60 years ago

Tumbling-Dice · 14th May 2008, 17:51

It's 60 years gone since one of the greatest FA cup finals in history was held at the Wembley Empire Stadium in 1948.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Crompton, Aston, Carey, Anderson, Chilton, Cockburn, Delaney, Morris, Rowley,
Pearson, Mitten

BLACKPOOL: Robinson, Shimwell, Crosland, Johnston, Hayward, Kelly, Matthews, Dick, Munro,
Mortensen, Rickett

The all Lancashire affair was between Manchester United and Blackpool and finished 4-2 to United. We had already beaten Aston Villa, Liverpool, Charlton, Preston and Derby to reach the final. Blackpool had the brilliant Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortenson in their side while United were full of rising stars, Aston, Rowley, Mitten, Pearson and the magnificent Johnny Carey. Blackpool led 2-1 at half-time through goals by Mortenson and Shimwell. United drew level in the second half when Jack Rowley got his second. United might have conceded a third but for a fine save by Jack Crompton in the 80th minute. United immediately counter-attacked and Stan Pearson scored from 20 yards, a shot that went in off the post. Three minutes later United had a fourth through John Anderson.

It was Matt Busby's first trophy as manager of Manchester United. Here's a shot of captain Johnny Carey with the cup:

I'm lucky enough to have found a picture of the team, United played that day in Royal Blue and White with blue and white socks:

The game was captured on camera by the BBC

This United side would eventually win the League championship in 1952 after finishing second for 4 out of 5 years.

nemanja nemagic · 14th May 2008, 18:04

Bloody hell Anderson, thought you were 19

Tumbling-Dice · 14th May 2008, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemanja nemagic

Bloody hell Anderson, thought you were 19

And there was all you cnuts saying he hasn't scored for United yet.

Wittmann45 · 14th May 2008, 18:29

Anderson-son-son, better then Mortensen...

Crumpsall Red · 14th May 2008, 19:10

My dad was there, always said it was the best match he ever went to.

Suedesi · 14th May 2008, 19:40

Very cool pix.

Anyone have any footage of this?

Tumbling-Dice · 15th May 2008, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wittmann45

Anderson-son-son, better then Mortensen...

very good

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crumpsall Red

My dad was there, always said it was the best match he ever went to.

My Dad was born the year after, sounds like a cracking game by all accounts. I've never seen any footage of the final, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an old Pathé type newsreel around somewhere.

ERICSAGOD · 15th May 2008, 13:43

I've got a framed version of the team pic of the 1948 team.

The guy third from the right in the second row is John Aston's dad.

John Aston played on the left wing for United in the 1968 European Cup Final, played a blinder that night.

Tumbling-Dice · 15th May 2008, 13:44

Here we go

I've just e-mailed the North-West Film Archive for this, hope we get lucky.

Tumbling-Dice · 17th May 2008, 18:55

I've had no comeback from the North-West Film Archive, just putting this out there again. If anyone can point me in the direction of any footage of the '48 Cup final it would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Tumbling-Dice · 17th May 2008, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERICSAGOD

I've got a framed version of the team pic of the 1948 team.

The guy third from the right in the second row is John Aston's dad.

John Aston played on the left wing for United in the 1968 European Cup Final, played a blinder that night.

He did indeed. I never knew his Dad played for us too, from the looks of him he looks like a centre half.

jasonrh · 17th May 2008, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tumbling-Dice

Here we go

I've just e-mailed the North-West Film Archive for this, hope we get lucky.

That definitely exists, if that's what you've wondering about.

I've posted bits and bobs from that final on here before - most recently when John Anderson died.

I've got two different newsreels for the game - one just sort of randomly makes up the scorers and such. The original BBC broadcast itself was live and was not telecine'd.

John Aston Sr. was our first choice LB for half a decade until Busby moved Roger Byrne from LW to LB. He played a couple of years as a centre-forward before retiring in 1954. His job was to mark Matthews out of the game in the 1948 final.

Tumbling-Dice · 18th May 2008, 02:44

Many many thanks for your help jasonrh. In fact you are a bit of a legend, I'm a bit new around here and didn't think to actually search this forum - I actually found your John Anderson thread. The link to the footage you posted is still alive, I hope you don't mind if I repost it for people who are interested in seeing the footage.

