KEEPING THE CUP FINAL EVE CROWDS HAPPY AND ALF

On April 10th 1970 at Highbury, the two semi-final losers in the FA Cup played each other as an FA Cup Final curtain raiser, designed to occupy the fans visiting the capital and particularly Wembley. Venues for these show pieces were neutral for two years and then played at one of the two home grounds, going to the regions.

In 1970 Manchester United beat Watford 2-0 in front of just over 15,000. The authorities could argue that it was a waste of time, but Charlton, Best, Kidd, Stiles and most of the other of that era turned out, so it was something to cherish.

In May 1971 only 5,000 fans made the effort to watch Stoke City and Everton at Selhurst Park, battle out a 5 goal thriller, Stoke winning. By then the Football Association and Football League were beginning to think that enough was enough.

In 1971-2 season, the FA decided to try another formula, the match was played as a pre-season warm up, Birmingham City and Stoke (again) coming to blows at St Andrews in August, with 23,000 watching a 0-0 draw and a 4-3 pens win for the home side.
The first time an FA Cup match was decided by penalties!
Geoff Hurst made his debut for Stoke.

Arsenal and Wolves appeared in the next "play off" in August 1973, at Highbury, with a crowd of 21,000, Wolves winning 3-1. The main "on pitch" contest might well have been between Jeff Blockley v Derek Dougan, who scored 2 and two well known goalies stood out, Bob Wilson and Phil Parkes. The crowd would have enjoyed seeing their heroes getting warmed up for the new campaign.

The next year the FA tried a match after the Cup Final on May 9th with Burnley and Leicester managing one goal to Burnley scored by Hankin in front of 4,000. Not great! Leicester didn't want to do this at the end of a season, but the FA insisted.

The first time this pre-Cup Final bonanza was concocted was on April 30th 1954 when an England XI played a Young England XI. 43,000 were there to witness a thrilling 1-0 win for England. In 1955, two select teams from Old England and Young England met, the Old Boys winning 5-0.
There was no match in 1956 and from 1957 the annual contest remained England v Young England at London venues between Highbury and Stamford Bridge until 1969.
In 1963 an England XI played a Football League XI to celebrate the 100th year of the Football Association and the 75th year of the Football League.
Alf Ramsey, by then England manager, took the opportunity to look at potential players for his England team, preparing for the 1966 World Cup with foreign tours....it worked, although Leicester City and Manchester United didn't contribute players on the eve of their combat in the FA Cup Final.