THE FINAL GAME AT THE "OLD" WEMBLEY

The first "official" game at the Empire Stadium, Wembley, was the 1923 FA Cup Final, played between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United (see below the stadium in 1924). Bolton won 2-0, in front of 126,047...actually probably more in a Final that was known as the White Horse Final! You will know why?

In the year 2000, Dean Holdsworth missed an open goal from six yards in extra time, during his Bolton Wanderers FA Cup Semi-final against Aston Villa; his team's victory would have made a pleasant "symmetry", Wanderers playing in the first and last Final at the Empire Stadium. The stadium cost £750,000, equivalent to approximately £48 million, present day.

Aston Villa lost their Year 2000 final to Chelsea, just months before the old Stadium was demolished, but there was one more match to be played at Wembley. 

National team manager, Kevin Keegan, watched his England team, have the privilege of playing the old enemy, Germany, in their 2002 World Cup qualifying group. The German side was regarded as one of the worst in known history but on October 7th 2000, things did not go to plan. 76,377 watched, as fourteen minutes into the game, Paul Scholes timed a tackle poorly on German, Michael Ballack and the German star slotted home "his" free kick from 25 yards, through David Seaman's hands. This became the last goal scored at Wembley. Yes, you guessed! England did not recover to reply!

England team: Seaman, Neville, Le Saux, Southgate, Keown, Adams (c), Beckham, Scholes, Cole, Owen, Barmby: Subs used Dyer, Barry, Parlour, 

The rain tipped down on the historic Wembley turf and Keegan, who didn't "love it", resigned in the toilets after the match! "I have just not been good enough", he said. Kevin admitted that he didn't have what was needed to do the job successfully and he saw no point in "carrying on". Very civilised, bless!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8xCXIQAkJE

The "curtain" came down on the Empire Stadium. The demolition balls moved in, taking over two years to knock down the old stadium having taken 300 working days to build it in 1922-3. It then took another 5 years to get the new stadium live and kicking. 

The first "big" game to be played at the new stadium was the 2007 FA Cup Final, with Chelsea winning the first major game in the new Wembley. Chelsea, therefore delivered on the symmetry, winning the first game at the new stadium as they won the last in the old! They beat Manchester United 1-0 through Didier Drogba's late goal. 

England's first match at the new "National" stadium was a 3-0 victory over Israel in the Euro 2008 qualifier. Steve McClaren did not resign, no need!!