.................................................. ......................................

credit: jasonrh

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/jasonrhd/?sc=3

The one marked "1948 FA Cup Run" features action from all of our games except the 3-0 against Liverpool, and includes celebration footage. Anderson played in all of these games except the Charlton match. He was our #4.

The one marked "1948 FA Cup Final" is a different newsreel from the above file with different shots, but they obviously didn't get the Anderson pass to Pearson for the third goal, so they just claim it came from Rowley and do a cut away. They also miss out entirely on Anderson's clinching goal.

.................................................. ........................................

The attendence was 99,000 that day and yes it seems John Aston Sr. did a superb job marking Stanley Matthews. It was great to see the footage of the cup-run, Stan Pearson's header against Derby in the Semi-final was a beauty. And what about the first round game against Villa, Villa 1-0 up after 15 seconds, United 5-1 up by half time, 6-4 the final score - wonderful stuff.
Thanks again.

Alex · 18th May 2008, 03:12

Must have been a great event especially considering WWII had just ended a few years back

Tumbling-Dice · 18th May 2008, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Must have been a great event especially considering WWII had just ended a few years back

Yes I would think the feeling of the nation as a whole was one we couldn't really imagine.

ralphie88 · 18th May 2008, 12:50

My Grandad was a Blackpool fan and at this match. He went to his death bed still mithering that United's equaliser for 2-2 was from a moving ball free-kick!

However, the Matthews Final of '53 made up for it I think.

Tumbling-Dice · 18th May 2008, 13:03

Third time lucky though eh ?

ralphie88 · 18th May 2008, 13:11

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAC...3/11/48415.htm

Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers
The FA Cup Final
Empire Stadium, Wembley
2 May 1953

By beating Bolton Wanderers by four goals to three in Wembley's highest scoring Final, Blackpool won the FA Challenge Cup for the first time in their history and brought to an end five great years of endeavour which had already seen them at Wembley - alas unsuccessfully - in 1948 and 1951.

For Blackpool, 1953 was third time lucky. But in her high triumph, tribute, too, must be paid to her adversary, Bolton, for the unparalleled way her players took their defeat.

Twenty minutes from time and leading 3-1, their hands were already reaching out for the Cup. Yet though defeat came to them in the last seconds of the additional time allowed for injuries, they were able to smile and congratulate their victors with a sincerity that will forever bring credit to the game.

The Cup Final of 1953 will live long in the memory. It will live not only in the minds of the crowd of 100,000 that packed into the great arena of Wembley Stadium in the spring sunshine. It will live also in the memories of the millions who watched it at close hand on television screens in their own homes.

Already it has been dubbed Matthews's Final. No-one else could have rescued Blackpool from the plight they found themselves in ten minutes after the interval when the injured Bell, playing on the left wing for Bolton, suddenly rose in the air in the Blackpool goalmouth to head home Holden's finely accurate cross to put Bolton 3-1 up.

At this Blackpool might have crumpled as they had done twice before at Wembley. Instead, Matthews, for whom the whole world crossed its fingers as he strove for the third time to gain a Cup-winner's medal, stepped forward to dominate the green stage.

He turned from mere brilliance to genius as over and over again in those last twenty minutes he plunged his fiery daggers deep into the Bolton defence, slitting it open, to provide his colleagues with the scoring chances that brought them victory.

Yet before Matthews contrived this magnificent climax to a great career, before he wrote this story-book ending to the most dramatic Cup Final of all time, Bolton, taking their opportunities - despite the disorganisation brought about by the leg injury to Bell, their left-half, after only 15 minutes play - and playing a fast, open and accurate game, had come to within nodding distance of the Cup.

The match began as it ended - with high drama. After only 75 seconds, Holden tee-ed up the ball outside the right-hand corner of the penalty-area for Lofthouse to drive a hard but speculative shot at the Blackpool goal.

Somehow the ball bounced on the thick close grass over the diving Farm's arm and curled swiftly into the net. Then in the twentieth minute, a forward lob by Moir sent Lofthouse clear through the middle. Farm came out and, as he dived, lofthouse shot. The goalpost shook as the ball struck it and rebounded into play.

Blackpool hardly seemed in the game. And then, suddenly, Mortensen broke through past Barrass and Ball, and as his shot homed for the corner of the goal, hassall, racing back in defence, ran straight across the path of the ball and unintentionally diverted it into the other corner.

But within minutes, Bolton were ahead again. Langton, from the inside-right position, curled a cunning lob into the Blackpool goalmouth and Moir, jumping in front of Farm and across the line of flight, helped the ball on into the net.

