Tottenham Win 1921 FA Cup Final By Defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers
By Logan Holmes
The year ended in ‘1’ and Tottenham reached their second F.A. Cup Final against 2nd Division, Wolverhampton Wanderers, twenty years after first winning the trophy as a non-League side.
On This Day
23rd April, 1921
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 FA Cup Final at Stamford Bridge
Scorer: Dimmock
Team: Hunter; Clay, MacDonald; Smith, Walters, Grimsdell (Captain); Banks, Seed, Cantrell, Bliss, Dimmock.
Winning in the Rain
Tottenham’s 1921 FA Cup winning team [Photo: Logan Holmes]
Spurs had won promotion to the 1st Division a year earlier and in their first season back in the top flight finished sixth but it was in the FA Cup that they were to display their best form. The Final against Wolves who were in the 2nd Division was played in very wet conditions as just before kick off a torrential thunderstorm turned the pitch into a quagmire making it very difficult for both teams to play any football, with the ball constantly sticking in the mud. Spurs, however, weren’t prepared to allow the conditions to dictate their style of play as they continued to play with the ball on the ground trying to make use of their wingers as they had done throughout the Cup campaign.
Spurs took early control with Arthur Grimsdell and Bert Smith dominant and ensuring that the forwards had plenty of opportunity on the ball and it seemed that it would only be a matter of time before Spurs scored. In spite of a few close calls, however, Wolves got to the interval on level terms.
Jimmy Dimmock, the goal scoring winger [Photo: Logan Holmes]The rain stopped at the commencement of the second half and Wolves began to show their worth but on fifty three minutes a piece of inspiration from 20 year old winger, Jimmy Dimmock, was enough to won the trophy for Spurs. He scored the only goal of the game having picked up a pass from Bert Bliss and eluded two defenders who were close. From twenty five yards out at the angle of the penalty area he fired in a shot which zipped across the slippery surface and past a despairing goalkeeper’s dive and into the corner of the net.
A minute later Jimmy Banks almost added a second but was brought down on the edge of the box, with the free-kick going wide. Spurs continued to create chances to increase their lead but in the final minutes as Spurs tired in the heavy conditions Wolves started to exert some pressure and Alex Hunter, in goal, was called upon for the first time to rescue them.
Spurs held on and the FA Cup returned to London for the first time since their 1901 FA Cup success.
Tottenham captain, Arthur Grimsdell, received the FA Cup [Photo: Logan Holmes]
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