1925 FA Cup Final - Brief Report

[William Henry Foulkes]

Found this online at http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1925.htm

Sheffield United 1 - 0 Cardiff City
Tunstall '30
Wembley Stadium, London, Saturday 25th April 1925

Attendance: 91,763

Match Referee:G. N. Watson

Cardiff had won promotion to the First Division shortly after the war, they had only been beaten for the Championship by Huddersfield on goal average in 1924, and now they were playing in their first Final. Their clash with Sheffield United at Wembley in 1925 - a meeting of old masters and new hopefuls - almost amounted to an international match.

Not for the first time in a Wembley Final a mistake cost one team the match. A quarter of an hour before half-time, Pantling, Sheffield's right half, hit a long, swinging pass out to the left. Tunstall, the new England outside-left, moved towards the ball as it dropped, trapped it and went on to pick his spot in the Cardiff net. Cardiff right-half Wake could probably have cut out the pass to Tunstall, but, fatally, he hesitated and Tunstall was through to score.

Tunstall Scores The Winning Goal

It was a terrific blow to the Welsh team, and, though Blair, Hardy and Keenor continued to play above themselves, Cardiff were unable to reproduce any of the brilliant football that had recently brought them into the limelight. Sheffield, led by the supreme strategy of Gillespie at inside-left, deservedly won the Cup for the fourth time in their history. Cardiff's chance was to come two years later.

Team Line-ups:

Sheffield United

• 1 Charles Sutcliffe
• 2 Billy Cook
• 3 Ernest Milton
• 4 Harry Pantling
• 5 Seth King
• 6 George Green
• 7 David Mercer
• 8 Tommy Boyle
• 9 Harry Johnson
• 10 Billy Gillespie (c)
• 11 Fred Tunstall
• Manager
• John Nicholson

Cardiff City

• 1 Tom Farquharson
• 2 James Nelson
• 3 Jimmy Blair
• 4 Harry Wake
• 5 Fred Keenor (c)
• 6 Billy Hardy
• 7 Willie Davies
• 8 Jimmy Gill
• 9 Joe Nicholson
• 10 Harry Beadles
• 11 Jack Evans
• Manager
• Fred Stewart

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

A ticket for the game http://bigmatchfootballprogrammes.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1076

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

And a programme which was up for auction recently estimated to be worth £1000 to £1200

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...0002/lot-dac8f12a-4a29-48d4-89a4-a43400efffa9

1

 

[Silent Blade]

Cardiff had won promotion to the First Division shortly after the war, they had only been beaten for the Championship by Huddersfield on goal average in 1924

In the last minute of Cardiff's last league match of the 1923-24 season, they were awarded a penalty. The penalty taker (forgot his name) missed his effort and Huddersfield won the title on goal average! Football can be cruel!

 

[Revolution]

In the last minute of Cardiff's last league match of the 1923-24 season, they were awarded a penalty. The penalty taker (forgot his name) missed his effort and Huddersfield won the title on goal average! Football can be cruel!

Len Davies took the penalty. It was against Birmingham.

 

[Silent Blade]

Not for the first time in a Wembley Final a mistake cost one team the match. A quarter of an hour before half-time, Pantling, Sheffield's right half, hit a long, swinging pass out to the left. Tunstall, the new England outside-left, moved towards the ball as it dropped, trapped it and went on to pick his spot in the Cardiff net. Cardiff right-half Wake could probably have cut out the pass to Tunstall, but, fatally, he hesitated and Tunstall was through to score.

Tunstall Scores The Winning Goal

One of the newspaper headlines which made me chuckle was "WAKE CAUGHT NAPPING"

Dont think the photo is when the goal was scored. I have seen a photo of the ball being tucked into the next and Tunstall was running away to celebrate his goal

 

[Silent Blade]

Len Davies took the penalty. It was against Birmingham.

Cheers. I first heard about it from an old schoolmate of mine (he now lives in Manchester) when I went to watch Swans v Blades in December 1988

 

[Revolution]

One of the newspaper headlines which made me chuckle was "WAKE CAUGHT NAPPING"

Dont think the photo is when the goal was scored. I have seen a photo of the ball being tucked into the next and Tunstall was running away to celebrate his goal

You're right, that's not a picture of the goal.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

One of the newspaper headlines which made me chuckle was "WAKE CAUGHT NAPPING"
Dont think the photo is when the goal was scored. I have seen a photo of the ball being tucked into the next and Tunstall was running away to celebrate his goal

It doesn't look at all like a goal being scored. Might try and dig up something authentic.

I also found these pictures of Harry Wake (original and colourised) on a Wigan fan's website. Looks like that mistake is what he's remembered for.

This is Harry Wake who in the 1925 FA Cup Final made a dreadful mistake while playing for Cardiff City that cost them the match against Sheffield United. He was vilified for that - so much so that in 1932 he joined Wigan Athletic!

 

[coaxingstar71]

I seem to recall reading it was quite a one-sided final and wouldn't have flattered us if we'd won 3 or 4 nil.

This was of course at a time when winning the FA Cup was still more prestigious than winning the League.

 

[Revolution]

It doesn't look at all like a goal being scored. Might try and dig up something authentic.

I also found these pictures of Harry Wake (original and colourised) on a Wigan fan's website. Looks like that mistake is what he's remembered for.

This is Harry Wake who in the 1925 FA Cup Final made a dreadful mistake while playing for Cardiff City that cost them the match against Sheffield United. He was vilified for that - so much so that in 1932 he joined Wigan Athletic!

I have a couple of photos of the goal, but I think I'm on ignore so that's of no use to you.