FA Cup Final | 10 Apr 1897 Crystal Palace
Attendance: 65,891
Aston Villa
3 - 2
Everton
Campbell, Wheldon, Crabtree
Bell, Boyle

Aston Villa lineup

  • Whitehouse
  • Spencer
  • Evans
  • Reynolds
  • James Cowan
  • Crabtree
  • Athersmith
  • Devey
  • Campbell
  • Wheldon
  • John Cowan

Everton lineup

  • Menham
  • Meecham
  • Storrier
  • Boyle
  • Holt
  • Stewart
  • Taylor
  • Bell
  • Hartley
  • Chadwick
  • Milward

One of the first great FA Cup Finals, this was an epic battle between two of Victorian football’s finest powers. It was, recalled William Gibson and Alfred Pickford, ‘a remarkable match – many good judges think it was the best game the final ever furnished’. Villa took the lead on 18 minutes, but five minutes later John Bell – the game’s outstanding presence – equalised. On 28 minutes Boyle put Everton in front, but it was short-lived and by half-time Villa had not just equalised, but gone 3-2 up. The Midlanders were a formidable force – they had just won the First Division title by a margin of 11 points – and held out in the second half to claim the double.

Mentioned in:

Season: