THE CUP GOES TO SHEFFIELD FOR THE FIRST TIME
— John James Bentley | 20/04/1896 —

Once again has the final tie the Association Cup been played, and now interest in Association football will practically be a dead letter. That playing the final tie in the Metropolis — if the Crystal Palace can be considered the Metropolis — was appreciated, the attendance fully proved, and without any official figures to guide me I should imagine there were nearer 55,000 than 45,000. Everything was in apple-pie order, and it must have cost the Palace people a small fortune in printer's ink to instruct people where to go. I daressay they thought that the provincial horde would require a lot of guidance, and if anyone went wrong it was certainly his own fault. 

The final is a great function, and it is an occasion upon which you meet friends whom you come across annually at the final. There was a fine and large collection of them on Saturday. Lord Kinnaird was, of course, present. Mr. J. C. Clegg watched with Sir Howard Vincent an interested companion, whilsy Sir Alfred Hickman, the member for Wolverhampton, was disappointed perhaps, but, as he cheerily, remarked to me at the close, both sides couldn't win. Then Lord Sheffield came over from his beautiful seat, where I hipe to have the pleasure of seeing him on May 11, and appeared to quite enjoy himself, whilst all the other and sundry notabilities of the football world were on evidence, and amongst them I came across a party from Blackburn, who commenced going to finals when the Rovers were beaten by the Old Etonians in 1882, and have continued their annuals visits since. A few early birds took up their positions before noon, but the majority arrived between two and three, and blue and white and black and ogld favours were to be seen attached to tired-looking excursionists all over the place. My estimable colleague, "Philistine," has promised to do a descriptive article, and will doubtless allude to the surroundings in his usual style — he is a great on surroundings — but I should just like to give the Palace people a word for the excellence of their arrangements. Of course, several folks were inconvenienced, for it was useless to attempt to pass a policeman unless you had the necessary pasteboard or were attached to an official.

Wolverhampton Wanderers.— W. Tennant, goal; R. Baugh and T. Dunn, backs; H. Griffiths, W. Malpaes, and W. Owen, half-backs; J. Tonks, C. Henderson, Beats, H. Wood, and Black, forwards.

Sheffield Wednesday.— Massey, goal; Earp and Langley, backs; H. Brandon, Crawshaw, and R. Petrie, half-backs; Brash, Brady, Bell, Davis, and Spiksley, forwards.

Referee: Lieutenaut Simpson, hoc. sec. L.F.A.

Linesmen: Messrs. A. G. Hines (Nottingham) and J. Howcroft (Redcar).

Wood had won the toss, but there was little in it, for that great enemy to football — his lordship Boreas — was fortunately visting elsewhere, and the blue and white and black and gold flags hung listlessly on their separate poles. We had a sensational start twelve months ago, when Aston Villa scored the only goal in the match under a minute from the ball being set in motion. A similar thing happened on Saturdya. Bell tipped the ball to Brady, Brady passed back to Crawshaw, Crawshaw doubled about a bit, and then parted to Brash; Brash sent it straight across where Spiksley lay in waiting, and almost before Tennant knew the proceedings had commenced, Sheffield were one up. It was a startler and no mistake, and was rather too bad, for few, if any, of the "Wolves" had had an opportunity of displaying their ability. It was encouraging to the Sheffielders, but had not a very depressing effect on their opponents, who, led on by Harry Wood, made matters rather warm for the Sheffield defenders, although, even so early in the game, it was easy to see which were the better set of players. The equaliser came very soon, for the ball was passed across the goal mouth, and little Black dashed up close on the line, and with a bit of the coolest work I have ever seen, drew the ball over his head, and through it went at the corner. It was exceedingly clever, although to many people it seemed simple to see the Sheffield folk all packed in the goal with Black entirely unmolested, and getting the ball over their heads, but to my mind it was one of the best bits of an eventful afternoon's football. For a few minutes it seemed as if the "Wolves" would make a big fight of it, but their forward play sadly lacked system, and Earp and Langley, not to forget the half-backs, were much too good for the indiscriminate passing shown by the Black-country representatives. The Sheffield forwards were now going great guns, and their fletness and combination quite outwitted the strong trio of half-backs to which they were opposed, and they did a vast amount of pressing. Lieut. Simpson was down on all kinds of fouls, sometimes on what appeared to me to be imaginative ones, but in an exciting match it is probably best to err on the side of severity, and once Owen went for Brash in a cruel fashion, and a consultation with the linesman looked ominous, but a free kick met the crime. After a long spell of pressure in the "Wolves" goal Tonks got clean away, beat Langley, and sent square across to Black, who coolly tipped it into the centre, where Wood, I think it was, put it through, amid general rejoicing. But there was a little impediment, for when Black centred the ball it was well over the line. To those Wolverhampton supporters who did not see the joke the referee's fiat was a trifle disappointing, but it was nothing to what happened immediately afterwards, for from the goal kick the Wednesday forwards broke away, and the ball going to Spiksley, that astute individual let fly with a shot which had a lot of curl on it. At one time the ball seemed to be geing well wide of the posts, but it changed its mind, and struck one of them square, rebounding and whizzing about just over the line. Tennant made a desperate effort to reach it, and succeeded, but it was well over, and went ever further as he grasped it. Such was the goal which took the Cup to Sheffield, and a peculiar customer it was. 

