter finals, achieved the preceding season.
Their 1975–76 League Cup campaign started with a 6–0 demolition of Fourth Division Southport in the second round. Newcastle required a replay to overcome Bristol Rovers in the third round, and then beat Queens Park Rangers 3–1 at Loftus Road to reach the quarter-finals.
A 1–0 win at home to fellow Magpies Notts County secured a semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. The first leg of the semi-final resulted in a 1–0 defeat, but Newcastle overcame the deficit in the home leg by winning 3–1.
Manchester City fielded a lineup unchanged from their previous match, a 3–0 home win against Everton in the league. Colin Bell was absent through injury, having suffered what later transpired to be a career-ending injury in the fourth round derby. Dave Watson was an injury doubt due to a slipped disc, but was selected despite his inability to train in the preceding week.
The opening goal was scored early in the match. Newcastle's Glenn Keeley fouled Joe Royle in the middle of the Newcastle half. The resulting free-kick was hoisted into the penalty area by Asa Hartford, where it was headed across goal by Mike Doyle. Teenage winger Peter Barnes then scored to give Manchester City the lead.
Newcastle equalised in the 35th minute, Alan Gowling (pictured top right) finishing from a Malcolm Macdonald cross.
At the start of the second half a Manchester City attack led to the winning goal, scored by Dennis Tueart, who had supported Newcastle as a boy. A ball by Willie Donachie to the far post was headed across by Tommy Booth. Tueart, with his back to goal, performed an overhead kick that bounced beyond Mike Mahoney into the bottom left corner of the net (pictured above).
After the match Tueart described the goal as "the greatest of my career". No more goals were scored in the match, though Royle had an effort disallowed.
City captain Doyle lifted the trophy, and Tony Book became the first man to win the competition as both a player and a manager.
MANCHESTER CITY:
GK 1 Joe Corrigan
DF 2 Ged Keegan
DF 3 Willie Donachie
DF 4 Mike Doyle (c)
DF 5 Dave Watson
MF 6 Alan Oakes
MF 7 Peter Barnes
MF 8 Tommy Booth
FW 9 Joe Royle
MF 10 Asa Hartford
FW 11 Dennis Tueart
Substitute:
DF 12 Kenny Clements
NEWCASTLE UNITED:
GK 1 Mike Mahoney
DF 2 Irving Nattrass
DF 3 Alan Kennedy
DF 4 Stewart Barrowclough
DF 5 Glenn Keeley
MF 6 Pat Howard
MF 7 Mickey Burns
MF 8 Tommy Cassidy
FW 9 Malcolm Macdonald
FW 10 Alan Gowling
MF 11 Tommy Craig (c)
Substitute:
FW 12 Paul Cannell