Sheffield United's only Wembley winners – 'workmanlike' in 'the tamest final since the war' yet still different gravy

FA Cup finals, and even wins, came much more easily to what he called "the men from the cutlery city" in their first 40 years.

The 50th FA Cup final, between Sheffield United and Cardiff City in April 1925, was already the Blades' fifth, and they had only lost one, to non-league Tottenham Hotspur after a replay in 1901.

Only two years old, Sir Robert McAlpine's £750,000 stadium was much more about the British Empire Exhibition – a post-World War One show of strength and financial letdown – than the sport and one annual game in particular that came to define it.

As the Empire Stadium, as it was known then, became a celebration of football and playing there a prize in itself, it warped into a thing of dread for the Blades, the site of seven-game losing streak the 2025 generation will try to finally end in Saturday's Championship play-off final against Sunderland.

Back then, the road to Wembley had five stop-off points for teams, like Sheffield United, who started in the first-round proper and only one caused them much bother.

The only goals they conceded came in the first 10 minutes of their January second-round game at home to what was then known simply as "The Wednesday" in torrential rain at Bramall Lane. But Tommy Sampy and George Green levelled the scores by half-time before Sampy’s second-half winner.

Amateur side Corinthian (in round one), Everton, West Bromwich Albion and, in the Blades' 100th FA Cup tie, Southampton, were swept aside without conceding, yet few got carried away by secretary John Nicholson's side.

The Daily Express called them "good Cup fighters with a workmanlike rather than polished team."

Still, there was excitement when the team boarded its train from Scarborough, where they had been preparing for the final, "accompanied," wrote The Yorkshire Post "by a large number of supporters wearing red and white rosettes."

"Unofficial mascot" Tom Swift was at King’s Cross to greet them, having walked from Bramall Lane.

With 91,763 in attendance, including Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and the Duke and Duchess of York – the future George VI and Queen Mother– there was much excitement about a game played in "perfect conditions, except possibly that the sun's rays were rather too warm for the players' comfort".

Yet The Yorkshire Post saw a disappointing match, not only from the point of view of Cardiff City – who experienced the usual fate of Cup favourites – but also for the very moderate quality of the football played.

"Certainly it has, in a football sense, been the tamest final since the war. Seeing that 11 of the 22 players engaged boasted the international diploma, followers of the game naturally expected a display above the common class, whereas it proved to be much under it."

It sensed Wales’ first finalists were "overwrought by the importance of the occasion, the unfamiliarity of the scene and the dimensions and excitement of the crowd".

The YP shared the consensus that the Blades were deserving winners, their goal coming from "just one of those snap incidents by which Cup victories are often gained. A lapse on the part of the defence, a quick shot, and the trick was done."

England outside left Fred Tunstall robbed Harry Wake of the ball after half an hour, and beat goalkeeper Tom Farquharson.

"Wake not Awake" punned the South Wales Echo.

"The United were the more confident and assertive side from the start," wrote The Yorkshire Post. "They never looked like losing... (but) they seldom gave the impression they would add to Tunstall's snap goal."

Little did the Blades know they would never have it so good.

They lost their only subsequent FA Cup final to a Ted Drake goal for Arsenal in 1936, and only the second semi-final played there, against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993.

Last-four defeats to Hull City (2014) and Manchester City (2023) came under the arch which replaced the Twin Towers. There were also three play-off final defeats (plus one in Cardiff) without scoring.

If they are to change their fortunes, perhaps they should consider the anything-but-secret weapon of their 1925 predecessors.

Monday's paper had an advert boasting the FA Cup had again been won by Oxo. Not that this was news to YP readers. Friday's proudly announced "Both teams train on Oxo."

"Oxo is just the right thing for training the athlete," claimed Nicholson in the first advert. "Its merit I have proved through many seasons and I will therefore make use only of this beverage."

The FA Cup final really was different gravy back then.