Football: 'Andy will now be a folk hero with the fans'

GEORGE GRAHAM paid tribute to Andy Linighan who played on from the 19th minute with a broken nose and a broken finger.

The Arsenal manager said: 'He got both breaks in the same incident with Mark Bright but it is nothing to the big fellow. After what happened to Steve Morrow in the Coca-Cola final, it is amazing that Andy ends up with a couple of breaks as well.

'But that won't spoil things for him. He's done a marvellous job to come back the way that he has. He didn't win his first-team place for a long time after he joined us from Norwich three years ago but he'll now be a folk hero with the fans.'

Ian Wright, who hobbled off nine minutes from the end of normal time, may now be doubtful for England's forthcoming World Cup ties. He went into the replay with a broken toe heavily strapped but Graham said: 'It his ankle which has gone now. I don't know yet what his England situation will be. All I know is that once again he produced a great finish and after that goal we should have had quite a few more.'

The Wednesday manager, Trevor Francis, said: 'I feel sorry most of all for our fans, many of whom were stuck on the motorway in a pile-up trying to get to Wembley.

'Defeat is hard to take after what my side gave to the match but I'm still proud of them - I didn't think we deserved to lose.'

Linighan seized his chance to head in Merson's corner for the dramatic decider and there was a suspicion that Chris Woods should have kept it out. But Francis said: 'I don't blame Woods - I don't blame anybody. We gave everything but it just didn't work for us.'

Linighan said of his broken nose: 'I certainly won't be picking it for a while.' His goal sends Norwich, who sold him to Arsenal, into next season's Uefa Cup competition.