Captain George Utley leads Sheffield United out for the 1915 FA Cup final.

The 1915 FA Cup Final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War. The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The match was moved from its pre-war location of Crystal Palace in south London to Old Trafford in Manchester to avoid disruption to travel in and around London. The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large Sports centre and athletics track London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

The match is one of the few FA Cup Finals that has acquired a name; the Khaki Cup Final, owing to the large number of uniformed soldiers in attendance. However, the attendance of about 50,000 was lower than previous years as a result of wartime travel restriction and the mobilisation of large numbers of young men into the armed forces. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Road to the Final^[1]

Chelsea had the easiest start in the FA Cup competition, their first round match was with Swindon Town, a Southern Football League team, but they made heavy work of it requiring a replay to defeat them and conceding 3 goals during the two matches. Swindon Town Football Club is an English football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, who currently play in League One. History Professional football (and Professional sport in general developed more slowly in Southern England than in the north. Their Cup performance improved considerably, and after defeating Arsenal (then a Second Division side ) in the second round, they defeated several First Division sides who finished above them in the league table, including Everton who later went on to win the league that season. From 1892 until 1992 the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football. The Football League First Division was the highest division of The Football League between 1993 and 2004 and the highest division of English football overall between Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool.

Sheffield defeated Blackpool, a second division side, in the first round and then made steady progress until round 4 where they met Oldham Athletic, who finished above them in the First Division that season, and they required a replay to finally defeat them. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 and located in the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. Oldham Athletic Football Club (2004 Ltd, more commonly Oldham Athletic Football Club or informally Oldham Athletic, is an English football club Sheffield met Bolton Wanderers in the semi-final and Utley, the Sheffield Captain, scored a rare goal. George Utley (born on 16 May 1887 in Elsecar; died 8 January 1966 in Blackpool) was an English footballer who played

Pre-match build-up. Swindon Town Football Club is an English football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, who currently play in League One. Swindon Town Football Club is an English football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, who currently play in League One. TalkManchester City FC before changing verbs to singular --> Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English football club based in Newcastle upon Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English football club based in Newcastle upon Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. Villa Park is a football Stadium in the district of Aston, in Birmingham, England

The favourites to win the match were Sheffield United. They had combined a successful FA cup run with a strong league campaign where they finished 6th overall but only three points behind the League winners. Their defence was one of the best in the league but they had not managed to score many goals.

Chelsea were statistically the weaker side, whilst they had scored more goals than Sheffield in the league, their defence was poor and they had conceded many more and lay in the relegation zone. In many Sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions promotion and relegation They had however beaten several strong clubs away from home during the FA cup competition and the programme noted that the underdogs had won on six occasions in the previous ten years. ^[2] Chelsea also had injury problems: Bob Thomson, their leading goal scorer that season, had been injured in a league game at Bolton Wanderers ten days earlier and was doubtful. This is a record of all seasons played by Chelsea Football Club since their foundation in 1905 including their seasonal performances in all major Association Football Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football club based in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Vivian Woodward an amateur who played for Chelsea in peacetime, but was serving in the British Army, had been given leave to play in the final. Vivian John Woodward ( 3 June 1879 - 31 January 1954) was an English Amateur football player who enjoyed the The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. However he refused to play and deny Thompson his part in the final which he had played so hard to reach

Match programme

The official match programme was produced by Manchester United and is available on-line here. A special version was printed on silk for presentation to the players and officials. ^[3]

The programme showed that both teams played a 2-3-5 formation and the Chelsea teamsheet listed Vivian Woodward and Laurence Abrams in addition to those who played in the match. In Association football, the formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. Laurence Abrams (from Southport) was an English footballer who played both North and South of the border Neither played in the match.

Match summary

As the score line suggests the match was very much a one sided affair. Chelsea adopted a gentlemanly "Drawing Room" style of play with attacks made up of zig-zag passes. These were broken up by an alert and cooperative Sheffield defence. ^[4] The Sheffield forwards, with their superior tatics, pace and fitness had the run of the Chelsea half and only the excellent performance of Molyneux, in goal for Chelsea, saved them from further embarrassment. Contemporary reports^[5] singled out Brelsford, Simmons and Utley of Sheffield for their quality of their performances during the match and Logan who made some unsuccessful attacks for Chelsea during the second half.

The first goal was scored by Simmons just before half time. A ball in from the left hand side crossed over the Chelsea backs and Simmons, racing in from the right half, half-vollyed it into the top of the net. Some sources^[6] suggest that Molyneux should have stopped this goal but others^[7] state that he was let down by his defence in all three goals. Chelsea had their best chances just before half-time when they had two shots saved by Gough in the Sheffield goal.

At some point Chelsea woes were added to when Harry Ford on the right wing was injured. ^[8]

Play was muted at the start of the second half as a thick fog descended over the pitch, preventing spectators from seeing any action on the opposite side of the pitch, though The Times^[9] commented that they were not missing much. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. The final two goals were scored in the last ten minutes. A shot from Wally Masterman rebounded from the bar but Fazackerly headed it past the Chelsea keeper for Sheffields second. Directly after this goal Joe Kitchen picked the ball up just inside the Chelsea half and passed two defenders. Molyneaux emerged from the Chelsea goal but Kitchen dodged him and placed the ball in the open net. At this point, before the final whistle, large numbers of the spectators began to leave.

The crowd included many men in uniform but a much larger contingent who, the Manchester Guardian commented, should have been in uniform. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. A number of wounded soldiers, one missing an arm, watched the match from lower stand. ^[10]

The cup was awarded by the Earl of Derby whose speech, largely drowned out by a noisy crowd of young supporters, noted that all present needed to join together and play "a sterner game for England". Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby KG, GCB, GCVO, TD, PC (23 St ^[11]

The Irwell Old Prize band provided the half time entertainment, playing a selection of tunes from around the British Isles. The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan A collection was made during the match on behalf of the British Red Cross. The British Red Cross Society is a prominent part of the largest impartial Humanitarian organisation in the world – the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement ^[12]

Match details

1915-04-24 15:00 BST	Sheffield United	3 – 0	Chelsea	Old Trafford, Manchester Attendance: 49,557 Referee: H. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Western European Summer Time ( WEST) is a summer Daylight saving time scheme 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. H. Taylor
	Simmons Fazackerley Kitchen

SHEFFIELD UNITED: GK 1 Harold Gough FB 2 Billy Cook FB 3 Jack English HB 4 Albert Sturgess CH 5 Bill Brelsford HB 6 George Utley (c) OF 7 James Simmons IF 8 Stanley Fazackerley CF 9 Joseph Kitchen IF 10 Wally Masterman OF 11 Robert Evans Manager: John Nicholson

CHELSEA: GK 1 Jim Molyneux FB 2 Walter Bettridge FB 3 Jack Harrow (c) HB 4 Fred Taylor CH 5 Tommy Logan HB 6 Andy Walker OF 7 Harry Ford IF 8 Harold Halse CF 9 Bob Thomson IF 10 Jimmy Croal OF 11 Bob McNeil Manager: David Calderhead

MATCH RULES

• 90 minutes. James Simmons (born in Blackwell Bolsover) was an English footballer who played for Sheffield United. Stanley Fazackerley (born in Preston) was an English footballer who played for Accrington Stanley, Hull City and Sheffield United. Joseph Kitchen (born in Brigg, Lincolnshire) was an English footballer who played for Gainsborough Trinity and Sheffield United. Harold C (Harry Gough ( December 31, 1890 - 16 June 1970) was an English professional footballer Billy Cook (born in Usworth near Sunderland) was an English footballer who played for Hebburn Argyle, Sheffield United and Worksop Town. John 'Jack' English (born in Hebburn, 1886 was an English footballer and manager who played for Hebburn Argyle, Preston, Watford and Sheffield Albert Sturgess ( October 21, 1882, in Etruria Staffordshire, England – July 16, 1957) was a footballer who Bill Brelsford (born in Sheffield) was an English footballer who played for Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield United. George Utley (born on 16 May 1887 in Elsecar; died 8 January 1966 in Blackpool) was an English footballer who played James Simmons (born in Blackwell Bolsover) was an English footballer who played for Sheffield United. Stanley Fazackerley (born in Preston) was an English footballer who played for Accrington Stanley, Hull City and Sheffield United. Joseph Kitchen (born in Brigg, Lincolnshire) was an English footballer who played for Gainsborough Trinity and Sheffield United. Wally Masterman was an English footballer who played for Stockton on Tees, Gainsborough Trinity and Sheffield United. Robert (Bobby Ernest Evans ( 21 November 1885 &ndash 28 November 1965) was a professional footballer, who played as a left-winger Jim Molyneux (born in Port Sunlight) was an English footballer who played for Stockport County and Chelsea. Walter Bettridge (born in Oakthorpe) was an English footballer who played for Burton United and Chelsea. Jack "Harry" Harrow ( 8 October 1888 — 19 July 1958) was an English footballer who spent his entire Fred Taylor (from Rotherham) was an English footballer who played for Gainsborough Trinity and Chelsea. Tommy Logan (from Barrhead) was a Scottish footballer who played both North and South of the border Andy Walker, a footballer who played both North and South of the border Harry Ford (from Fulham) was an English footballer who played for Tunbridge Wells and Chelsea in England. Harold James Halse ( 1 January 1886 – 25 March 1949) was an English football forward, who played most Robert 'Bob' Thomson was an English footballer who played during the early 20th century mainly prior to World War I. Jimmy Croal (from Glasgow) was a Scottish footballer and Schoolmaster who played both North and South of the border Bob McNeil (from Springburn Glasgow) was a Scottish footballer who played both North and South of the border David Calderhead ( 19 June 1864, in Hurlford, &ndash 9 January 1938 in London) was a Scottish footballer
• 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
• Replay if scores still level.
• No substitutes

Aftermath

In the July after this match the football league put all players on amateur status and clubs were only allowed to pay expenses. An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit study or science without formal training or pay Attendances at matches collapsed and as fuel for transport became scarce the national league was abandoned and football teams played in regional leagues with whatever players they could find. ^[13] Chelsea often played with players from other sides who passed through London whilst on active service, including Stanley Fazackerley. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[14]

Sheffield held the FA Cup until it was contested again in 1920. The 1920 FA Cup Final, the first since the end of the First World War, was contested by Aston Villa and Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge. They reached the final and won the cup again in 1925. The 1925 FA Cup Final was contested by Sheffield United and Cardiff City at Wembley.

Chelsea did not reach the final again until 1967 and finally won it in 1970. The 1967 FA Cup Final took place at Wembley on 20 May 1967, between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. The first 1970 FA Cup Final took place on 11 April 1970 at Wembley Stadium and ended 2&ndash2

References

External links

• Match report at www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk
• FA Cup Final lineups