FA Cup Match: Manchester United 4-2 Blackpool (FA Cup Final)
Date Played: May 1948

The prospect of the two main Lancashire sides Blackpool and Manchester United meeting each other in the FA Cup final had the paying public licking their lips in anticipation for this mouth watering clash. It fielded Matt Busby’s first amazing side, featuring its five star forward line of Morris, Delaney, Pearson, Mitten and Rowley. Blackpool boasted Mortensen and Matthews. The final lived up to its billing, Blackpool netted in a disputed penalty when Mortensen was tripped on the d of the box and slid yards into the area. Despite Jack Rowley’s equalizer for United in the 28th minute, Mortensen restored Blackpool’s advantage on the stroke of half time, becoming only the fourth player in history to score in every round of the FA Cup. The tide turned against the Seasiders in the second half, however. Rowley scored his second equalizer and the crucial strike came 12 minutes from time. When United keeper, Jack Crompton made a fantastic save from Mortensen, the ball went the length of the pitch in two passes and United's Stan Pearson made it 3-2. The Red Devil’s added a fourth goal very late on.

Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers
Date Played – May 1953 (FA Cup Final 1953)
The 1952 -1953 season will certainly be most remembered for the climax of the FA Cup final, in what was probably the worlds most famous football player, Stanley Mathews, finally won an FA Cup winners medal. At the age of 38 years old, he made the final his own, inspiring the surge in the last 20 minutes that saw Blackpool score two goals to defeat Bolton Wanderers 4-3. The final was most notable for various reasons, Stan Morterson was the first ever player to score a hat trick. Bill Perry became the first South African to play in a final and he also scored the injury time winner.

Derby County 4-1 Charlton Athletic
Date Played – May 1946 (FA Cup Final)
This was the first football season after the Second World War and Charlton were looking to establish themselves as a force in English football. The addicks met Derby in the 1946 final and it was an encounter that Bert Turner scored at both ends within a minute. A shot by Derby County’s Duncan hit Turner’s leg and went in for an own goal with five minutes of normal time remaining. Turner then equalized to force the match in to extra time. Derby ran out of the match as 4-1 winners after extra time being played.

Manchester City 3-1 Birmingham City
FA Cup Final – 1956
The 1956 FA Cup final saw Bert Trautmann emerge as the hero as he was awesome in goal for Manchester City. By the time Manchester City had reached the 1956 FA Cup Final, Trautmann was considered by many as the finest goalkeeper in the league. With 15 minutes remaining in the final, Trautmann dived to save at the feet of Birmingham City’s Peter Murphy and badly injured his neck. Despite being in agony, he continued the match as Manchester City defeated Birmingham 3-1 in the final.

FA Cup Match: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Luton Town (FA Cup Final)
Date Played: May 1959

Nottingham Forest and Luton Town battled out the FA Cup final of 1959. Both sides were old established clubs; however they only had one major honour between them. Forest had won the FA Cup in their only other appearance in the final 61 years before- the same year that Luton entered the league. Luton did not have a manager at the time of this match and were led out at Wembley by their chairman. Forest took a 2-0 advantage after only 14 minutes however, in the 32nd minute, the scorer of the first goal was taken off with a broken leg. To their credit, the ten Forest players continued to play great football and Luton were only able to pull one goal back. Seven injuries during the match meant that eight minutes of injury time had to be played and the question of substitutes became the main topic for discussion.

Charlton Athletic 1-0 Burnley
Date Played – May 1947 (FA Cup Final)
The addicks had endured a painful league campaign as they only managed to finish off in a disappointing 19th place, fortunate to narrowly escape relegation. After suffering a 4-1 defeat against Derby County in the FA Cup final the previous years, the addicks met Burnley in the 1947 final at Wembley and were emphatic on the day. They finished off what proved to be a fine FA Cup campaign by defeating Burnley 1-0 to win the elusive FA Cup trophy.