In 1975 it was West Ham United v Fulham. West Ham were also there in 1980 (they were the last winners outside the top division in that year) and quite recently as 2006 when they lost on penalties to Liverpool, despite having not been behind during the entire game.
So if you want to add West Ham to this list of regulars then it is 1973 for Leeds United v Sunderland. Leeds at the time were competing in another F.A.Cup Final for them, as they were there in 1965,1970 and 1972. So if we drop Leeds off the list then we go back to 1969- Leicester City v Manchester City. That was the last time that Manchester City won it, being beaten finalists to Tottenham Hotspur after a replay in what was back then the much promoted and publicised 100th F.A Cup Final of 1981.
Stoke City are playing in their 1st F.A. Cup Final ever, despite being around since the 1860's. So they are the first team since Millwall in 2004 to play in their first ever F.A. Cup Final. They will be hoping to be the first club since Wimbledon in 1988 (the old Wimbledon that is- prior to them evolving into the Milton Keynes Dons)to win it for the first time. Wimbledon was also the most recent club to win in their first appearance in a final. They took that record from Coventry City who did exactly what Wimbledon did the year before in 1987- winning their first ever F.A Cup Final in their first ever F.A.Cup Final appearance.
With Stoke City playing in a final- I would assume that Norwich City must now be the biggest club in England not to have played in an F.A. Cup Final. They made the semi finals in 1959, 1989 and 1992 but with no victory. I can remember the last two- 1989 was against Everton, it was the other semi final that day to the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest one at Hillsborough. We all know what tragedy occured that day in Sheffield. As for 1992 that was also at Hillsborough- just 3 years after the disaster- they lost that to a Sunderland team who were then in the 2nd division (the old style 2nd division)
Stoke City were one minute away from playing in the 1971 F.A. Cup Final. Their opponents were Arsenal got a penalty in the last seconds which was converted to make the final score 2-2. If Peter Storey's kick had of been saved by the great Gordon Banks then Stoke would have won the game 2-1 and they would have been playing Liverpool in the 1971 F.A. Cup Final instead of Arsenal. So the game went to a replay and Arsenal won that game- then they beat Liverpool in the final to claim the famous double- the League Championship and the F.A.Cup Final. That was 40 years ago when the 'famous double' was quite a rare achievement. Chelsea did it last season- Arsenal and Manchester United have done it a few times- Liverpool ditto for 1986. The 1986 double was the first since 1971 and combined with Tottenham Hotspurs double of 1961, that 1986 'famous double' it was only the third time it had been done in the 20th century.
So with Manchester City- some omens for them are that there two previous wins were against other teams that have 'City' in their names -
1969 Leicester City- Leicester were aiming to win it for their 1st time- they didn't and still have NOT won OR played in an F.A. Cup Final since 1969
1956 Birmingham City- Birmingham were aiming to win if for their 1st time- they didn't and still have NOT won OR played in an F.A Cup Final since 1956
2011 Stoke City- Stoke ARE aiming to win it for their 1st time- IF THEY DON'T they will have to wait for next time like the above two- but that is obvious of course.
Hope it is a great game- for me this year is what the F.A.Cup Final is OR what we hope it should be about. It is disappointing how it has in recent years become a bit of a ' second hand alternative prize' for those 'big clubs' who may have missed the title or a champions league win/final/spot. Manchester City though are a 'big' club (like Footscray were
) they have just been out of the big time for so long now that they have slipped back. Perhaps they will return to the top of the tree. Either way I will be content. I would like to see Manchester City win their first major prize since the 1976 League Cup Final and also their first F.A.Cup Final since 1969, yet I still want to see another team win their first ever F.A. Cup Final as Stoke City may do. since Wimbledon did this in 1988.
Should be a good night- or early morning here in front of the television.
