1953 FA Cup Final

The 1953 FA Cup Final, also known as the Matthews Final, was the eighth to be held at Wembley Stadium after the Second World War. The football match was contested between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, with Blackpool winning 4-3. The match became famous for the performance of Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews, after whom it was nicknamed. It remains the only Wembley FA Cup Final to feature a hat-trick, scored by Blackpool's Stan Mortensen. (Prior to the Wembley era, William Townley in 1890 and James Logan in 1894 achieved the same feat for Blackburn Rovers and Notts County respectively.) Blackpool were making their third FA Cup appearance in six years having been losing finalists twice, in 1948 and 1951.

It was the first football match attended by the reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, who would be crowned Queen at her coronation a month later. In February 2010 the boots worn by Matthews in the match were auctioned at Bonhams in Chester for £38,400, to an undisclosed buyer.

Match summary

Matthews inspired his team to come from 3–1 down against Bolton Wanderers, to win 4–3, and on a personal note, he claimed the trophy that had eluded him in two previous finals. Despite the final being more famous for the heroics of Matthews, Stan Mortensen scored three goals for Blackpool on the day, becoming the only player ever to have scored an FA Cup Final hat-trick at the original Wembley Stadium. Bill Perry scored the...
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