Blackpool had not clicked into gear. Perhaps they were missing the injured Alan Brown and Hugh Kelly too much? Their approach play was cultured and promised great things, but their finishing was ineffective.

And thus, after Bolton had increased their lead to 3-1, we came to those last dramatic 22 minutes. It was now all Blackpool. Matthews like a magician suddenly transformed his colleagues into great footballers. Time after time, after making to turn inside, he sped with that decisive acceleration of his outside Banks and up the wing.

He rarely came inside, he rarely spent much time outwitting Banks with his bewildering footwork. Over and over again he left the Bolton left-back standing as he raced up the wing to drop centre after centre, plunging into the heart of the Bolton defence.

Twenty two minutes from the end, Taylor plied Matthews with yet another ball. In a flash he was away, Banks groping in the rear. He tossed a perfect centre high into the Bolton goalmouth.

It dropped, spinning and curling, inches from the far end of the crossbar. hanson clutched at it, but could not hold it. It dropped to the ground and through a space no bigger than the eye of a needle Mortensen pushed it into the goal.

Two-three and the fight was on. But the ten gallant men of Bolton were no longer sufficient to stay the will of the gods. The excitement rose like the swell of the ocean as Matthews bewitched opponent after opponent. Inside and outside, he created havoc; but as the sands of time drifted away, Perry missed a sitter and Mudie another. Then Mortensen saw his point blank shot saved miraculously by Hanson.

Three minutes from time, a kick was given on the edge of the penalty-area for a foul on Mudie. Before an eye could turn, the ball was billowing in the net at the back of the Bolton goal. The wall of Bolton defenders turned, shock on their faces. Mortensen had gambled on a shot and it was home.

With only seconds left, Taylor got the ball for what seemed the thousandth time to matthews. For once, Matthews went inside Banks. Barrass came across but Matthews was ahead of him, racing for the bye-line. In the last yard he cut back a diagonal pass. Mortensen was too far forward; but Perry shot home inside the near post and it was all over.

Teams:

Blackpool: Farm; Shimwell, Garrett; Fenton, Johnston, Robinson; Matthews, Taylor, Mortensen, Mudie, Perry

Goals: Mortensen 35, 68, 89, Perry 90

Bolton Wanderers: Hanson; Ball, Banks R.; Wheeler, Barrass, Bell; Holden, Moir, Lofthouse, Hassall, Langton

Goals: Lofthouse 2, Moir 39, Bell 55

Referee: Mr. M Griffiths (Newport)

Attendance: 100,000

14th May 2008, 17:51	#1 (permalink)
Tumbling-Dice Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Posts: 2,289	Anderson scores It's 60 years gone since one of the greatest FA cup finals in history was held at the Wembley Empire Stadium in 1948. MANCHESTER UNITED: Crompton, Aston, Carey, Anderson, Chilton, Cockburn, Delaney, Morris, Rowley, Pearson, Mitten BLACKPOOL: Robinson, Shimwell, Crosland, Johnston, Hayward, Kelly, Matthews, Dick, Munro, Mortensen, Rickett The all Lancashire affair was between Manchester United and Blackpool and finished 4-2 to United. We had already beaten Aston Villa, Liverpool, Charlton, Preston and Derby to reach the final. Blackpool had the brilliant Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortenson in their side while United were full of rising stars, Aston, Rowley, Mitten, Pearson and the magnificent Johnny Carey. Blackpool led 2-1 at half-time through goals by Mortenson and Shimwell. United drew level in the second half when Jack Rowley got his second. United might have conceded a third but for a fine save by Jack Crompton in the 80th minute. United immediately counter-attacked and Stan Pearson scored from 20 yards, a shot that went in off the post. Three minutes later United had a fourth through John Anderson. It was Matt Busby's first trophy as manager of Manchester United. Here's a shot of captain Johnny Carey with the cup: I'm lucky enough to have found a picture of the team, United played that day in Royal Blue and White with blue and white socks: The game was captured on camera by the BBC This United side would eventually win the League championship in 1952 after finishing second for 4 out of 5 years.

