AUCKLANDER AT WEMBLEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23381, 24 June 1939, Page 13 (Supplement)

AUCKLANDER AT WEMBLEY

By R. E. CHAMPTALOUP

Thrill of a Lifetime Among Soccer Enthusiasts " THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET HOME "

«/TiICKETS for the Cup Final ! 6 Why they are more precious than gold." That was the response to my inquiry, concorning the reservation of seats on the day of our arrival in London. On that date, four weeks before the match, every , seat had been allocated and I was informed that there was only a remote chance of a lew "cancellations" being handed in. Thousands of enthusiasts had placed their names on the waiting list. Imagine the thrill, therefore, seventysix, hours before the kick-off, to receive two tickets for seats in the covered stand, within a biscuit's throw of the Royal Enclosure. As an old soccer player 'in Auckland I had always looked forward- one day, to seeing u Cup Final. Wonderful Spectacle Sometimes when one has anticipated Eiich a treat for a very long period, the realisation of one's dreams falls far short of the expectation, and under such circumstances one is likely to ho disappointed. In this year's Cup Final Jit Wembley however, no one could help but be thrilled. It was a wonderful match, and a splendid spectacle. Almost 100,000 spectators packed in a solid mass completely encircling tho playing field on which 22 highlytrained exponents of the Association code gave a dazzling display of fast, clean football. Popular opinion regarded the match ®s an absolute gift for Wolverhampton Wanderers,' but the big men in both tho "Wolves" defence and attack suffered badly from nerves, and tho cahner but weaker side triumphed. * ertsmout h played serenely, every nian quietly confident, snapping up odd chances and converting them into goals. j' ls appeared to demoralise completely their oponents. the score of I to 1, although richly deserved by Portsmouth, was not exactly an indication of the play. It was a case of the team with the calmer 9'ltlook, with controlled nerves, snatchlnK a victory which might easily have f onc the other way had the "Wolves" ' e en as quick in trout of goal as were xll eir opponents.. Vast Arena The Clip Final was one of the most ftjaisiiin; spectacles I have seen. My lie and ] loft London at 1 p.m. and ■rived at Wembley station amid a l" 50 crowd which we accompanied t t' lo . street toward the stadium, err.? v:,st arena, however, the ( i- . «mpl. v melted awav, as it was I "stributod to various allocations. We j b „- S0;1 ' (,( l at ?. p:m. There was no iinvi ° 01 co'igestion, everything orderly cvni.. m t^ca '> n "d by 2.50 p.m. ronm SOil i was c d and the standing lacked to capacity.

Band. music, military marching and community singing kept the huge crowd amused until, a few minutes before three o'clock, the massed hands played "Abide With Me," everyone standing and singing. Immediately the | teams appeared and lined up. Then j the opening bars of "God Save the King" heralded the appearance of His i Majesty, 'who greeted and shook hands with every player. Supporters who had accompanied the Portsmouth team occupied one end of the terraces, making a bright splash of colour with their blue and white caps, streamers and rosettes. At the opposite end Wolverhampton's gold was very conspicious. The first goal to Portsmouth brought forth roar upon roar of applause and delight from one end, but at the other there was stunned silence. The match finished at ten minutes to five, but acting on advice from "people who knew" we sat fast and took tea from a flask with which we had hci'ii supplied. After 25 minute's we withdrew to the balcony and looked down on a solid mass of humanity, moving stationwards. More cars than I had ever seen in my life were still massed on the park- j ing ground, and we thought in despair of our dinner appointment that night. The crowd was moving, but to our uninitiated eyes it seemed that it would

bo hours before thore would be a possi- I bilitv of returning with any comfort. Fifteen minutes later we looked attain, J and what a miracle —the crowd had simply melted, and the cars were | steadily streaming away in several di- i } rections. | Well, to cut a long story short, we j walked quietly along to tin 1 railway ! station, joined the throng " e plat- • form, boarded a train \vlvicli arrived j 'minediately, and twenty-five minutes j

I later wore in our flat in the heart of London. Oil the street, at the railway station 1 and on.the Tubes, there were enormous crowds, typical of London, hut never j once was there the slightest confusion. | The police, transport officials, and ! R.A.C. guides quietly and efficiently ! ushered people and cars in a steady : moving stream. It was wonderful organisation—an J education in traffic control.