It's more than 30 years since our infamous League Cup clash against the team from Stretford that rarely gets a mention.

In 1978 County looked to be heading out of the competition at the first hurdle when they lost 1-0 at Gay Meadow but, in a pulsating second leg at EP, the Hatters beat a Shrewsbury Town outfit, that would end the season as Third Division champions, 3-1 to ease through to round two.

Their reward? A home tie with Manchester United, the FA Cup holders. And there the controversy starts. County decided to 'cash in' by switching the game to Old Trafford.

Chairman Freddie Pye argued that it wasn't just monetary considerations that influenced the decision.

He said. "We had a gate of 15,000 against Everton two years ago and there were more than 5,000 locked out.

"The police have reduced our capacity for the United game to 10,000 which could leave 30,000 locked out.

"There was a lot of trouble against Everton and the bill for damage was £2,000 - there would be greater problems for a game against United."

Pye did acknowledge, though, that the extra revenue from staging the game in Trafford was considerable.

He added: "County fans have got to remember that three years ago we were on the verge of bankruptcy. They can see we are turning things around but we are still in debt.

"We will earn around £24,000 from playing at Old Trafford as opposed to £4,000 if we kept the game in Stockport."

County's preparations for the eagerly awaited clash were dealt a sever blow when key defender Ken Fogarty picked up an injury at Halifax just 8 days before the big game.

Player-boss Mike Summerbee wasted no time in finding a replacement with Paul Edwards, ironically, a former United player arriving from Oldham Athletic for £10,000.

It was the Hatters second major signing in a matter of weeks after Summerbee and Pye had beaten off a number of clubs to sign Les Bradd, Notts County's all-time leading scorer for £15,000 - a County record.

And, in the week leading up to the United game, the Stockport Express reported that ambitious County had almost landed George Armstrong - a double-winner with Arsenal in 1971 - from Leicester City.

The Express also reminded fans that programme voucher holders had two more days to secure their Old Trafford tickets before they went open sale. The prices, incidentally, were £2.30, £2.10 (OAPs) and £1.80 (juniors).

The teams on that controversial night were:

United: Roche; B Greenoff, Albiston, McIlroy, McQueen, Buchan, Coppell, J Greenoff, Jordan, Macari, Grimes (Patterson).
County: Rogan; Thorpe, Rutter, Thompson, Park, Edwards, Summerbee, Halford, Bradd, Loadwick, Lee.

The First Division side dominated the early exchanges and took the lead after 10 minutes when Joe Jordan headed Ashley Grimes' cross past Mike Rogan.

But, if Dave Sexton's side expected County to roll over they were in for a rude awakening.

That United were still in front at half time was due entirely to Paddy Roche. So often the brunt of terrace jokes, the Irishman had an inspired evening; his best-ever game in the Reds' goal.

Two saves to deny powerful Bradd headers were right out of the top drawer.

Big Les, in fact, was causing all sorts of problems for the home defence and Gordon McQueen, their Scottish international defender, could rarely have been beaten so often in the air.

The pressure finally paid off 14 minutes after the break. Arthur Albiston's backpass was intercepted by Stuart Lee who was brought down in the box by Roche. Alan Thompson kept his cool to score from the spot.

With Terry Park, Carl Halford and Derek Loadwick dominating midfield County continued to push forward.

And, 20 minutes later, they were rewarded with a wonderful goal. Park picked the ball up on the left wing and cut inside past Brian Greenoff before nonchalantly beating Roche.

The Blue & White Army, estimated at around 10,000, celebrated one of the great, great County goals & "Man. United, Man United, what's it like to be outclassed?" echoed around Old Trafford.

United hit back and John Rutter, and then Edwards cleared goalbound shots off the line.

These efforts apart, though, County continued to dominate. After winning another corner Summerbee delighted the travelling hordes when he wiped his nose on the corner flag right in front of the Stretford End!

And things got even better when McQueen, clearly rattled by Bradd's total dominance, scythed down Loadwick as he bore down on goal. Off he went.

Five minutes to go, 2-1 up, United down to 10 men and County anthems ringing around Old Trafford - it couldn't get any better.

It didn't. Enter Peter Willis, the match referee from Meadowfield, County Durham.

Twice in those final minutes he overruled his linesman flagging for offside, and on both occasions allowed United to continue attacking.

Then he awarded United a free kick on the edge of the box. What for? That's a question that still rankles County followers to this day.

Three newspapers had three different theories; Rogan handled the ball outside the box, Rogan took more than four steps, Rogan was time-wasting.

If he was guilty of the latter two offences the free kick should have been taken inside the penalty area. It wasn't. So he must have handled the ball outside the area? He didn't.

There were no TV cameras present that night but the game was filmed, privately, on the instructions of chairman Pye.

The footage is poor but that controversial moment is clearly recorded. Rogan didn't handle the ball outside the area, take more than four steps, and wasn't time-wasting.

Sammy McIlroy - he's just about been forgiven - blasted the ball through the wall and under Rogan's despairing dive; 2-2.

Privately, watching County officials would have settled for that result, as an Old Trafford replay would have given them another huge payday.

The 42,384 attendance, incidentally, was a record for a second round tie at Old Trafford and the biggest ever to watch a Fourth Division side.

Willis wasn't finished, though. With less than 60 seconds remaining he blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. There had been no appeals from any United player and, significantly, no appeals either from the Stretford Enders behind the goal.

Jimmy Greenoff made no mistake to give United the most undeserved of victories.

The Stockport Advertiser reported: "The alleged foul by Alan Thompson on Joe Jordan to give United a penalty was a staggering decision as the Reds had got away with far worse in their despairing attempt to find an equaliser."

The inimitable Len Noad (Stockport Express) wrote: "Andy Thorpe was magnificent. Carl Halford ran his heart, and lungs, out and Mike Summerbee blotted out Lou Macari. This was floodlight robbery."

Tom German, for The Times, reported: On a night of surprises the surprise at Old Trafford was that United got the chance to redeem themselves so comprehensively and spiritedly had County taken the game to them."

Even Matt Busby admitted his side had been lucky. He said: "Stockport County were simply marvellous tonight. We were very, very, very fortunate indeed to get through."

County officials, though, were furious at the manner of their defeat. Pye said: There were one or two decisions we could say plenty about but it's not going to gain us anything."

Summerbee added, angrily: "I've nothing to say. You saw the game. It speaks for itself."

What about Willis? He qualified his outrageous decisions by commenting: "I'm an honest man. I give what I see."

Eddie Prudham, County's unused sub at Old Trafford, had a different theory. "We were cheated. It's as simple as that, and everyone in the ground knows it."

And Summerbee agrees. Buzzer was back at Edgeley Park to watch his son, Nicky, play for Bradford in our last home game.

And, when the topic of conversation turned to that night at Old Trafford, he revealed: "That was the only time in my professional career that I was cheated out of a result."