18th May 2008, 13:11	#18 (permalink)
ralphie88 Chief Tormentor Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: http://www.joinmust.org/ Posts: 5,519	Yep. THE greatest Cup Final of all time http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAC...3/11/48415.htm Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers The FA Cup Final Empire Stadium, Wembley 2 May 1953 By beating Bolton Wanderers by four goals to three in Wembley's highest scoring Final, Blackpool won the FA Challenge Cup for the first time in their history and brought to an end five great years of endeavour which had already seen them at Wembley - alas unsuccessfully - in 1948 and 1951. For Blackpool, 1953 was third time lucky. But in her high triumph, tribute, too, must be paid to her adversary, Bolton, for the unparalleled way her players took their defeat. Twenty minutes from time and leading 3-1, their hands were already reaching out for the Cup. Yet though defeat came to them in the last seconds of the additional time allowed for injuries, they were able to smile and congratulate their victors with a sincerity that will forever bring credit to the game. The Cup Final of 1953 will live long in the memory. It will live not only in the minds of the crowd of 100,000 that packed into the great arena of Wembley Stadium in the spring sunshine. It will live also in the memories of the millions who watched it at close hand on television screens in their own homes. Already it has been dubbed Matthews's Final. No-one else could have rescued Blackpool from the plight they found themselves in ten minutes after the interval when the injured Bell, playing on the left wing for Bolton, suddenly rose in the air in the Blackpool goalmouth to head home Holden's finely accurate cross to put Bolton 3-1 up. At this Blackpool might have crumpled as they had done twice before at Wembley. Instead, Matthews, for whom the whole world crossed its fingers as he strove for the third time to gain a Cup-winner's medal, stepped forward to dominate the green stage. He turned from mere brilliance to genius as over and over again in those last twenty minutes he plunged his fiery daggers deep into the Bolton defence, slitting it open, to provide his colleagues with the scoring chances that brought them victory. Yet before Matthews contrived this magnificent climax to a great career, before he wrote this story-book ending to the most dramatic Cup Final of all time, Bolton, taking their opportunities - despite the disorganisation brought about by the leg injury to Bell, their left-half, after only 15 minutes play - and playing a fast, open and accurate game, had come to within nodding distance of the Cup. The match began as it ended - with high drama. After only 75 seconds, Holden tee-ed up the ball outside the right-hand corner of the penalty-area for Lofthouse to drive a hard but speculative shot at the Blackpool goal. Somehow the ball bounced on the thick close grass over the diving Farm's arm and curled swiftly into the net. Then in the twentieth minute, a forward lob by Moir sent Lofthouse clear through the middle. Farm came out and, as he dived, lofthouse shot. The goalpost shook as the ball struck it and rebounded into play. Blackpool hardly seemed in the game. And then, suddenly, Mortensen broke through past Barrass and Ball, and as his shot homed for the corner of the goal, hassall, racing back in defence, ran straight across the path of the ball and unintentionally diverted it into the other corner. But within minutes, Bolton were ahead again. Langton, from the inside-right position, curled a cunning lob into the Blackpool goalmouth and Moir, jumping in front of Farm and across the line of flight, helped the ball on into the net. Blackpool had not clicked into gear. Perhaps they were missing the injured Alan Brown and Hugh Kelly too much? Their approach play was cultured and promised great things, but their finishing was ineffective. And thus, after Bolton had increased their lead to 3-1, we came to those last dramatic 22 minutes. It was now all Blackpool. Matthews like a magician suddenly transformed his colleagues into great footballers. Time after time, after making to turn inside, he sped with that decisive acceleration of his outside Banks and up the wing. He rarely came inside, he rarely spent much time outwitting Banks with his bewildering footwork. Over and over again he left the Bolton left-back standing as he raced up the wing to drop centre after centre, plunging into the heart of the Bolton defence. Twenty two minutes from the end, Taylor plied Matthews with yet another ball. In a flash he was away, Banks groping in the rear. He tossed a perfect centre high into the Bolton goalmouth. It dropped, spinning and curling, inches from the far end of the crossbar. hanson clutched at it, but could not hold it. It dropped to the ground and through a space no bigger than the eye of a needle Mortensen pushed it into the goal. Two-three and the fight was on. But the ten gallant men of Bolton were no longer sufficient to stay the will of the gods. The excitement rose like the swell of the ocean as Matthews bewitched opponent after opponent. Inside and outside, he created havoc; but as the sands of time drifted away, Perry missed a sitter and Mudie another. Then Mortensen saw his point blank shot saved miraculously by Hanson. Three minutes from time, a kick was given on the edge of the penalty-area for a foul on Mudie. Before an eye could turn, the ball was billowing in the net at the back of the Bolton goal. The wall of Bolton defenders turned, shock on their faces. Mortensen had gambled on a shot and it was home. With only seconds left, Taylor got the ball for what seemed the thousandth time to matthews. For once, Matthews went inside Banks. Barrass came across but Matthews was ahead of him, racing for the bye-line. In the last yard he cut back a diagonal pass. Mortensen was too far forward; but Perry shot home inside the near post and it was all over. Teams: Blackpool: Farm; Shimwell, Garrett; Fenton, Johnston, Robinson; Matthews, Taylor, Mortensen, Mudie, Perry Goals: Mortensen 35, 68, 89, Perry 90 Bolton Wanderers: Hanson; Ball, Banks R.; Wheeler, Barrass, Bell; Holden, Moir, Lofthouse, Hassall, Langton Goals: Lofthouse 2, Moir 39, Bell 55 Referee: Mr. M Griffiths (Newport) Attendance: 100,000