It served though, and there was a general congratulatory ceremony for Fred Spiksley, for it is not often that one man has the honour of scoring all the goals for his side in a final tie, where, as a rule, such necessary and valuable adjuncts to the game are very scarce. Not satisfied with this, Sheffield once more went ahead, and may be said to have almost monopolised the attack, for it was but seldom the Wolverhampton forwards made a serious raid. Of course, they often broke away, but there was not the slightest method in their movements, and the attempts to get at Massey were of a very spasmodic character. Certainly, Wood and Black put in some nice work, and occasionally Tonks and Henderson were to be seen careering away, but a long kick by either Earp or Langley would give the ball back to their forwards, who certainly made good use of it. During a hot attack on the "Wolves'" goal Davis was injured, but soon resumed limping, and afterwards did more work than any forward on the field. Such is the advantage of an ugly knock when the gentleman receiving it has his heart in the right place. The Wednesday continued to play a very powerful game, and with the inside forwards passing out at every available opportunity, the extreme men had lots of chances, and they did not forget to take them, both Spiksley and Brash showing a rare turn of speed, and the latter diminutive person often got the better of his burly opponents by sheer cleverness. Spiksley was also very prominent, and his centres were extremely dangerous, once or twice not being taken fell advantage of; but up to the interval nothing further was scored, and the Wednesday turned round with a very well-deserved lead of two to one.

On the play it ought to have been more. We had a rather lengthy interval, and the proceedings for about twenty minutes were extremely dull. I don't know whether Sheffield Wednesday were content with their solitary goal lead, but they appeared to be saving themselves, and although Tennant had more work than the ruddy faced professor at the other end, and once saved beautifully from a free kick, he was not seriously troubled. Besides the free kick arrangement, he had one very troublesome customer from Davis, which appeared to be sailing nicely under the bar when Tennant got at it, and Davis said something naughty. At least, he appeared to do. The attacks of the "Wolves" were few and far between, and even when they were made there was no "devil" in them, and the outstanding features of the first twenty minutes were two capital runs by Spiksley and Brash. The International successfully evaded the none too polite attentions of Owen, Malpass, and Baugh, and got the ball well up, but too much so, as it turned out, for when, after desperately struggling with the three artists named, he found his feet, the ball had taken the liberty of going over the line of demarcation, so to speak. 

Brash's effort was one of individual brilliance, and the little man seemed to make up his mind to have a go on his "own," as we say in the classics, for he dodged around Owen and Dunn until the two Wolverhampton people hardly knew where they were, but although he worked the ball close up nothing came of it. A Wolverhampton enthu siast, with a voice like an asthmatic railway whistle, had been continually urging "me little Wanderers" to play up, with indifferent success, but 20 minutes from the finish they responded to the call, and I have seldom seen a more exciting termina tion to a final tie. Up to then the Wednesday had proved by far the better team, no matter how you looked at it, but the leaders were row given a warm time. It was not so much by scientific play as by desperation of the most virulent type that the Wolves" went for the equalising point. They did not stop to inquire if anyone was hurt, or had a small canter round to show the people how easily they could make a fool of an opponent, but made straight for goal, and for the honour of Shef- field it was just as well Earp. Langley, and Massey kept cool. We had a most sultry time of it, and could only imagine what would have been the result had the "Wolves" made up their minds a little ealier. Seeing how matters stood, Earp very wisely brought Davis to the assistance of the rear ranks, and very valuable Spiksley's partner proved, for he was always in the way. On one occasion, from a free kick, well put in by Baugh, the ball went through, and there was a great noise, but a mere detail like it not having touched anyone had been overlooked. How it missed, thougj, was a mystery, for the goal was simply packedd with excited players of both sides. It was seldom the Wednesday could break away, for the "Wolves" seemed made over again, and the way they went for goal was a caution. Earp and Langley, assisted by sterling half-back play, now further reinforced by Brady, withstood the attacks in gallant fashion, and the only mistake I saw Earp make was once when he slightly miscalculated the ball, and with Henderson and Beats close up — it was right in the goal mouth — there seemed little hope for Wednesday; but the captain immediately recovered himself, and gave a corner. Again Beats got through, and, timming his shot nicely, put in at the right moment, but it was an inch or two wide, although had it been straight Marsey would have got it, for he threw himself full length.

