1937-05-01 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 1, 1937.

F.A. CUP FINAL AT WEMBLEY TO-DAY

SUNDERLAND AND PRESTON CLASH FOR HONOURS

THE

KING AND QUEEN TO ATTEND FOR THE FIRST TIME

HE EAGERLY AWAITED CLASH BETWEEN SUNDERLAND LAST YEAR'S LEAGUE CHAMPIONS AND PRESTON NORTH END AT THE WEMBLEY STADIUM, HERE, TO-DAY, WILL BE THE SIXTY- FIRST FINAL FOR THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHALLENGE CUP. THE VAST ARENA CRAMMED TO CAPACITY WITH 93,000 LEATHER-THROATED "FANS" FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUN- TRY, THE MASSED BANDS MARCHING BACK AND FORTH, THE WHITE GOALPOSTS PICKED OUT STARK AND CLEAR ON THE FIELD OF BRILLIANT GREEN, AND THE THUNDEROUS ROAR OF WELCOME AS THE TEAMS RUN OUT FROM THE DRESSING ROOMS, SUCH IS THE CLIMAX TO THE ENGLISH SOCCER SEASON.

KING,

THE PLEASURE OF THE 93,000 FANS IS MADE COMPLETE WHEN THEIR GEORGE VI, WHO CELEBRATES HIS CORONATION ON MAY 12, IS PRESENT IN THE ROYAL BOX. THE WRITER WILL NOT FORGET A REMARKABLE SPONTANEOUS ILLUS- TRÂTION OF LOYALTY AND AFFECTION THAT OCCURRED AT THE FINAL A FEW SEASONS AGO, WHEN HIS LATE MAJESTY KING GEORGE V WAS EXPECTED ON THAT OCCASION TO MAKE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AT ANY NATIONAL SPORTING EVENT SINCE AN ENFORCED WITHDRAWAL FROM PUBLIC LIFE, AND DISAPPOINTMENT WAS CREATED BY THE NEWS THAT HE WOULD NOT, AFTER ALL, BE ABLE TO SPEND THIS AFTERNOON WITH HIS PEOPLE, SHARING ONE OF THEIR CHIEF AMUSEMENTS. The genuineness of the crowd's regret could be gauged from the scene occasioned by the later announcement made in the middle of a particularly whole-hearted burst of community singing, prior to the kick-off that he was then on his way to the Stadium from Windsor Castle. Before resuming the song at the point where it was broken off, each member of this vast open-air choir or so it seemed raised his or her programme at arm's length as if in greeting to the approaching sovereign, and the sea of faces was lost to view in a snow-white flutter of paper.

The FA Cup, above, will be fought for to-day when Sunder- land meets Preston North End at the world: famous Wembley Stadium.

by three clear goals. In their last appearance in the Final, in the 1921-22 season, they lost to the Huddersfield by a solitary goal.

CONFIDENT OF WIN Sunderland are confident of win- ning the trophy for the first time in their history, but Preston are clever and workmanlike, and have a match-winning centre-forward in Frank O'Donnell, their new Scottish

in every round of the Cup so far. International. O'Donnell has scored

Both clubs have unaccountably

It is a big moment in the game, losing side. And all the time he, this famous trophy, while they have when the King shakes hands

smiles. As one perky little only appeared once in the final in with the players, the referee and don't arf enjoy isself."

Cockney was heard to observe, the year before the war when they refused to agree to the Fooball As- the linesmen, lined up before the

lost to Aston Villa by the only goal sociation's suggestion that the play- start, and a bigger one perhaps

The King and Queen in the Royal of the match.

ers shirts be numbered. when, at the conclusion, he pre-

Box, which will be decorated with Preston North End, on the other sents the gleaming cup to the 1,400 red roses, will head the huge hand, have appeared in Final the

FROM THE CUP CAMPS Holdcroft, Preston North captain of the winning side and Cup Final crowd.

End's Cup on three previous occasions, international goalkeeper, smiles away the scruples of the

had hio 22 tired stars, who feel that they

their first being in the 1887-88 sea-injured finger examined recently and · son when they lost to West. Brom-is a doubtful starter, while Sunder- ought to keep their muddy hands This year's Cup final is all the wich Albion by the from his grasp. The King con- more interesting in view of the three, and again in the following in place of the injured McNab.

odd goal in land will play Hastings, at left half, gratulates the victors and has a fact that Sunderland, last season's year when they recorded their first few words of consolation for the League champions, have never won success by beating Wolverhampton (being solved their team picked it- Sunderland's left-half problem

NEVER WON CUP

Some inkling of the magnitude of the F.A. Cup crowd at. Wembley Stadium, can be gauged from the above photograph, which was taken on the West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday.

occasion of the 1935-36 Cup final between

self. They are more fortunate in their early selection than their three rivals. Here is their probable team: M'apson; Gorman, Hall; Thomson, Johnston, Hastings; Duns, Carter, Gurney, Gallacher, Burbanks.

Preston will not be greatly put out even if Holdcroft cannot play. They have, in Burns, a splendid de- puty goalkeeper. As foreshadowed, Lowe cannot play and Beattie comes in at left-back.

FIRST WEMBLEY GAME The football authorities made the final an all-ticket affair because, when the Wembley Stadium was first opened, they had the shock of their lives. That, was in 1923. So persuasive had been the British Em- pire Exhibition publicity service, so effective were the transport organ- isers, and so sunny was the day that, instead of the estimated 125,- 000 enthusiasts, a crowd of exceed- ing a quarter of a million made its way to the lofty suburban hilltop where the Empire Stadium rears its. bulk against the sky. Basing their remarks upon the experience of pre- vious cup-ties, the football authori- ties had said, “No need to stay away for fear of lack of room-chance. for all to see the game." And the public took them at their word.

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