Football crazy for a century and a half
The inaugural FA Cup kicked off 150 years ago. Marion Mcmullen celebrates the beautiful game
THE FA Cup is one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar, but grew from humble beginnings.
The Football Association was formed in 1863 with 12 teams playing friendly matches against each other. Eight years later, the FA secretary Charles Alcock came up with the idea of a knock-out tournament and the first ever round of the FA Cup kicked off 150 years ago this month.
A total of 14 teams took part in matches over three rounds and a semi-final before the first FA Cup final took place on March 16, 1872 between The Wanderers (from South London) and The Royal Engineers (from Chatham in Kent). The Wanderers went on to win 1-0.
The original trophy was stolen in 1895 and never recovered, so Vaughton and Sons of Birmingham made a replacement silver twohanded cup. It was presented to the FA Cup winning teams between 1896 and 1910, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
There have been many classic finals over the years. Arguably the greatest final of them all, and easily the most celebrated was the Matthews Final of 1953. It was when the great Stanley Matthews, then aged 38, finally earned a winners’ medal to much national acclaim.
It was that, and the winger’s sublime performance at Wembley, that led to the match forever being known by just his name.
Yet it was not all about him, with Stan Mortensen hitting a hat-trick as Blackpool came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3.
Bolton led 3-1 after 55 minutes and goals from Nat Lofthouse, Willie Moir and Eric Bell, with Mortensen replying. But Matthews took charge with some darting runs down the right, causing chaos in the Bolton defence.
Mortensen pounced on an error to pull one back and then levelled with a thunderous last-minute freekick. The crowning moment came in injury time as Matthews beat his man and pulled the ball back for Bill Perry to slot home the winner.
Italian football star Gianfranco Zola said Sir Stanley Matthews once told him he played for £20 a week.
“Today he would be worth all the money in the Bank Of England,” said Zola.
Arsenal overcame a Manchester United fightback in 1979 in one of the most dramatic endings seen in a cup final.
The Gunners looked to be cruising after the outstanding Liam Brady set up goals for Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton in the first half.
Even when Gordon Mcqueen bundled home a reply at 86 minutes it seemed like only a consolation, until Sammy Mcilroy equalised.
Yet Brady was not done, breaking forward and finding Graham Rix, who crossed for Alan Sunderland to slide in the last-minute winner at the back post.
The 100th FA Cup final in 1981 was a 1-1 draw between Manchester City and Tottenham, with Tommy Hutchison cancelling out his own header by deflecting a Glenn Hoddle free-kick into his own net.
That took the tie to a replay in which Argentinian star Ricky Villa secured his place in English football folklore in a 3-2 Spurs win.
Villa opened the scoring after eight minutes when he pounced on a rebound, only for City to hit back as Steve Mckenzie connected with a longrange volley.
A Kevin Reeves penalty put City ahead but Garth Crooks poked home Spurs’ equaliser from a deft ball by Hoddle.
Villa won it at 76 minutes with one of Wembley’s great goals.
Picking up the ball midway inside the City half, he beat two defenders to run into the box. He then cut back inside and slipped the ball past Joe Corrigan.
Spurs were on the other end of a 3-2 scoreline as unfancied Coventry City produced one of the great FA Cup final upsets in 1987.
Things seemed to be going to form when Clive Allen headed Spurs ahead after just two minutes but Dave Bennett equalised almost immediately.
Gary Mabbutt got the final touch as Spurs went back ahead before the break but Bennett crossed for Keith Houchen to make it 2-2 with his famous diving header.
The Sky Blues clinched it in extra time when Mabbutt diverted a Lloyd Mcgrath cross into his own goal.
Wimbledon had their fans cheering in 1988 when they beat Liverpool by a single goal.
The Dons had worked their way up from the Southern League to the top flight with a no-nonsense approach and team spirit, but were given little hope against a Liverpool side expecting to seal the double.
In the 37th minute, Lawrie Sanchez headed home a Dennis Wise free-kick to give the underdogs the lead. Liverpool had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the second half, but John Aldridge saw his effort pushed away by Dave Beasant, who became the first goalkeeper to save a spot-kick in an FA Cup final at Wembley.
As the full-time whistle blew and Wimbledon celebrated the most unlikely of victories, BBC commentator John Motson famously declared: “The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club.”