SOUVENIRS of Swindon Town’s 1969 League Cup victory don’t come more permanent than Dave Smart’s.

It’s not a programme, a ticket stub or a commemorative issue of the Adver, but rather a six-inch scar running down the left side of his back.

Inflicted by one of a gang of Arsenal thugs on that momentous March day, it took 18 stitches to close – but Dave insists it would have been a lot worse had he not been wearing a sweater knitted by his mum. He later made it to the match with 10 minutes to spare.

“Mother was a big knitter,” he said. “She knitted me a thick blue sweater, and because it was a cold March day I wore it to Wembley.”

Retired freight train driver Dave, 65, of Penill, is married to Linda and is a dad of three and granddad of two. He got in touch after reading recent Adver articles about the match, during which fans spoke of good natured banter with the opposing supporters.

Unfortunately for Dave, a gang he encountered at the bottom of the stairs near Turnstile D was anything but good natured.

“Mother had also knitted me a scarf,” he recalled with a wry smile. “That’s what started it off.

“I had driven up to Wembley taking two friends with me who couldn’t drive, arriving about 9.30am. We wandered around for a time and eventually decided to wait for the turnstiles to open.

“Around 11.45am a mass of Arsenal supporters came up the Wembley Way and we decided not to chant or make any comments.

“My long red and white town scarf was pulled off by an Arsenal supporter when they came close to us. I turned around to remonstrate with the thief and was confronted by a horde of chanting Arsenal supporters.

“They then decided to chase and attack me. I ran up the steps, handing my jacket to a lady in the queue to prevent my wallet and ticket from being stolen.

“I ran into the turnstile which gave me a certain amount of protection except for my back.

“I was pummelled with punches and kicks to my back and legs. Then a shout went up – “Coppers” – and they all dispersed very quickly, leaving me to extricate myself from the turnstile.

“A policeman came up to me and asked if I was okay, to which I replied that I had quite a few bumps and bruises but was otherwise okay. It was then that he noticed that I had blood on the left side of my back through a large slit in my woollen jumper.

“He then called for an ambulance over his radio stating that he had a suspected stabbing on his hands at Gate D.

“The doctor advised me against going to the game but to go straight home as soon as possible. No way was I going to miss the game.

“I visited my own doctor on arriving home and he put me off work for a month.

“My wife at the time was nearly eight months pregnant, and my son was eventally born on April 23. His middle name is Roger in honour of the Swindon Town player Roger Smart.

“It was ironic that the Arsenal supporters were chosen as the best supporters for that month and could fly a flag at their ground proclaiming it!”