IT WAS the moment that the whole of Southampton came alive in celebration of Saints’ 1976 FA Cup victory.

But one man who was vital to the fervent festivities that saw more than 250,000 people pack the city’s streets was running VERY late indeed.

He was the man at the very centre of the hubbub, but was hidden away in the driver’s cab of the iconic open-top parade bus.

Eddie Maton, below, the man who drove the double-decker bus that carried Southampton’s returning heroes on the victory tour after they defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley, would have normally felt the wrath of his bosses at Southampton City Transport had he turned up at a stop hours behind schedule.

Daily Echo:

However, on this particular day the busman was given the benefit of the doubt as he tried to negotiate through endless hordes of FA Cup revellers, arriving at his end destination at the Guildhall two hours late.

With the crowds lapping at the side of his bus across the city, as they tried to catch a glimpse of the triumphant FA Cup heroes, progress was slow for Eddie, who was reunited with the famous old bus this week for the 40th anniversary celebrations of the 1976 victory.

The 71-year-old drove the buses in the city for 23 years from 1962 to 1985, but this particular day at the office was one that he’ll never forget.

Despite the frenzy, the driver from West End, whose name was pulled out the hat for the job at the old bus depot in Portswood, remained cool.

“Even when I talk about it now it seems so unreal,” he explained 40 years on. “We arrived at the Civic Centre two hours late.

“It was crazy, when I came round by the civic clock where the police station used to be, I thought I had run over somebody, and I looked behind and saw something under the rear wheels.

“I jumped out and somebody had tried to throw up to the top a huge teddy bear and it had come down.”