The last time Colchester United hosted top-flight opposition in the FA Cup, Jim Callaghan’s tenure as Prime Minister was coming to an end and Blondie were number one in the music charts with “Heart of Glass”.

The U’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend will be their first home tie against top-flight opposition in the competition for 37 years.

The last time Colchester entertained a top-tier club in the competition was in 1979, when football giants Manchester United came to Layer Road for a fifth-round tie.

Bobby Roberts’ side pushed their first division opponents all the way and it looked like they might secure an Old Trafford replay.

But Jimmy Greenhoff popped up in the 85th minute to seal a 1-0 win for the Red Devils and break the hearts of most of the 13,171 crowd.

Colchester’s side on the day featured the likes of Mick Packer, Micky Cook and Steve Wignall.

They took on a Manchester United side packed full of stars, one that featured international names such as Steve Coppell, Lou Macari and Gordon McQueen.

When they made the trip to north Essex for the last-16 tie, Dave Sexton’s side resided in ninth place in the division one table.

Colchester had beaten Oxford United, Leatherhead (after a replay), Darlington and Newport (after a replay) on their way to booking a meeting with Manchester United.

It was only the second time the division three club of the time had reached the fifth round.

The Colchester Gazette’s former sports reporter Martin Smith, who also spent more than 20 years as the Daily Telegraph’s assistant sports editor, reported on the U’s cup run that season and still remembers it well, nearly four decades on.

He said: “It seems like only yesterday.

“I remember seeing quite a few Colchester games in that time and it was a memorable cup run.

“In the second round at Leatherhead they drew but then came back and won 4-0 in the replay.

“When the draw eventually came around for the fifth round, it was initially Newport or Colchester against either Fulham or Manchester United.

“I remember speaking to the Colchester manager at the time Bobby Roberts before Manchester United’s replay at Fulham and he always fancied his side to do something in the game.

“Manchester United got through their replay against Fulham on the Monday before the Saturday the Colchester game was due to take place.

“From a paper point of view, it was quite a quick turnaround to get things into action.

“I remember phoning the Manchester United manager Dave Sexton - it was incredible in those days as you could get straight through to him via the switchboard.

“The angle I took was that Dave Sexton was going back to Layer Road, the ground where his career had been launched 30 years earlier.

“He was spotted playing for Newmarket Town reserves and ended up playing for Chelmsford City on trial against Colchester at Layer Road, on trial.

“He went on to sign for Chelmsford and then have a good playing career, which was ended by a knee injury.

“I remember him being very affable on the phone and I remember having a good chat with him.”

With the enticing prospect of Manchester United coming to town, tickets for the fifth-round tie were unsurprisingly in short supply in the build-up to the game.

The largest police force ever assembled at Layer Road at the time was put in place, along with an additional 100 stewards.

“Colchester fans were trying to get tickets for the game and were claiming to be lifelong fans,” said Smith.

“I remember doing a piece with the Colchester United secretary at the time Betty Scott, as some people were moaning that they couldn’t get tickets.

“They put a voucher in the programme for the Newport County replay and they called it the great programme fiasco, as there was a melee to get one.

“Colchester were only getting small crowds at the time - I think they got around 2,700 for a game against Exeter City around that time.

“It was the late 1970s and Manchester United supporters at the time had a bad reputation; people were fearful that they would wreck the town.

“Some shops in the town were boarded up and there was a feeling of it being under siege.

“Colchester only offered them 300 tickets initially but that was increased to 4,000, due to FA rules.

“In the end, Manchester United knocked back 1,000 tickets after the original tie was postponed and then moved to the Tuesday.

“They brought more police in and I think even the army were brought in.”

It was not just spectators who were clamouring to watch the game.

Smith said: “The press box was packed because of all of the national journalists being there - it was a cold night and it was all fogged up.

“I was allocated a spot just in front of the overflow press box instead and I remember turning around and seeing everyone squashed in like sardines in the proper press box.”

Colchester pushed Manchester United all the way, before eventually succumbing to a late winner.

Smith said: “Colchester were in the game the whole time and it really was a proper cup-tie that could have gone either way.

“The winning goal came in the 85th minute but Colchester had a great chance just before that, when Arthur Albiston cleared Trevor Lee’s shot off the line.

“That was Colchester’s big moment and five minutes later, Manchester United went down the other end and scored from a corner.

“Micky Thomas’s corner was helped on by Andy Ritchie and Jimmy Greenhoff scored.

“There’s a great picture of Colchester player Steve Dowman kicking out in frustration, while the Manchester United players wheel away in celebration.

“One consolation for Colchester supporters afterwards was that Manchester United went on to reach the FA Cup Final that year, where they lost 3-2 to Arsenal.

“It was my job after the game to get Manchester United reaction and I remember speaking to Sammy McIlroy, Steve Coppell and Jimmy Greenhoff, in the Blue Eagles bar.

“I remember someone trying to sell Sammy McIlory a leather jacket!

“There was a crowd of more than 13,000 for the Manchester United game but on the Friday night after that match, 2,861 turned up for a game against Lincoln City.

“In 40 years of watching Colchester both close and from afar, that was my favourite team and in my opinion, one of the best teams they’ve had.

“I haven’t seen many Colchester teams that have been better.

“They finished seventh in the league that year, only a few points outside the top three.

“The following season, they had a real go at getting promoted and finished fifth in the end and were always up and around it.”

COLCHESTER UNITED 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 FA Cup fifth round February 20, 1979 Layer Road Attendance: 13,171 COLCHESTER UNITED: Mike Walker, Micky Cook, Steve Wright, Bobby Hodge, Steve Wignall, Steve Dowman, Mick Packer, Steve Foley, Paul Dyer, Trevor Lee, Ian Allison.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Gary Bailey, Brian Greenhoff, Arthur Albiston, Sammy McIlory, Gordon McQueen, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Jimmy Greenhoff, Andy Richie, Lou Macari, Mickey Thomas.