1895 FA Cup final

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The 1895 FA Cup final was contested by Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace. Aston Villa won 1–0, with Bob Chatt being credited with scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history, scored after just 30 seconds. This record would stand for 114 years before being broken by Louis Saha of Everton in the 2009 FA Cup Final with a goal after 25 seconds.

1895 FA Cup final
Match programme
Event1894–95 FA Cup
Date20 April 1895
VenueCrystal Palace, London
RefereeJohn Lewis
Attendance42,560
1894
1896

Summary

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Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion became the first pair of clubs to meet in the FA Cup Final for a third time: the teams had previously met in the 1887 final, won by Villa, and the 1892 final, won by the Albion.[1] The final was played for the first time at Crystal Palace, which was to host the finals for the next twenty years. The weather for the final was described as "a beautiful spring day",[2] and consequently the crowd and press were still coming into the ground when the game kicked off.

 
Aston Villa players posing with the trophy

From the kick-off, John Devey, the Villa centre-forward, swung the ball out to his inside-left, Dennis Hodgetts. Hodgetts' long cross-pass found Charlie Athersmith on the right, and his centre fell to Bob Chatt who sent the ball goalwards on a half volley. Albion's keeper Joe Reader was only able to get his fingers to the shot, and turned the ball across the goal mouth and, after a goalmouth scramble involving Devey and Albion defender Jack Horton, the ball was turned in to the net.[3]

There are no accurate timings for the goal and different reports time it at between 30 and 39 seconds. At the time, many of the crowd and press missed the goal as they were still taking their seats, and the press reports indicated that Chatt had scored. According to Ward & Griffin in their "Essential History of Aston Villa" however, "after the game, the Villa players confirmed that John Devey had netted after Chatt's shot had been blocked straight into the latter's path and had ricocheted off his knee."[4] Despite this claim, The Football Association still credit the goal to Chatt as having been scored on thirty seconds.[5]

The fastest accurately timed goal was Louis Saha's effort for Everton after 25 seconds in the 2009 final.[6]

Despite pressure from the Albion forwards, especially the outstanding Billy Bassett, Villa were able to hold on to their lead until half-time. In the second half, neither side was able to add to the score and Villa held on to win the cup for the second time.

Match details

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Aston Villa1–0West Bromwich Albion
Chatt   1'
Crystal Palace, London
Attendance: 42,560
Referee: John Lewis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aston Villa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
W.B. Albion[7]
GK   Tom Wilkes
DF   Howard Spencer
DF   Jimmy Welford
MF   Jack Reynolds
MF   James Cowan
MF   George Russell
FW   Charlie Athersmith
FW   Bob Chatt
FW   John Devey (c)
FR   Dennis Hodgetts
FL   Stephen Smith
Manager:
  George Ramsay
GK   Joe Reader
DF   Billy Williams
DF   Jack Horton
MD   Tom Perry
MD   Tom Higgins
MD   Jack Taggart
FW   Billy Bassett
FW   Roddy McLeod
FW   Billy Richards
FR   Tom Hutchinson
FL   Jack Banks
Manager:
  Edward Stephenson

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ross, James M. (6 August 2020). "England FA Challenge Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. ^ Philips Gibbons (2001). Association Football in Victorian England – A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900. Upfront Publishing. p. 268. ISBN 978-1-84426-035-5.
  3. ^ "1895 FA Cup Final". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  4. ^ Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy (30 September 2002). The Essential History of Aston Villa. Headline book publishing. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7553-1140-8.
  5. ^ "FA Cup Trivia". thefa.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  6. ^ "2009 FA Cup Final". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  7. ^ FA Cup Final kits, 1890–1899
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