1940 Football League War Cup final

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1940 Football League War Cup final
Event1940 Football League War Cup
Date8 June 1940
Venue Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance42,300
1941

The 1940 Football League War Cup final was contested by West Ham United and Blackburn Rovers.

Contents

Route to the final

En route to the final West Ham played Chelsea, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City before a semi-final with Fulham which they won 4-3. [1]

Match

It was played on 8 June 1940 and kicked off at 6.30pm despite fears that London would be bombed by the Luftwaffe. [2] The wartime crowd included wounded members of the BEF recently evacuated from Dunkirk. West Ham won the tie 10; the only goal coming from Sam Small in the 34th minute when he followed up a parried shot from George Foreman. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Match details

West Ham United 1–0 Blackburn Rovers
Small Soccerball shade.svg34'
Wembley, London
Attendance: 42,300
1 Flag of England.svg Herman Conway
2 Flag of England.svg Charlie Bicknell
3 Flag of England.svg Charlie Walker
4 Flag of England.svg Ted Fenton
5 Flag of England.svg Dick Walker
6 Flag of England.svg Joe Cockroft
7 Flag of England.svg Sam Small
8 Flag of Scotland.svg Archie Macaulay
9 Flag of England.svg George Foreman
10 Flag of England.svg Len Goulden
11 Flag of England.svg Stan Foxall
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Charlie Paynter
1 Flag of England.svg James Barron
2 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Billy Hough
3 Flag of England.svg Walter Crook
4 Flag of England.svg Arnold Whiteside
5 Flag of Scotland.svg Bob Pryde
6 Flag of England.svg Frank Chivers
7 Flag of England.svg William Rodgers
8 Flag of England.svg Len Butt
9 Flag of England.svg John Weddle
10 Flag of England.svg Albert Clarke
11 Flag of England.svg Billy Guest
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Bob Crompton

Post match

The trophy was presented to the winning team by A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty. [6]

As the match was played during wartime, no reception was held for the winning team. Some players went to the Boleyn public house on Green Street for a few pints whilst others returned immediately to their service units. [7]

References

  1. "On This Day: West Ham United win the Football League War Cup | West Ham United F.C." www.whufc.com. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "1940 Football League War Cup Final: West Ham v Blackburn". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  3. "Cockney cheer in War Cup | Great Games Details | Great Games | Vintage Claret | West Ham United". Whufc.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  4. "Blackburn Rovers | Club | History | Through The Years | Through The Years | 1935 - 1944: Relegation and promotion". Rovers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  5. http://www.anyoldirons.me.uk/pdf/1900%20-%201960/09_06_40.pdf%5B‍%5D
  6. 1 2 "War Time Football - Cup Final". British Pathe. 13 June 1940. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  7. Blows, Kirk (2000). The Essential History of West Ham United. Swindon: Headline Book Publishing. p. 78. ISBN   0-7472-7036-8.