Right as to the finish, varied by spurts on the part of Spiksley, Bell, and Brash, Wolverhampton had the best of it, and just before the end Black got the ball close to the line, centred and twice the sphere was kicked against Massey, with the custodian not knowing a great deal about it, but the whistle went for off-side, and directly afterwards time was signalled, and Sheffield Wednesday had won the Cup by two goals to one. They had an enthusiastic reception at the close, and the new cup was handed over to Earp by Lord Kinnaird amidst great cheering, the president of the association casually remarking that he considered the better side had won. Earp was called upon to make a speech, and he eventually mounted the rostrum, but his "speech" was a sort of conversational effort, and when he stepped down very few of the crowd were udner the impression that he had displayed oratorical abilities. He had reserved his efforts for the field of play.

A FEW REMAKRS THEREON.

It would be idle for anyone to argue that the better team did not win, and those Wolverhampton gentlemen I came across acknowledged it in the most sportsmanlike manner. The superiority of the Wednesday was most marked in the first half, when their forwards showed fleetness of foot and combination which contrasted very much with the heavy uncertain efforts of the opposing front rank. From subsequent events I don't suppose it was a case of being better trained, but somehow or other they seemed to tumble into their stride at once, whilst the "Wolves" waited until the last twenty minutes. The Wednesday represen tatives had far more system in their movements, and the formidable locking backs and half-backs on the Wolverhampton side were quite beaten by superior science. Owen did his best to get at little Brash, but the latter has a head on his shoulders — a big one, too; and he evaded the attentions of the burly half-back in a most skilful manner. He was pretty well left to himself when he passod the ball across for Spiksley to score the first goal, and it was evident the "Wolves" at the start had all eyes on the speedy left winger. Even then they were outwitted, and to score a goal under a minute from the start must have been decidedly encouraging to Sheffield. Still, the Wanderers did not lose heart, but went in and equalised, and it was after this that the "Bladca showed to most advantage, their com bination being exceedingly good, and although the winning goal was somewhat lucky, and possibly would not happen once in a score of times, on the play the Wednesday deserved that and more up to the interval. For about twenty minutes after resuming the game was even and rather slow, but after that period had elapsed we had a most sensational change, the "Wolves" playing up in death or glory fashion, and receiving hearty cheers from all round the field. Massey had more to do in the last twenty minutes than the whole of the remaining part of the game, and it would not have surprised me in the least had the "Wolves" equalised or even won. It was a bit of desperate, typical Cup tie work, and no one felt more pleased than the Sheffielders when the welcome sound of the referee's whistle was heard, for twice in the last two minutes were the "Wolves" nearly equalising. It was not to be, however, and Sheffield took the new Cup to their town of smoke. No one can begrudge them the high honour of being the first to have their name on the new Cup, but they have lots of company in this direction, for all the previous winners are inscribed thereon. Turning to individual performances, the greatest disparity was at back and forward, the middle lines being about equal in merit, Wolverhampton, if anything. having a slight advantage. In front Sheffield were streets ahead of their opponents, both in speed, combination, and, in fact, everything. Brash was as good as any ether, and is a very tricky little player who is not afraid of hurling his ten stones against an opponent weighing fourteen. Spiksley was also in capital form, and Davis proved a rare helpmate, the least teen being Bell and Brady. Petrie struck me as being the most prominent of the half-backs, for Crawshaw was by no means at his best, and made several mistakes which we have not been accustomed to from the International centre half. Brandon worked extremely hard. Perhaps the most prominent man on the field was Earp, the Wednesday captain, who tackled and kicked in admirable fashion, and marshalled his forces well. Langley was not so good, but he rendered capital service with his powerful kicks. Massey had comparatively little to do until the last 20 minutes, and then he was highly tried, but came out of the ordeal with flying colours, The Wolverhampton people were not seen at their best by a long way — of that I am certain. I expected them starting and playing all through pretty much after the manner they finished, but whether their object was to endeavour to show the 50,000 people how they could play scientific football, minus dash, I don't know; in any case it was a distinct failure. Tennant could not be blamed, and, indeed, may be said to have kept goal well, whilst the backs, although not at their best, did not shape badly. The halves were the most formidable part of the team, but I hardly thought they were as effective as usual. The forwards did little or nothing for an hour out of the hour and a half, but I didn't think they were well fed, for the half-backs generally gave a long kick. which was not followed up by the forwards. Black was the bright star amongst a lot of medium performers, and he put in some very good wook indeed. Harry Wood did his best to keep him going, but Beats is not an ideal centre forward: at least, not from a combination point of view. Tonks is fairly speedy at outside right, and Henderson occasionally did some clever things; but, take them all round, they were anything but in first-class form. It was an exciting, interesting final, quite up to the usual run, and the "Wolves" made it more so by the plucky and persistent manner in which they attempted to save the game at a time when everyone had given it up as lost. It was a redeeming feature in what otherwise would have been a disappointing exhibition.