CITY 2 PORTSMOUTH 1
FA Cup Final
played at Wembley
28th April 1934
Attendance 93,258
Scorers
City Tilson 2
Portsmouth Rutherford
City Swift, Barnett, Dale, Busby, Cowan, Bray, Toseland, Marshall, Tilson, Herd, Brook
Portsmouth Gilfillan, Mackie, W Smith, Nichol, Allen, Thackeray, Worrall, J Smith, Weddle, Easson, Rutherford
THE PLAYERS ARE PRESENTED TO KING GEORGE V
…City had broken a few records on their way to Wembley, including the highest score in a semi-final (6-1 against Aston Villa), and the record attendance at Hillsborough and the highest at Maine Road – watch out for more on that next season – and were clearly a very popular side. Portsmouth were also enjoying one of their better spells and had defeated Leicester 4-1 in their semi-final. They had also produced a satisfying 4-1 victory over Manchester United in the third round.
Jack Tinn, Portsmouth’s shrewd manager, was determined to ensure his players were in the right frame of mind for the final and brought in one of the nation’s leading comedians, Bud Flanagan, to lessen the tension. In the City dressing room, however, one or two players were a little tense. In particular 19 year old goalkeeper Frank Swift who had made his debut four months earlier and had stood on the terraces as a fan watching City’s defeat by Everton in the previous year’s final..
Sadly, in the 27th minute the Flanagan-inspired Portsmouth took the lead through Sep Rutherford. Swift blamed himself and at half time sat in the dressing room disconsolate. Yorkshireman Fred Tilson went over to Swift and said “Tha doesn’t need to worry. I’ll plonk two in the next half!”
Tilson was true to his word, although he did leave it late. His first goal came in the 74th minute while his second came in the final five minutes when the match was finely balanced. As the final whistle blew to signal City’s victory Swift fainted. The tension of the day had been too much for him. Captain Sam Cowan helped the teenager recover and then led him towards the steps for the presentation by King George V – 14 years earlier the King had become the first reigning monarch to attend a provincial League ground when he came to Hyde Road to see the Blues defeat Liverpool…
EXTRACT FROM AN ARTICLE BY GARY JAMES IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 21ST APRIL 2002
KING GEORGE V PRESENTS SAM COWAN WITH THE CUP