ENGLISH CUP FINALISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1935, Page 10

ENGLISH CUP FINALISTS

SMALL BEGINNINGS

The two clubs left to battle jn the F.A. Cup Final at Wembley to-day, are clubs with long traditions in Soccerdom. Take Sheffield Wednesday. Formed 65 years, the club have been among the pioneers of professional football. And they were formed by a band of Ciicketers! For 16 years the Wednesday were in amateur football, but went into the money-ranks to help form the Football Alliance. They made repeated efforts to get into the Football League, but it was not until 1892 that they succeeded. Twice winners of the Cup, the Sheffield side have had to face several soc[cer storms —they once lost their [ground and were relegated to the Second Division in the san<e season. Imagine Sheffield Wednesday being paid their share of to-day’s Cup final gate receipts in pennies! Such an experience once befell the Wednesday in a Cup tie. And they were quite satisfied with their share of the gate at that. Their opponents were Long Eaton Rangers. After the match the Long Eaton secretary handed the Wednesday’s officials the princely sum of £4/15/—all in coppers. The Wednesday party changed the pennies into silver on the way home. ! Curiously enough. West Bromwich Albion also owe their origin to a cricket club. With the Summei of 1879 ended, some working lads decided to keep together in football as they had in cricket. So West Bromwich Strollers were formed.

The members each subscribed sixpence to buy a ball, and very soon were in action on an open field. Later the team played on a public parkpitch. but they did so well that they bought a private ground. In 1886 the Albion played in the first of three consecutive finals. It was i case of third time lucky. Beaten by Blackburn Rovers and Aston - Villa, they met Preston North End. The match looked easy for Pestron, so easy that the Lancashire players asked if they could borrow rhe Cup before the match. They wanted to be photographed with the trophy while their jerseys were clean! Major Marindin, who refereed the firkt seven finals when the Cup ceased to be competed for solely by ainateur clubs, replied. “I think you had better win it first."

And Albion beat Preston. Inspired by W. I. Bassett—now president of the club —their long-passing game upset North End. It wrs Bassett who schemed the winning goal which saw the Midlands team triumph. Albion made history in that game. They were the first club ever to win the Cup with an all-English eleven. Indeed, nine of their players were natives of West Bromwich, the club's total wage bill being £5/10/- a week. Forty-three years later history repeated itself. Albion again went into a Cup final with an all-English team, this time to beat their near neighbours, Birmingham.