1953 FA Cup Final

1953 FA Cup Final

Event	1952–53 FA Cup
Blackpool Bolton Wanderers 4 3
Date	2 May 1953
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
← 1952 1954 →

The 1953 FA Cup Final, also known as the Matthews Final,^[1] was the eighth to be held at Wembley Stadium after the Second World War. The football match was contested between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, with Blackpool winning 4-3. The match became famous for the performance of Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews, after whom it was nicknamed. It remains the only Wembley FA Cup Final to feature a hat-trick, scored by Blackpool's Stan Mortensen. (Prior to the Wembley era, William Townley in 1890 and James Logan in 1894 achieved the same feat for Blackburn Rovers and Notts County respectively.) Blackpool were making their third FA Cup appearance in six years having been losing finalists twice, in 1948 and 1951.

It was the first football match attended by the reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, who would be crowned Queen at her coronation a month later. In February 2010 the boots worn by Matthews in the match were auctioned at Bonhams in Chester for £38,400, to an undisclosed buyer.^[2]

Match summary

Matthews inspired his team to come from 3–1 down against Bolton Wanderers, to win 4–3, and on a personal note, he claimed the trophy that had eluded him in two previous finals. Despite the final being more famous for the heroics of Matthews, Stan Mortensen scored three goals for Blackpool on the day, becoming the only player ever to have scored an FA Cup Final hat-trick at the original Wembley Stadium. Bill Perry scored the winning goal. Nat Lofthouse, who scored Bolton's first goal, scored in every round of that year's FA Cup.^[1] Bolton took the lead after just 75 seconds with a Nat Lofthouse shot. Mortensen equalised after 35 minutes with a deflected "cross-shot". Five minutes later, Bolton took the lead again when Bobby Langton lobbed Blackpool's goalkeeper George Farm and Bolton went in at half-time 2-1 ahead. Ten minutes into the second half, Eric Bell, playing through injury with a torn hamstring, put Bolton further ahead, a lead they kept for 13 minutes. Then came the turnaround for which the match has become famous, when Matthews proved to be the inspiration for a Blackpool comeback. His cross from the right wing, with 22 minutes remaining, was met by Mortensen who netted his and Blackpool's second goal. Then, with less than two minutes remaining, Mortensen completed his hat-trick and Blackpool's comeback to equalise directly from a free-kick. Then, with just seconds remaining, Matthews again crossed from the right wing. His cross, which passed just behind Mortensen, was met by Bill Perry, whose shot made the score 4-3 and won the match for the Seasiders. Even Nat Lofthouse, in defeat, is said to have stood and applauded.^[1][3]

Cyril Robinson is the only member of the winning side still living, while six of the defeated Bolton players are still alive.

Match details

1953-05-02	Blackpool	4 – 3	Bolton Wanderers	Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 100,000 Referee: B. M. Griffiths (Newport)
	Mortensen  35'  68'  89' Perry  90+2'	(Report)	Lofthouse  2' Langton  40' Bell  55'

Blackpool

Bolton Wanderers

BLACKPOOL: GK 1 George Farm RB 2 Eddie Shimwell LB 3 Tommy Garrett RH 4 Ewan Fenton CH 5 Harry Johnston (c) LH 6 Cyril Robinson OR 7 Stanley Matthews IR 8 Ernie Taylor CF 9 Stan Mortensen IL 10 Jackie Mudie OL 11 Bill Perry Manager: Joe Smith

BOLTON WANDERERS: GK 1 Stan Hanson RB 2 John Ball LB 3 Ralph Banks RH 4 Johnny Wheeler CH 5 Malcolm Barrass LH 6 Eric Bell OR 7 Doug Holden IR 8 Willie Moir (c) CF 9 Nat Lofthouse IL 10 Harold Hassall OL 11 Bobby Langton Manager: Bill Ridding

Road to Wembley

• Third round
  • Sheffield Wednesday 1 Blackpool 2
  • Bolton Wanderers 4 Fulham 1

• Fourth round
  • Blackpool 1 Huddersfield Town 0
  • Bolton Wanderers 1 Notts County 1 – Replay 2-2, 2nd replay 1-0

• Fifth round
  • Blackpool 1 Southampton 1 – Replay 2-1
  • Luton Town 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

• Sixth round
  • Arsenal 1 Blackpool 2
  • Gateshead 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

• Semi-final
  • Blackpool 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
  • Bolton Wanderers 4 Everton 3

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "1953 – The Matthews Final". BBC Sport. 10 May 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/1321960.stm. Retrieved 25 September 2008. 
2. ^ Stanley Matthews' boots sold for £38,400 at bbc.co.uk
3. ^ "Wembley – Saturday 2nd May Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanderers 3". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. 10 May 2001. http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1953.htm. Retrieved 25 September 2008. 

External links

• 1953 FA Cup Final (Matthews Final) Match Report at RetroFootball.co.uk