1950 Arsenal

This final between Arsenal and Liverpool was spoilt by downfalls of rain before and during the game, but this did prevent some excellent football being played.  Arsenal scored in the 18th minute through Lewis after a good move involving Compton, Barnes and Logie.  For the next 10 minutes Arsenal were put under intense pressure by Liverpool as they fought for the equaliser, but the score remained 1-0 until 18 minutes after the interval when Lewis struck again for Arsenal to make victory certain.    

Newcastle faced Blackpool in the 1951 final.  Playing with great confidence Milburn had the ball in the Blackpool net after 10 minutes but was ruled offside.  At half-time the score was 0-0.  Soon after the interval Milburn scored for Newcastle and 5 minutes later he netted again for Newcastle to win 2-0.  So Newcastle won the first of their three winning Cup Finals in five years and Stanley Matthews was a beaten finalist again. 

Newcastle triumphed again beating Arsenal 1-0 in the presence of Sir Winston Churchill.  Early in the game, an Arsenal full-back was injured and soon afterwards had to leave the field. No substitutes were allowed then and the famous "Wembley Hoodoo " leaving Arsenal with the mammoth task of holding out with 10 men.  At half-time the score was still 0-0 and remained so until the very last few minutes when Robledo made sure of the Cup for Newcastle by scoring the only goal of the game. 

"The Matthews' Final" - the only final identified forever by a man's name.  It was the final in which Stanley Matthews, the "Wizard of Dribble", earned his winners' medal at the third attempt at the age of 38.  His triumph is the most familiar of all cup stories: Bolton were 3-1 up with half-an-hour left before Blackpool, inspired by Matthews on the right-wing blazed back to win 4-3 with a last minute goal. Stan Mortensen also scored a hat-trick.    

Newcastle's third triumph is five seasons was launched by the quickest goal so far in a Wembley final. Jackie Milburn scored after only 45 seconds from a corner by Len White. Milburn was "Wor Jackie" to all Tyneside, the arrowhead of a thoroughbred Newcastle side. But Manchester City proved doughty opponents despite losing their right-back Jimmy Meadows with a knee injury early in the game.

Bert Trautmann, a former German paratrooper and prisoner of war, dived at the feet of Birmingham's Peter Murphy - and a split second later his neck was broken. Trautmann, though played on in great pain for a final quarter hour and Birmingham were unable to capitalise on his dazed condition. It wasn't until several days later that an X-Ray confirmed his neck was broken. Trautmann, the first German to play in a Wembley Cup Final, was immensely popular and had just been named as footballer of the year. The 1956 final is also remembered for the "Revie Plan" - with Don Revie, later to manage Leeds and England, playing as a deep-lying Centre-Forward and having a hand in two of Manchester City's goals.

Manchester United were already League Champions and clear favourites to win the cup, many considered this well-polished side to be one of the all-time greats of football.  When it seemed possible that a modern team would take the "elusive double", the hoodoo struck and Manchester's keeper was carried off after six minutes with a broken jaw.  At half-time the score was 0-0, could they hold out until the final whistle?  After 23 minutes of the second half, Peter McParland struck for Villa, with a fine goal, and five minutes later he repeated his move and scored his second.  Seven minutes from time Taylor scored a fine consolation goal but Villa took the cup back to Birmingham.

1958 Bolton Wanderers

It was only four months before the final the Manchester United, the Champions of England, had been involved in the tragic Munich air crash in which 8 players lost their lives.  Since the crash everyone had helped United as much a possible, none more than the FA who allowed them to postpone some of their cup fixtures, but now they were on their own.  Bolton were a good, hard side, and struck early in the game with a well-taken goal by Nat Lofthouse.  The United youngsters never quite recovered from this blow and were never able to produce the form which had taken them to Wembley.  Nat Lofthouse struck the final blow when he scored by bundling the United goalkeeper into the net, leaving Bolton Wanderers 2-0 winners.

1959 Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest defeated Luton Town by 2-1.  Forest were a well schooled side and thoroughly deserved victory.  First goal came from Dwight following a good move by Whitefoot, Gray and Imlach.  Four minutes later the scene was repeated as Wilson headed a second goal for Forest.  Just as they had swung into their stride disaster struck Forest as Roy Dwight was carried off with a broken leg.  Luton scored 28 minutes from the end with a good goal from Pacey, but Forest managed to hold on grimly to their lead to take the cup back to Nottingham.