We pick out some of our most memorable Emirates FA Cup Finals from down the years

Wednesday 24 May 2017

Wembley Stadium has played host to the most dramatic moments in FA Cup folklore since the first final was played here on this sacred land in 1923.

For the official Emirates FA Cup Final matchday programme for this year's Final, Kevin Palmer - co-author of 'Wembley: The Greatest Stage' - spoke to some of the icons of vintage FA Cup finals, to looks back on ten games that helped to create this competition’s legend around the world.

And we've taken five of the most memorable from that feature to reflect on ahead of this weekend's game between Arsenal and Chelsea.

You can pre-order a copy of the programme now, by clicking here.

1923: WELCOME TO WEMBLEY

It was a day the nation had been waiting for.

Rising from what was then a suburb of northern London, the eagerness to step inside the vast arena that had been built in just 300 days at a cost of around £750,000 inspired a tidal wave of humanity to descend on what was then known as the Empire Stadium on 28 April 1923.

As many as 200,000 people are believed to have found a way to get inside a stadium designed to accommodate just 125,000, with a white horse being directed by PC George Scorey taking centre stage as crowd controller in chief.

Oh, and a sporting event took place amid the mayhem, with Bolton Wanderers beating West Ham United by 2-0 and David Jack scoring the first Wembley goal.

1953: THE MATTHEWS FINAL

There was a collective passion around the nation to witness an FA Cup win for the great Stanley Matthews.

At the age of 38, this beloved national figure had twice before tried and failed to collect the piece of FA Cup gold that meant so much, but this was to be the day to finally complete his story and receive a winners’ medal from a youthful Queen Elizabeth II after his Blackpool side beat Nat Lofthouse’s Bolton Wanderers by 4-3.

“I don’t know why they call it the Matthews Final and I’ve always said it was Morty’s Final,” stated a humble Stan, who was duly knighted in 1965.
“Stan Mortensen scored three goals that day. He was man of the match.”

1981: TOTTENHAM’S EPIC WIN

Tottenham Hotspur’s thrilling 3-2 replay victory against Manchester City is a true Wembley classic.

As the goals flowed on a memorable Thursday evening under the old Twin Towers, an improbable hero emerged to hand Keith Burkinshaw’s side the FA Cup glory that had eluded the club since their win against Chelsea in the 1967 Final.

Argentine midfielder Ricky Villa cut a lonely figure as he was substituted in the first game the previous Saturday, but he was to emerge as the Spurs hero with a famous weaving run, ending in one of The FA Cup’s greatest winning goals.

“Just for this one moment, I am a little part of the history of English football. For that, I am so, so proud,” said Villa.

2007: FA CUP FINAL COMES HOME

Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium had become a temporary home for The FA Cup Final as Wembley was rebuilt for another century of public service, with a true legend of this competition taking centre-stage as Chelsea beat Manchester United a decade ago.

Didier Drogba scored in his four victorious appearances in FA Cup Finals, with his decisive extra-time strike in 2007 giving manager Jose Mourinho his first and so far only success in this competition.

“I was lucky to win lots of trophies, but to win The FA Cup at Wembley, to walk the steps, to lift the trophy we always saw on TV when we were kids in Portugal, it was one of the high moments in my career,” reflected Mourinho.

2014: WENGER’S LONG WAIT ENDS

The pre-match script decreed that Arsene Wenger’s nine-year wait to win a trophy for Arsenal was about to come to an end.

Yet that was before two early goals from underdogs Hull City rocked the Gunners on to the back foot and it was not until a Santi Cazorla free-kick gave them hope, before Laurent Koscielny found a 71st minute equaliser and Aaron Ramsey scored an extra-time winner that they could breath easily.

“If we had lost that game, I don’t know what would have happened,” stated Wenger, when asked whether he would have considered his position at Arsenal if the result had gone against him.
“It would have been a problem had we not won, the disappointment would have been so much. Thankfully, I did not have to make that decision.”

By FA Staff

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