I WANT FOOTBALL

1930

The Gunners first won the FA Cup in 1930 when they defeated Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. It was an especially poignant game as Arsenal's manager, Herbert Champan had been the architect of Town's great team of the 1920's which won three league championships in a row 1923-24, 24-25 and 25-26 (he left at the end of the 24-25 success). Under the great man's tutelage the team had also won the FA Cup Final in 1922 (the last one not to be played at Wembley until 2001) when they had beaten Preston North End at Stamford Bridge with a penalty by Billy Smith. The FA Cup is nothing without its traditions, and one started at the 1930 final. Because of Chapman's relationship with both the Gunners and Town, they took to the field side by side for the first time ever.

Another recently established FA Cup tradition saw both teams joining the competition in the 3rd round. Town saw off Bury after a replay and Arsenal prevailed over Chelsea with a 2-0 win at home. On into the fourth round, Huddersfield were too good for Sheffield United winning 2-1, whilst this time Arsenal were taken to a replay in defeating Birmingham City. In the 5th round, both teams progressed satisfactorily, Arsenal beating Middlesbro and Town defeating Bradford City. So to the sixth round, where The Gunners beat West Ham Utd three-nil and Huddersfield enjoyed a 2-1 win versus Aston Villa. Thus the competition had reached the semi-final stage. The Gunners were drawn against Hull City and in reaching the twin towers. The Chapman-less Huddersfield won its place in the final after beating Sheffield Wednesday at Old Trafford, Manchester.

In the final, played at the end of April, Arsenal were much too good for Huddersfield. The comfortable 2-0 win coming courtesy of goals from Alex James and Jack Lambert. Surprisingly, Arsenal's third all time top scorer Cliff Bastin (only Ian Wright and Thierry Henry have scored more) was not amongst the scorers! Bastin had been signed from Exeter City at the end of season 1928-29 by Herbert Chapman after he'd seen him standing head and shoulders above the rest of the players in a game between Exeter and Watford - he only played 17 times for Exeter, scoring 6 times. Overall, he amassed 178 goals in only 395 appearances for the Gunners - this from the left wing, and despite the presence of Ted Drake in the team. Bastin had won a league title, an FA Cup winners' medal and been capped by England before he was 19. In total, he registered 12 times in 21 appearances for England. As WW2 started when Bastin was only 27 years old, it is perhaps worth considering what he could have achieved had he been able. It is interesting to note that he was excused service in the army at the outbreak of war due to his being deaf and instead served as an ARP warden, actually stationed at top of Highbury stadium!