Obviously the home team had not done their ‘homework’ as when the match was played with the smooth City style a totally bewildered Blackpool, who seemed to be expecting the usual third division "up and at 'em" approach with long high balls the order of the day. Their inability to adapt to City's cultured play resulted in a deserved win for City by 2 goals to 0. This was the shock result of the day, which alerted the National press to City’s achievements. The subsequent matches were well covered by the Daily Express, whose main sporting journalist was Henry Rose. He soon became a City fan, he later referred to them as "this first division side masquerading in third division shirts".

Round 4 paired us against yet another non-league team, the formidable amateur Cup Holders - Bishop Auckland. Again we had to travel, even if only up to County Durham, but in the event they were outclassed by a competent City performance which resulted in a comfortable 4 - 1 win and excitement was now mounting. “Who would be next?” the fans wondered.

Well I suppose it had to happen! A top London Club in the shape of Tottenham Hotspurs. There was one consolation - for the first time since the Scarborough game it was a home draw, so the only problem was how to obtain a ticket. Tickets were limited to 21,000. The previous highest attendance at Bootham Crescent had been 28,000 for a cup tie against Huddersfield Town in 1938. Incidentally the present limit is now reduced to fewer than ten thousand, not that this seems to matter as only about three thousand turn up for league matches which lack of support has prompted that scourge of modem society (the Developer) to cast his beady eye in that direction so who knows what the future holds or even if there is a future. However I and four pals, complete with tickets, trudged through the retreating snow and slush on a cold February afternoon with great trepidation, fearing the worst but fervently praying for the best. After five minutes a classy looking Spurs outfit scored with effortless ease which made us fear the worst as Spurs, masterminded by international wing half Danny Blanchflower, settled down to try to add to their total. York had very different ideas and with Billy Fenton, the draughtsman at Armstrong Patents and only a part-time footballer, running amok on the left wing despite the despairing efforts of the future England World Cup winning Manager Alf Ramsey. We actually scored three good goals and went through to the quarter finals stage.

Another away tie ensued, this time at unfashionable Notts County. Again armed with tickets, half the adult population of York set off by coach, train and car to the fair city of Nottingham. The journey was not in vain and although the uncompromising home team would not allow City to settle and turn on their usual exhibition stuff we prevailed with the only goal of the game, coming from Arthur Bottom in the last few tense minutes. The unbelievable had happened and we were in the semi final of the F.A. Cup. We were due to play the winners of a semi-final replay between Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town, both first division sides.

Newcastle won and we where set to play them in the F.A. Cup semi-final. A couple of weeks prior to our semi-final appointment with Newcastle United at Hillsborough in Sheffield, tragedy struck when the main City playmaker the tricky inside left Sid Storey was injured in training and was considered unlikely to be available for the most important game in the history of the Club. He was only a part time player, he was a coal miner from Barnsley. He had been an ever present force for the previous five games and took the knocks he inevitably received as an influential ballplayer. There was torrential rain for the three days preceding the match and as we travelled down by British Rail on the Saturday morning it continued to pour down, as a fact it continued to do just that right through the game. Standing behind the goal City were defending in the first half I don't know which depressed me more, seeing City concede an early goal or being saturated, with only a Daily Express as cover from the elements. However, I made a rapid recovery when Arthur Bottom forced his way through at the other end to crack in an equalizer. The Yorkshire Post later related that the cheer which greeted the City team when they entered the arena eclipsed the famed Hamden Roar and although the attendance was 70,000 there was no resemblance of trouble and although their magical left winger - Scottish international Bobby Mitchell who seeming defied the laws of gravity with his shoulder almost touching the turf with his body swerve. He had a big influence on the game and the match ended at one each. York City became the only third division side ever to reach the last three of the F.A. Cup. Newcastle won the replay by 2-0. Newcastle went into the final, going on to beat Manchester City at the Wembley Final where Manchester were unlucky to lose their right back, Meadowes with a fractured leg following a vain attempt to combat the wiles of the elusive Bobby Mitchell.

Peter Brook

Thanks to Peter Brook and his efforts which are re-produced above.

Links to City's 1954/5 FA Cup games are included below, For British Movietone clips, free registration is required prior to viewing.

Watch Blackpool v City - 1955 FA Cup - Round 3