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1883 FA Cup final

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1883 FA Cup final
Blackburn Olympic, winners
Event1882–83 FA Cup
After extra time
Date31 March 1883
VenueKennington Oval, London
RefereeCharles Crump
Attendance8,000
1882
1884

The 1883 FA Cup final was contested by Blackburn Olympic and Old Etonians at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn Olympic won 2–1 after extra time. James Costley and Arthur Matthews scored for Blackburn; Harry Goodhart for Old Etonians. It was a watershed match for the sport, as for the first time in an FA Cup final a working-class team playing the 'combination game' (passing) were triumphant over a team playing the public school tactics of 'rushing' and 'scrimmages'.[1]

Overview

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Blackburn Olympic, coached by former England player, Jack Hunter, had previously eliminated Lower Darwen, Darwen Ramblers and Druids, reaching the final after a 4–0 over Old Carthusians in the semi-final. On the other hand, Old Etonians earned to play their third consecutive final, although they were not the favourites to win the match.[2]

The following is the chronicle of the match, as it appeared on The Morning Post:

The deciding trial in the competition came off at Kennington-Oval on Saturday. The attendance was very large. In the first half the Old Etonians scored a goal, kicked by Goodhart, but matters were balanced when Massie [sic] got the leather through. At the call of time the score stood at a goal each, and then the extra half-hour was entered upon. A very exciting struggle followed, and at about 15 minutes from the call of time Costley headed the ball through, and no further score being made, Blackburn were winners by two goals to one. The Cup was presented by Major Marindin, and Mr. Coddington, MP for Blackburn, acknowledged the compliment on behalf of the winners. The Etonians suffered a severe loss through Dunn getting damaged during the first half, but, by way of a set-off, the Blackburn team had three of their men crippled. It was a grandly-contested trial, and the Blackburn men won by fast play and good condition.[3]

— The Morning Post (London), 2 April 1883

A key factor in the Olympians' victory was a tactical innovation. It played a 2-3-5 formation, rather than the familiar 2-2-6 of the Etonians, "which certainly strengthened the defence without essentially weakening the attack."[4]

Match details

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Blackburn Olympic2–1 (a.e.t.)Old Etonians
Matthews
107' Costley
Report Goodhart
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Charles Crump
Blackburn Olympic
Old Etonians
GK England Thomas Hacking
DF England James Ward
DF England Albert Warburton
MF England Thomas Gibson
MF England William Astley
MF England Jack Hunter
FW England Thomas Dewhurst
FW England Alfred Matthews
FW England George Wilson
FW England James Costley
FW England John Yates
GK England John Rawlinson
DF England Thomas French
DF England Percy de Paravicini
MF Scotland Arthur Kinnaird
MF England Charles Foley
FW England Arthur Dunn
FW England Herbert Bainbridge
FW England John Barrington Chevallier
FW England William Anderson
FW England Harry Goodhart
FW England Reginald Macaulay

References

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  1. ^ What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories!. Witan Books. 2011. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-9529152-8-7.
  2. ^ "FA Cup Final 1883 - Match Report". FA Cup History. Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Blackburn Olympic v Old Etonians 2-1 (English FA Cup Final: March 31, 1883)". Morning Post. 31 March 1883 – via Play Up Liverpool.
  4. ^ "Memorable association matches". Cricket and Football Field: 2. 13 May 1893.
  • The Early Years of the FA Cup: How the British Army Helped Establish the World's First Football Tournament: p. 164 Author: James W Bancroft