1961 FA Cup Final

The 1961 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1961 at Wembley with Tottenham Hotspur beating Leicester City 2–0. Tottenham had already won the League and were chasing the League and Cup Double. Spurs became the first club to secure the Double since Aston Villa achieved it in 1897.

Match summary

Leicester frustrated Tottenham Hotspur in the early exchanges, but when full-back Len Chalmers got injured midway through the first half, Tottenham looked to capitalise. They were unfortunate to see Cliff Jones' goal disallowed for offside in the 38th minute and the first half ended goalless.

The second half kicked off in the same vein as the first had ended until the deadlock was broken in the 66th minute. England striker Bobby Smith latched on to a pass from Terry Dyson, turned neatly and smashed the ball past Gordon Banks. The goal naturally lifted Spurs and nine minutes later victory was sealed, when Smith returned the compliment and crossed to Dyson to head home the second to complete the Double.

Coverage of the game

The match was broadcast live by the BBC with live coverage to twelve other European countries. Many other countries, including the United States brodacast either a full delayed match cast or edited highlights. In the United Kingdom the match commentator was Kenneth Wolstenholme, former player Wally Barnes was also pitchside with a radio cameraman to capture the atmosphere before the game and also interview the players during the build up. He was called upon only once during the match itself to comment on the injury to Chalmers.

Almost all the television, radio and newspaper commentators predicted a Tottenham victory but in post game reports all agreed that Spurs had looked out of sorts during the opening fifteen minutes and it was only when Chalmers was injured that they began to have the larger share of the game, again leading to cries for the introduction of substitutes in future. For their part Leicester were considered a little unlucky though few reporters were willing to go as far as to say that the result would have been any different had the injury not occurred.

Chalmers himself only left the field with ten minutes remaining when Tottenham were comfortably in front and any chance of a Leicester victory had evaporated. He was unable to return to collect his loser's medal.

The match was broadcast in black and white as a cup final special edition of the Saturday afternoon sports programme Grandstand however cinema viewers experienced a first when the traditional pre movie newsreels of both Pathe and Movietone broadcast their match reports in colour.

Match details

footballbox
date=1961-05-06
team1=Tottenham Hotspur
score=2 – 0
team2=Leicester City
report= [http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1961.htm (Report)]
goals1=Smith goal|66
Dyson goal|75
goals2=
stadium=Wembley, London
attendance=100,000
referee=J. Finney

Road to Wembley

External links

* [http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=258922 Game statistics] at soccerbase.com
* [http://footballfocus.xsmnet.com/facup/lineups/teams1961.htm Lineups] at Football Focus