Champion Derby County F.C. Venue Wembley Stadium | Date 27 April 1946 Event 1945–46 FA Cup | |
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Similar 1947 FA Cup Final, 1888 FA Cup Final, 1939 FA Cup Final, 1873 FA Cup Final, 1913 FA Cup Final | ||
The 1946 FA Cup Final, the first since the start of the Second World War, was contested by Derby County and Charlton Athletic at Wembley. Derby won 4–1 after extra time, with goals from Bert Turner (an own goal), Peter Doherty and a double from Jackie Stamps.
Match summary
The game was goalless until the 85th minute, when Jackie Stamps and a Charlton defender jumped up to head a centre from the right. As the ball was nodded out it went straight to Dally Duncan, who shot goalwards. Bert Turner tried to kick the ball clear, but only managed to turn the ball into his own net. In the next minute Turner scored for his own side when he took a free-kick from the edge of the Rams’ penalty area, and although goalkeeper Vic Woodley appeared to have the shot well covered, the ball struck a Derby player and was deflected past Woodley into the opposite corner of the net to which he was diving.
Turner thus became the first player to score for both sides in an FA Cup Final, a feat subsequently repeated by Tommy Hutchison in 1981 and Gary Mabbutt in 1987. At the age of 36 years 312 days, Turner also became the oldest player to score in an FA Cup Final.
The match finished level after 90 minutes, but in extra time Derby County scored three goals to win the match 4–1.
When Stamps shot for goal in the closing minutes of normal time, the ball burst en route. Stamps went on to score twice with the new ball as Derby beat Charlton Athletic 4–1. A week earlier, when the same sides had met in the League, the match ball had also burst.
The players in the 1946 Cup final were awarded two medals each. Due to a shortage of gold following the Second World War, the two teams were initially presented with bronze medals (winners and runners-up) on the day, and subsequently awarded the proper gold versions when gold became more readily available later that year.