1953 FA Cup final

1953 FA Cup Final
Event	1952–53 FA Cup
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. Blackpool were making their third FA Cup appearance in six years having been losing finalists twice, in 1948 and 1951.

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] and in November 2014 Matthews' winning medal was sold for £220,000.^[3]

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

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". Four minutes later, Bolton took the lead again when Willie Moir outstripped Blackpool's goalkeeper George Farm after short crossing pass of Bobby Langton 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]^[4]

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

Coverage

The match was considered the first major TV audience for a sporting event. Televisions had been bought or rented by many households for the forthcoming Coronation. On Radio the match was broadcast in full on the BBC World Service and the second half on the domestic Light Programme. After this final proved to be so popular, the Cup Final was given its own standalone slot and broadcast in full on TV and radio.

Match details

2 May 1953

Blackpool	4–3	Bolton Wanderers
Mortensen 35' 68' 89' Perry 90+2'	(Report)	Lofthouse 2' Moir 39' Bell 55'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: B. M. Griffiths

Blackpool

Bolton Wanderers



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



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

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "1953 – The Matthews Final". BBC Sport. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
^ Stanley Matthews' boots sold for £38,400 at bbc.co.uk
^ Sir Stanley Matthews FA Cup medal sells for £220,000 at bbc.co.uk
^ "Wembley – Saturday 2nd May Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanderers 3". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2008.

External links

1953 FA Cup Final (Matthews Final) Match Report at RetroFootball.co.uk
Original Pathe News coverage of the match

[bbc1321960-1] "1953 – The Matthews Final". BBC Sport. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2008.

[2] Stanley Matthews' boots sold for £38,400 at bbc.co.uk

[3] Sir Stanley Matthews FA Cup medal sells for £220,000 at bbc.co.uk

[fac-1953-4] "Wembley – Saturday 2nd May Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanderers 3". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2008.

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v t e FA Cup
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History List of finals Semi-finals Final referees Winning managers Non-English clubs Scottish clubs Non-League clubs in the 5th Round Giant-Killing Award

v t e Blackpool F.C. matches
FA Cup Finals	1948 1951 1953
FA Charity Shield	1953
Anglo-Italian Cup Finals	1971
Football League Play-Off Finals	1991 Fourth Division 1992 Fourth Division 2001 Third Division 2007 League One 2010 Championship 2012 Championship 2017 League Two 2021 League One
Football League Trophy Finals	2002 2004
Football League War Cup Finals	1943

v t e Bolton Wanderers F.C. matches
FA Cup Finals	1894 1904 1923 1926 1929 1953 1958
League Cup Finals	1995 2004
FA Community Shields	1958
EFL Championship play-offs Finals	1995 1999 2001
EFL League One play-offs Finals	1991 2024
Football League Trophy Finals	1986 1989 2023
Football League War Cup Finals	1945 (north) 1945 (play-off)