The FA Cup Miscellany by Michael Keane

Author:Michael Keane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing (Brighton) Ltd
Published: 2013-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

HOME AND AWAY

For the only time in its long history, the FA Cup was played as a two-legged competition in 1945/46. With the nation beginning to slowly emerge from the Second World War, regular league football was not yet at the pre-war levels so the simple idea of expanding the competition was hit upon. Apart from the semi-finals and final, all rounds were to be played both home and away. The first three rounds were held on consecutive Saturdays, while the later rounds were played on Saturdays and Wednesday afternoons, as stadiums had no floodlights in those days. In the austere climate of post-war Britain, with resources rationed and lives waiting to be rebuilt, sport, and particularly football, was a very welcome diversion for millions. As the nation’s appetite for normality in all walks of life returned, crowds were huge, with several gates topping 70,000. While football’s post-war boom was about to take off, there were practical drawbacks with having two-legged ties. On a sporting note, in many cases, a decisive first leg result rendered the second leg redundant, while there was always the possibility that the eventual winners may have lost several matches on their way to securing the trophy. On an economic note, the huge attendances, particularly on Wednesday afternoons, were a major headache for employers who could find themselves minus many employees. As the proper league re-emerged for 1946/47, the FA Cup reverted back to its original, one match, knockout format so Derby’s two-legged triumphs remain an anomaly in the competition’s history.

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