100 YEARS SINCE
ONE HUNDRED years ago a police mount called Billy became the most famous horse in Britain. And more recently he was chosen as the children’s TV Blue Peter mascot for the 2015 FA Cup Final and given an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography. Football fans still stream over the “White Horse Bridge” at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium, yet the full story of the steed’s courage and stamina in the midst of a boisterous crowd perhaps a quarter of a million strong has faded.
By the 1923 season, the end of First World War restrictions and the return of drafted star football players to resume their careers had seen a surge in the popularity of The Beautiful Game and six-figure gates among the richer clubs became the norm.
What was missing was a national stadium. Britain was enjoying a post-war industrial boom and the campaign to build the Empire Stadium at Wembley was backed by King George V. It was later named the “cathedral of football” and even before it opened was regarded as the world’s best-known stadium, with an official capacity of 127,000.
The first event scheduled was the FA Cup Final on April 28, 1923, between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. The authorities did not set up a pre-book system, severely under-estimating a demand boosted by the novelty of a new stadium, the fact this was the first final involving a London club, and the King’s promised presence at the match.
The FA, unconvinced the game could fill the capacity of the new stadium, had also launched a major advertising campaign.the easy accessibility of the stadium by public transport and the fine weather were also factors which contributed to the enormous crowd.
Spectator Jim Bolton said: “It was like a pilgrimage spoke to farm boys who had already tramped from Romford, Hornchurch and Dagenham. Tens of thousands of boots and