100th Anniversary of Sheffield United’s FA Cup Final Win Over Cardiff | OneFootball

It is fitting that this evening’s FA Cup Third Round tie against Cardiff City at Bramall Lane takes place in the year 2025. As this year marks a century since Sheffield United last won the trophy against Cardiff at (the Old) Wembley Stadium. Whilst, I can’t claim to remember the game myself, nor can anyone whose name isn’t written in a Guinness World Record book, I’ll try my best to recap one of the greatest days in Blades’ history.

The Cup Run

If 100 years feels like a long time since United won the World’s oldest football competition that’s because it is. At the start of the Blades’ 1925 FA Cup run, the lucky Blades of the early 20th century had seen the club lift the trophy just a decade earlier in 1915. An equally historic win in the last FA Cup final before the competition’s suspension for WWI.

Blades’ First Round vs. Corinthian

The Blades swept aside amateur side Corinthian 5-0 at Bramall Lane. The Blades’ striker Harry Johnson scored four of the Blades’ five goals. The other goal, scored in front of a crowd of 38,167 attendees, came from Blades winger Tommy Boyle

Blades’ Second Round vs. The Wednesday

In a time before they openly admitted that they were from Sheffield in their name. ‘The Wednesday’ came for a Steel City Derby in the second round. The match on 31 January 1925 was played despite constant rainfall overnight and into the morning. The Times reporting on the game commented that the rain had “let off for half an hour” before kick-off.

Despite, the rainfall threatening to create the first ever FA Cup tie decided by Water Polo, 40,256 fans turned up to Bramall Lane to watch the derby.

The final result saw Sheffield United beat The Wednesday 3-2. The Blades had to fight back to win after The Wednesday’s Jimmy Trotter scored a brace within the first nine minutes of the game. Trotter’s goals would be the only goals conceded by the Blades on their 1925 FA Cup run.

Tommy Sampy and George Green had got the Blades level by the 20th minute. Before Sampy would complete his own brace by scoring a minute after the restart. His goal allowing the Blades to down ‘The Wednesday’ and move on.

Blades’ Third Round vs. Everton

The Blades were drawn again at Bramall Lane to face Everton. The game itself broke the, at the time, Bramall Lane attendance record with 51,745 fans showing up for the match.

Blades forward, Fred Tunstall, who scored 129 goals in 437 games for United, scored the winner as the Blades beat the Toffees 1-0.

Blades’ Fourth Round vs. West Bromwich Albion

Unbelievably in the final game before a neutral venue, the Blades made it four out of four FA Cup game at home. This no doubt helped the club to reach the final.

The game again saw a new Bramall Lane attendance record with 57,197 fans seeing United beat West Brom 2-0.

The goals came from first-round hero, Harry Johnson and third-round goal-scorer Fred Tunstall.

Blades’ Semi-Final vs. Southampton at Stamford Bridge

The semi-final against Southampton on 28 March 1925 was United’s seventh FA Cup semi-final and 100th total FA Cup tie in the club’s history. The game was attended by almost 70,000 fans from both Sheffield United and Southampton.

The first goal came through a Southampton own goal giving the Blades the lead just before half-time. Southampton would get a chance to level with a second-half penalty. But, the Saint’s Tom Parker saw his penalty saved by Blades’ keeper, Charlie Sutcliffe.

Before, the ever-reliable, Fred Tunstall gave the Blades a second allowing United to win 2-0 and move on to the final.

The Final

The Managers

Sheffield United went into the FA Cup final managed by John Nicholson. Nicholson had been the Blades’ Club Secretary since 1899 and had performed all the usual duties of a modern day manager since then. By the time of the 1925 Final, Nicholson was 26 years into the job and had won four FA Cups for the club already. As well as reaching two other finals in 1901 and 1936.

In total, Nicholson managed 1216 games as Blades manager before his death in 1932. He had a win percentage of 39.97% and oversaw what remains the club’s most successful period.

Cardiff City’s manager Fred Stewart was also a long serving manager. Taking over in 1911, Stewart remained as manager until 1933. Stewart improved Cardiff’s stature within the game winning promotion from Division Two in 1921 and finishing second in Division One in 1924. He also won the five Welsh Cup for the Bluebirds between 1922 and 1930.

Despite his sides defeat in the 1925 final, Stewart would later win the FA Cup for Cardiff City in 1927. To this day, Stewart remains the longest-serving manager in the Welsh side’s history.

The Teams

Sheffield United’s XI *(How long each player played for Sheffield United)

GK: Charles Sutcliffe (1924-1927)

OUTFIELDERS FROM DEFENCE TO FORWARDS: Billy Cook (1912-1927), Ernest Milton (1917-1927), Harry Pantling (1914-1926), Seth King (1920-1929), George Green (1923-1934), David Mercer (1920-1928), Tommy Boyle (1921-1929), Harry Johnson (1916-1931), Billy Gillespie (captain) (1912-1933), and Fred Tunstall.

Interestingly, five of the Blades’ side were born in South Yorkshire. Whilst, Johnson, Boyle, King, and Pantling were all born in Sheffield and it’s surrounding areas.

Cardiff City’s XI

GK: Tom Farquharson

OUTFIELDERS FROM DEFENCE TO FORWARDS: Jimmy Nelson, Jimmy Blair, Harry Wake, Fred Keenor (captain), Billy Hardy, Willie Davies, Jimmy Gill, Joe Nicholson, Harry Beadles, and Jack Evans.

The Winning Goal

Sheffield United won the final 1-0. The winning goal came when a pass from Billy Gillespie was intercepted by Cardiff’s Harry Wake on the edge of his own penalty area. Wake was slow to clear the ball and Fred Tunstall won the ball off him. Tunstall then ran through to face Farquharson in goal before scoring to get the Blades a winner on the half-hour mark.

Post-Match Celebrations

At the full-time whistle some of the United fans, that made up the total attendance of 91,763, stormed the Wembley pitch. Some of the fans were seen carrying the goal-scorer, Fred Tunstall, on their shoulders.

After these initial celebrations, Blades captain, Billy Gillespie collected the trophy from the Duke and Duchess of York as he and his teammates were given their medals by the royal couple. Gillespie was reportedly quoted as saying “I’m the happiest man in Britain.”

Three days later, the Blades players were greeted in Sheffield by crowds of supporters. The players displayed the FA Cup trophy from the Town Hall’s balcony just as recent players have done upon gaining promotion.

Takeaways

Sheffield United’s FA Cup win in 1925 is important for many reasons as we reach 100 years since it happened in April. Not only because of the coincidence of this evening’s opponents being the opponents faced in the 1925 final. But also because it is the last major trophy won by the club.

With new owners and a club that has reached the FA Cup semi-finals once a decade for the last three. Perhaps, the century-long wait may not be too many years away from ending. Let’s face it, we are more likely to win an FA Cup final than a playoff one.