14th May 2008, 18:04	#2 (permalink)
nemanja nemagic Reserve Team Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fuckin' in the bushes Posts: 1,404	Bloody hell Anderson, thought you were 19

14th May 2008, 18:29	#4 (permalink)
Wittmann45 Reserve Team Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In my S04 Posts: 2,300	Anderson-son-son, better then Mortensen...

14th May 2008, 19:10	#5 (permalink)
Crumpsall Red Reserve Team Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Folkestone Posts: 747	My dad was there, always said it was the best match he ever went to.

14th May 2008, 19:40	#6 (permalink)
Suedesi First Team Sub Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: New York City Posts: 8,929	Very cool pix. Anyone have any footage of this?

15th May 2008, 13:43	#8 (permalink)
ERICSAGOD Grumpy Old Git Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mrs Slocombe's Pussy Posts: 3,604	I've got a framed version of the team pic of the 1948 team. The guy third from the right in the second row is John Aston's dad. John Aston played on the left wing for United in the 1968 European Cup Final, played a blinder that night.

15th May 2008, 13:44	#9 (permalink)
Tumbling-Dice Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Posts: 2,289	Here we go I've just e-mailed the North-West Film Archive for this, hope we get lucky.

17th May 2008, 18:55	#10 (permalink)
Tumbling-Dice Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Posts: 2,289	I've had no comeback from the North-West Film Archive, just putting this out there again. If anyone can point me in the direction of any footage of the '48 Cup final it would be appreciated. Thanks.

18th May 2008, 02:44	#13 (permalink)
Tumbling-Dice Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Posts: 2,289	Many many thanks for your help jasonrh. In fact you are a bit of a legend, I'm a bit new around here and didn't think to actually search this forum - I actually found your John Anderson thread. The link to the footage you posted is still alive, I hope you don't mind if I repost it for people who are interested in seeing the footage. .................................................. ...................................... credit: jasonrh http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/jasonrhd/?sc=3 The one marked "1948 FA Cup Run" features action from all of our games except the 3-0 against Liverpool, and includes celebration footage. Anderson played in all of these games except the Charlton match. He was our #4. The one marked "1948 FA Cup Final" is a different newsreel from the above file with different shots, but they obviously didn't get the Anderson pass to Pearson for the third goal, so they just claim it came from Rowley and do a cut away. They also miss out entirely on Anderson's clinching goal. .................................................. ........................................ The attendence was 99,000 that day and yes it seems John Aston Sr. did a superb job marking Stanley Matthews. It was great to see the footage of the cup-run, Stan Pearson's header against Derby in the Semi-final was a beauty. And what about the first round game against Villa, Villa 1-0 up after 15 seconds, United 5-1 up by half time, 6-4 the final score - wonderful stuff. Thanks again.

18th May 2008, 03:12	#14 (permalink)
Alex First team crossdresser Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 39°44′21″N 104°59′5″W Posts: 13,304	Must have been a great event especially considering WWII had just ended a few years back

18th May 2008, 12:50	#16 (permalink)
ralphie88 Chief Tormentor Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: http://www.joinmust.org/ Posts: 5,519	My Grandad was a Blackpool fan and at this match. He went to his death bed still mithering that United's equaliser for 2-2 was from a moving ball free-kick! However, the Matthews Final of '53 made up for it I think.

18th May 2008, 13:03	#17 (permalink)
Tumbling-Dice Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Posts: 2,289	Third time lucky though eh ?