On the 3rd of May 1958,Bolton Wanderers played Manchester United in an emotionally charged atmosphere at Wembley with a crowd of almost 100,000. Months earlier Manchester United were involved in the Munich Air disaster which meant they could field only four of their players who were involved in the accident. After the accident Jimmy Murphy took over the reigns at Old Trafford as Sir Matt Busby was recovering in the hospital. Largely with a reserve team they made it to the final at Wembley beating Fulham 5-3 in the Semi Final replay. And their run to the final saw them capture the hearts of the nation and almost everyone was rooting for them to win. There was strong public sympathy for a team which lost 8 of its players in the crash. But the final didn’t go to script as Nat Lofthouse inspired Bolton to a fourth FA Cup win,scoring both the goals. The second goal was a highly controversial one as Harry Greg was bundled over the line by Lofthouse. This resulted in a great public debate after the game and was one of the incidents which led to a stricter policy where,no contact with the opposing goalkeeper is allowed.
Latest Posts
Football History
The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and it’s impact on Football
Not in Kansas AnymoreA century ago, amidst the poultry and pig farms in a small corner of Kansas, a local doctor became inundated...
Football Books
The Best Football Books of 2020
The False 9 - 0
It's been another eventful year in the world of football. As we look forward to 2021, we have compiled a list of the best...
Liverpool
Big Sam’s tactics against Liverpool show the template to stifle Klopp’s side
Josh Jaswal - 0
Two complete opposites came up in the congested Christmas fixture list, as Liverpool in great form sitting at the top of the table look...
Featured
The Meteoric Rise of RB Leipzig: From Tier Five Football to the Champions League
The best football clubs in the world usually have a storied history, years of success, and generations of fans. However, one of the best...
Manchester United
4 players Man United can target in January transfer window to challenge for the title
Manchester United after an up and down start to the season find themselves 5 points behind Liverpool with a game in hand. After being...
Spurs
The Return of Strike Partnerships in the Premier League? Part 1
No matter the make-up, the notion of a strike partnership – two out-and-out attackers, often with very different strengths and calling cards, working seamlessly...
Manchester United
Man United expected lineup, tactics against City: Solskajer to go back to 4-3-3 formation
Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are under tremendous pressure after their disastrous performance against RB Leipzig which saw them drop out of Champions...
Football Books
Football Books
The Best Football Books of 2020
The False 9 - 0
It's been another eventful year in the world of football. As we look forward to 2021, we have compiled a list of the best...
Football Books
Foul- The Beautiful Game, An Ugly Truth [Book Excerpt]
The False 9 - 0
The clip-clop of football boot studs on concrete echoed through the tunnel over the hum of distant crowd noise. A drenched team of players...
Football Books
Best Football Analytics Books
We have compiled a list of the best football analytics books for the casual football fan. Football analytics and data science/machine learning in general...
Football Books
The Best Football Books of 2019
It's been another eventful year in the world of football. As we look forward to 2020, we have compiled a list of the best...
Football Books
The Best Football Books of 2018
It's been another eventful year in the world of football. As we look forward to 2019, we have compiled a list of the best...
Related
Coaching
Pep Guardiola explains how to receive the ball [Video]
Many consider Pep Guardiola to be one of the greatest football coaches of the modern game. His Barcelona team between 2009 and 2011 certainly...
Barcelona
Jose Mourinho explains how he beat Pep’s Barcelona 3-1 with Inter [Video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wAG5ZUJ4eI
Videos
Jose Mourinho’s post match tactical analysis of Man United 4:0 Chelsea [Video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MPTg0Q5tfQ&t=300s
Fifa World Cup 2018
Immigrant experiences and National Identity in London through the lens of the World Cup 2018
World Cup: London from AlleyCat Films on Vimeo.A short documentary exploring immigrant experiences and national identity in London through the lens of the World...
Fifa World Cup 2018
Spain 3-3 Portugal Tactical Analysis: Cristiano Ronaldo’s new role enables Portugal to snatch a point
Spain and Portugal battled in a thrilling match which ended 3-3 thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning freekick in the dying moments of the game....
Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne discussing tactics ahead of Manchester City vs Arsenal [VIDEO]
In the latest episode of Sky's Matchzone, Kevin De Bruyne dissects his new role at Manchester City this season and how the whole teams...
Manchester United
Is Nemanja Matic Manchester United’s most important player?
Nemanja Matic has had an impressive start to his Manchester United career. He has started alongside Paul Pogba in a 4-2-3-1 formation which has...
Chelsea
How to beat Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 formation at Chelsea?
Antonio Conte's switch to the 3-4-3 formation in September last year was a key turning point in Chelsea's title run. Chelsea went on a...
Barcelona
The Genius of Xavi Hernandez [VIDEO]
Possibly the greatest midfielder of his generation, Xavi Hernandez was at the heart of two of the greatest football teams ever, Barcelona and Spain....
Latest Posts
Football History
The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and it’s impact on Football
Not in Kansas AnymoreA century ago, amidst the poultry and pig farms in a small corner of Kansas, a local doctor became inundated...
Football Books
The Best Football Books of 2020
The False 9 - 0
It's been another eventful year in the world of football. As we look forward to 2021, we have compiled a list of the best...
Liverpool
Big Sam’s tactics against Liverpool show the template to stifle Klopp’s side
Josh Jaswal - 0
Two complete opposites came up in the congested Christmas fixture list, as Liverpool in great form sitting at the top of the table look...
Featured
The Meteoric Rise of RB Leipzig: From Tier Five Football to the Champions League
The best football clubs in the world usually have a storied history, years of success, and generations of fans. However, one of the best...
Don't Miss
Classic
Súper Dépor! The rise and fall of Deportivo La Coruña
The False 9 - 0
At the StartWith the exception of a 2nd place finish to Helenio Herrera’s Atlético Madrid in 1948/49, Deportivo La Coruña have historically plied their...
Classic
Remembering Arthur Wharton: The First Black Professional Footballer
Will Slater - 0
In an interview from 1888, Arthur Wharton recalled overhearing a conversation between two fellow track competitors some years before. “Who’s he,” one rhetorically asked,...
Classic
The Evolution and Political Dynamism of Football in Mussolini’s Italy
Will Slater - 0
On a November night in 1934, the English national football team faced their Italian counterparts, Nazionale di calcio dell'Italia. The match was held at...
Classic
Hungary – The Golden Team that never quite made it.
When you look back at the history of past World Cup winners and European Championship winners the usual names by in large stand out....
Ac Milan
What if Pep’s Barcelona played against Sacchi’s AC Milan?
Pep Guardiola has re-invented football so much in the past decade that one wonders if the game is still the same that was played...
Football History
Classic
Football And Alcohol
“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.”Football and booze go a long long way back, in...
Classic
Súper Dépor! The rise and fall of Deportivo La Coruña
The False 9 - 0
At the StartWith the exception of a 2nd place finish to Helenio Herrera’s Atlético Madrid in 1948/49, Deportivo La Coruña have historically plied their...
Classic
Lifted Over The Turnstiles: Scotland’s Football Grounds In The Black & White Era
This most comprehensive book about old Scottish football grounds ever published, Lifted Over the Turnstiles contains almost 200 photos of 42 football stadiums here...
Classic
The Original Invincibles- Preston North End 1888/89
In the wake of Manchester City’s record-breaking claim to the Premier League, The False 9 will look back at some of the greatest club...
Football History
A brief history of the footballing aesthetic (and its gradual death)
Aahir Ghosh - 0
The death of football at its most beautiful peak, is nigh
‘Football is the beautiful game.’ A statement we have heard since childhood. Words which...