Newcastle Cup Final Squad 1951
Cup Final Portraits (from Evening Chronicle Souvenir)
Cup Final Team
Jackie Milburn would later state that "for skill as well as spirit the '51 team was the best I've played with or watched"
It was a very settled side with eight players appearing in every match and the side remaining unchanged from the 5th Round onwards.
[Cup games - Cup goals] are shown in the square brackets.
Jack Fairbrother [8 - 0]
His crazy-gang antics in the Buxton build-up helped keep spirits up and in the Final - despite having relatively little to do - his unflustered demeanour helped calm the nerves. The FA tried to prevent him from wearing his cloth cap in the Final as they deemed it too "working class". They wanted him to wear a baseball cap instead but he refused.
Bobby Cowell [8 - 0]
One of the most improved players of the season. Cowell snuffed out one of Wolves' major threats - Hancocks - in the semi and performed just as effectively at Wembley. He tackled with perfect strength and timing and completely blotted out the threat of Perry. Also responsible for brilliantly clearing a Mortensen header off the line in the First Half
Bobby Corbett [7 - 0]
Reserve left-back Corbett got his chance when Alf McMichael broke his wrist while training on the SJP car park. He didn't let any one down and was not overrawed with the prospect of facing the mercurial Matthews on the wide open Wembley pitch.
Frank Brennan [6 - 0]
His absence through tonsilitis at the beginning of the Cup run could have cost United their Wembley place, with deputy McNeill filling the gap in size but not in class. Came out second best against some lead piping at Bristol; brilliantly snubbed out the threat of Stan Mortenson in the Final.
Charlie Crowe [7 - 1]
Charlie was reknowned for his tremendous stamina and crunching tackles and even popped up with a goal at Eastville. He was in n fantastic form throughout the Cup Run he was an able lieutenant to Captain Harvey.
In the Final he doubled up with Corbett to deny Matthews the time and space he needed. The Journal reported that he was "a colossal nuisance to everything in Tangerine" and in Jackie Milburn's eyes he was man of the match.
Joe Harvey [8 -0]
Harvey's redoubtable leadership skills came to the fore throughout the road to Wembley. In the Final he had a relatively easy time of it up against the struggling Slater, but still gave a Trojan performance.
Tommy Walker [8 - 1]
Cramlington born Walker had a frustrating game as he was caught offside on numerous occasions; helped create the second goal.
Ernie Taylor [8 - 2]
Ernie Taylor had an excellent season that year. A brilliant schemer, it was he who provided the main link between defence and attack. Performed consistently through the Cup run, but with 'Pool compressing the play found it difficult to find space at Wembley. It was his backheel that set Milburn up for his second.
Jackie Milburn [8 - 8]
Jackie performed brilliantly during the Cup Run; scoring in every Round. His hardest opponent proved to be Bristol Rovers' captain Lampden. In each game along the way it was his speed, endeavour and finishing power that proved the telling factor. Two brilliant goals at Wembley simply underlined all that had gone before.
George Robledo [8 - 3]
Chilean Robledo was a forceful foil to Milburn's thrust. Not a spectacular Final performance but he grafted away purposefully all game
Bobby Mitchell [8 - 3]
Mitchell was a master of ball control who could mesmerise defences with his mazy dribblling. he also had an excellent goalscoring record for a winger and notched three goals in the run-up to Wembley including the decisive goal that beat Wolves in the semis.
They also played
Alf McMichael [1 - 0]
Played in the Bury burial but broke his wrist soon after when he fell over during carpark training.
Matty McNeill [2 - ]
Deputised for Brennan during the first two matches and was given a torrid time by Nat Lofthouse in the match against Bolton.