Early Finals

The first FA Cup final was played at the Oval, a famous cricket ground, in March 1872. Two thousand people watched the Wanderers beat and army team called the Royal Engineers 1-0.

The first recorded injury in football happened during the first Cup Final. Ten minutes after kick-off Lieutenant Cresswell, of the Royal Engineers, broke his collar bone.

There were no substitutes at that time and the brave soldier played on until the end of the game.

First Football Stars

The winning goal was scored by M. P. Betts. The final pass came from a priest called Rev. Vidal. Rev. Vidal was known as the ‘prince of the dribblers’. In one match he scored three goals from the kick-off without a single opponent touching the ball.

In the second FA Cup-Final Wanderers beat Oxford University 2-0. The second goal was scored by a Scot with a big red beard called Arthur Kinnaird.

Arthur - who later became Lord Kinnaird - was perhaps the first football star. He played in nine finals, and always wore long white trousers, a jumper and a cricket cap. He was famous until he died in 1930.

The Wanderers went on to win the FA Cup three times in succession, in 1876, 1877 and 1878. According to FA rules, this meant that they could keep the silver cup, but they handed it back. It was agreed that the cup would always be returned every year.

Arnold Kirke-Smith played in the first England v Scotland match in 1872. He also played for Oxford University in the FA Cup Final in 1873. He went on to become a vicar in the Church of England.