1953 FA Cup Final Blackpool v Bolton W The Matthews Final www.itsagoal.net

The 1953 FA Cup Final, also known as the Matthews Final, 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. (Prior to the Wembley era, William Townley in 1890 and James Logan in 1894 achieved the same feat for Blackburn Rovers and Notts County respectively). Blackpool were making their third FA Cup appearance in six years having been losing finalists twice, in 1948 and 1951

[@Prellium]

"What an end to a great career" says the commentator. He only played for another 12 years lol.

[@peterwood-jenkins3634]

AND he coached abroad for years after he retired Was it Spain ???

[@andreasglumm]

When I was a little boy I read about Sir Stanley Mathews, who played football in the age of 47 or so. From this moment on I looked at my own Grandfather with completely new eyes. Kick da ball, grampa!

[@johnfisher4872]

The free kick goal from Mortenson looked something special.

[@robertroberts2666]

Any footballer who runs rings around the opposition wearing shorts that long deserves the utmost respect!

[@onthegoldenline]

When the FA Cup meant something; and what names! Matthews, Johnston, Lofthouse, Farm, Mortensen, Perry. Would it was like this today instead of the bloody Premiership.

[@NuisanceMan]

I guess this was a little before that shocking innovation, the "instant replay."

[@diptastik5651]

Do you think !

[@geoffm9944]

Those were the days when good sportsmanship was an accepted code of conduct. The days, when all 22 players gave everything to win this prestigious trophy.

[@converse91970]

Great post of one of football's great occasions. True, the goalkeeping was nothing special, but Stan the Man looks like he would not have been out of place in today's game. Super footwork, and a tremendous ability to get to the byeline and put in a cross for his team mates. What is so funny is Kenneth Wolstenholme saying what a great end to his career - he played for another 12 years after, when he reached the age of 50! So funny too when Nat Lofthouse gives his teammate a kiss around 3:07!

[@johnpacino007]

Everything looks " clunky" compared to the game today. How the players controlled & ran with the ball like grandads. The massive spaces in midfield. No cohesive defensive backlines & clumsy goalkeeping. Still, a good end to end match.

[@stephenreeds3672]

Matthews always says it shld be "The Mortensen Final" as he scored a hat trick.

[@silhouetteshowgirls]

I have the live film reel of that game ........ Epic

[@rossandfaker]

Matthews, Matthews, Matthews! Companion of my old dreams !

[@gyulailevi]

Matthews.... what a great player !

[@rockpig63]

What a great game

[@roddyteague6246]

The winning goal scorer Bill Perry. A fine South African.

[@IrudienLantegia]

That´s not a film, that´s tv record. Wonderfull!

[@fisterklister]

The Mortensen final

[@mjb4983]

I never knew this footage existed

[@7VastyJ3ob]

i

[@MrAnonymousman10]

4:15 you would never hear that today

[@peterwood-jenkins3634]

commentator dont tell us the score from time to time shame that Ball was rock hard when wet I was in junior football with a lighter ball we went unbeaten the same year Dolphin Cadets Gosport Saw Mathews at Fratton Park -----when Mortenoson got his first the commentator said nothing

[@kingsling4506]

The camera quality was so fucking bad back then... it makes it so hard to imagine how bright and vibrant it actually was on the day

[@eles2147]

SlingerDingDong it's not the camera quality. This was the technology of the time. It's probably a televised kinescope of this match. I'm sure if we were in 1953, we could only imaging how bright and sunny a day this was watching the match. Blackpool in their tangerine shirts. Bolton in their white with blue shorts.

[@thelegendfamily4836]

@IrudienLantegia I'm almost certain that you're correct that this was from the tele-recorded version of the match.

[@eles2147]

TheLegendfamily this is the BBC recording

[@yiseng4602]

ERROR:IT SHOULD BE SEVEN NOT EIGHT.

[@martm216]

Was the commentator Ken Wolstenholme?

[@chrismaynard6016]

General comment.........truly dreadful defending and goalkeeping, plenty of SPACE due to WM tactics, POOR ball retention like a CURRENT Div 1 or 2 game but exciting, Matthews WOULD be good even now in modern team and fantastic free kick by Mortenson. No wonder so many goals were scored before defences became organised in the late 60's. Comments please. Chris

[@LFBulldog]

Real football, real English football, no cheats and they are allowed to tackle, the ball was 10 times heavier, not like the feathers they kick today. all these overseas players are stunting the development of English players, due to the stupid money involved in the game today, as the clubs buy players from abroad for the quick fix rather than developing local talent. English clubs dominated europe in the 70's and 80's without overseas players. the prem is bought these days, its all about money.

[@gunternetzer9621]

English football has always been a euphemism for physical and moral qualities which has stopped any impetus for improvement, especially in skill and has been the reason for our continual failure at international level.

[@KareemPilot]

The English clubs that were successful in Europe were successful because they didn’t play ANYTHING LIKE THIS plus there numerous Scots, Irish, Welshmen on those sides… this lot would get OBLITERATED by Liverpool, Forest, Etc of the 70s and those sides in turn wouldn’t be able to live with 2021 WATFORD if they played , … England’s got loads of good players in European sides now… you’re talking shite

[@MrAnonymousman10]

and divers of course

[@gsf67]

Keepers must have been really useless in those days. Mind you the ball was leather and when it was wet, it would have been like handling concrete.

[@josephazzopardi322]

Both keepers made bad mistakes.

[@snowman01]

I cannot believe how terrible the goal-keeping was then!

[@lincoln7541]

striker161 he havnt got gloves..

[@snowman01]

Lincoln ee avnt?

[@lincoln7541]

HAVENT omg

[@snowman01]

Lincoln Haven't?

[@lincoln7541]

hasnt sorry

[@StevilTurner]

Should have been called the crap goalkeepers final

[@geoffm9944]

This should have been called the Mortenson final because of his goalscoring prowess in this cup final. The first Bolton goal was a goalkeeping error by Farm and Bolton’s second goal can also be counted as an error by Farm, as he missed the ball.