FA Cup Final 1923
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The FA Cup Final of 1923, known as The White Horse Final was the first football match (or sporting event of any kind) to be played at the new Wembley Stadium (or Empire Stadium as it was known then) in London. The White Horse Final is perhaps the most famous final of all time.
The game featured West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers, and such was the eagerness of fans and casual observers to attend the final at the new national stadium that vast numbers of people crammed into the stadium, far exceeding its official 127,000 capacity. The crowds overflowed onto the pitch as there was no room on the terraces. Estimates of the number of fans in attendance range from 150,000 [1] to well over 200,000. [2] It is estimated that another 45,000 were locked outside the gates. The FA were forced to refund 10% of the total gate money to fans unable to reach their seats.
It fell to mounted policemen, among them P.C. George Scorey on his giant horse Billie, to try to clear the crowds from the pitch. P.C. Storey had not actually been on duty that day but answered a call for emergency assistance as the throng in the stadium grew. [3] Eventually the police were able to manoeuvre the crowds to just beyond the touchline, and the game went ahead approximately 45 minutes late with fans standing around the perimeter of the pitch. At one point West Ham defender Jack Tressdern became entangled in the crowd after taking a throw-in and was unable to return to the pitch in time to prevent Bolton's David Jack shooting for goal. Jack's shot hit a spectator who was standing pressed against the goal net, and knocked him unconscious. [3] Bolton eventually won the match 2-0 to claim the Cup.
Billie the horse was actually grey but appeared white in the primitive black and white newsreel footage of the era. Although a number of other horses were also involved, the "white" horse became legendary as the most visible in the news footage. In 2005, a survey revealed that a new footbridge near the rebuilt Wembley Stadium will be named the White Horse Bridge in honour of Billie the White Horse.
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[edit] Teams
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[edit] Statistics
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[edit] Road to Wembley
[edit] Bolton WanderersRound 1 Norwich City 0 - 2 Bolton Wanderers (J Smith,JR Smith) Round 2 Bolton Wanderers 3 - 1 Leeds United (Jack 2,J Smith) Round 3 Huddersfield Town 1 - 1 Bolton Wanderers (Jack) Replay Bolton Wanderers 1 - 0 Huddersfield Town (Jack) Round 4 Charlton Athletic 0 - 1 Bolton Wanderers (Jack) Semi-Final Bolton Wanderers 1 - 0 Sheffield United (Jack) (Played at Old Trafford) |
[edit] West Ham UnitedRound 1 Hull City 2 - 3 West Ham United (Watson 2,Moore) Round 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1 - 1 West Ham United (Watson) Replay West Ham United 1 - 0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Moore) Round 3 West Ham United 2 - 0 Plymouth Argyle (Moore, Richards) Round 4 Southampton 1 - 1 West Ham United (Watson) Replay West Ham United 1 - 1 Southampton (aet) (Watson) 2nd Replay West Ham United 1 - 0 Southampton (Brown) (Played at Villa Park) Semi-Final West Ham United 5 - 2 Derby County (Brown 2,Moore 2,Ruffell) (Played at Stamford Bridge) |
[edit] References
- ^ Bateson, Bill; Albert Sewell (1992). News of the World Football Annual 1992/93. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-85543-188-1.
- ^ Matthews, Tony (2006). Football Firsts. Capella. ISBN 1-8419-3451-8.
- ^ a b Holt, Nick; Guy Lloyd (2006). Total British Football. Flame Tree. ISBN 1-8445-1403-X.
[edit] External links
- 1922-23 Competition Results at rsssf.com
- 1923 FA Cup Final lineups
- Report at thefa.com
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