View source for 1937 FA Cup final

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox football match
|                   title = 1937 FA Cup final
| image = 1937wembleylapofhonour.jpg
| image_size = 200
|                   event = [[1936–37 FA Cup]]
|                   team1 = [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]
|        team1association =
|              team1score = 3
|                   team2 = [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]]
|        team2association =
|              team2score = 1
|                 details =
|                    date = 1 May 1937
|                 stadium = [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]]
|                    city = [[London]]
|      man_of_the_match1a =
| man_of_the_match1atitle =
|      man_of_the_match1b =
| man_of_the_match1btitle =
|                 referee = R. G. Rudd (London)
|              attendance = 93,495
|                 weather =
|                previous = [[1936 FA Cup final|1936]]
|                    next = [[1938 FA Cup final|1938]]
}}
The '''1937 FA Cup final''' was contested by [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] and [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] on 1 May 1937 at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]]. It was the 62nd [[FA Cup Final]] and the first to be played in May. The match took place eleven days before the [[Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth|coronation]] of [[George VI]] and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]], who were the guests of honour.

Sunderland won 3–1, with second-half goals by [[Bobby Gurney]], [[Raich Carter]] and [[Eddie Burbanks]]. [[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|Frank O'Donnell]]'s goal had put Preston ahead shortly before half-time. It was the first time Sunderland had won the FA Cup.

Preston returned [[1938 FA Cup final|the following year]] to beat [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] in the final. Their team in both matches included [[Bill Shankly]], who went on to win the Cup twice more as manager of [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]].

==Route to the final==
{{main|1936–37 FA Cup}}

===Sunderland===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right"
!scope=col|Round
! scope="col" style="width:120px;"| Opposition
! scope="col" style="width:50px;"| Score
! scope="col" style="width:130px;"| Venue
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 3rd
|align="left"| [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
| 3–2
|align="left"| [[The Dell (Southampton)|The Dell]] (a)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 4th
|align="left"| [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]
| 2–2
|align="left"| [[Kenilworth Road]] (a)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 4th<br>(replay)
|align="left"| Luton Town
| 3–1
|align="left"| [[Roker Park]] (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 5th
|align="left"| [[Swansea City F.C.|Swansea Town]]
| 3–0
|align="left"| Roker Park (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Quarter-final
|align="left"| [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
| 1–1
|align="left"| [[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]] (a)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Quarter-final<br>(replay)
|align="left"| Wolverhampton Wanderers
| 2–2 aet
|align="left"| Roker Park (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Quarter-final<br>(second replay)
|align="left"| Wolverhampton Wanderers
| 4–0
|align="left"| [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]] (n)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Semi-final
|align="left"| [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]]
| 2–1
|align="left"| [[Leeds Road]] (n)
|}

As First Division clubs, Sunderland and Preston both entered the competition at the third round stage. Sunderland began with an away tie against Second Division  [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], who they met in the third round for the third time in seven seasons. Sunderland won 3–2, with goals from [[Bobby Gurney]], [[Cecil Hornby (footballer)|Cecil Hornby]] and [[Patrick Gallacher|Patsy Gallacher]].<ref name="collett"/> In the fourth round, they came from two goals down to draw 2–2 with the Third Division South team [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]],<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Other Cup-Ties |date=1 February 1937 |page=4 |issue=47597}}</ref> before goals from [[Len Duns]], [[Jimmy Connor (footballer, born 1909)|Jimmy Connor]] and [[Raich Carter]] gave them a 3–1 win in the replay.

After beating another Second Division team, [[Swansea City F.C.|Swansea Town]], 3–0 in the fifth round, Sunderland required three matches to eliminate [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] in the quarter-finals. They eventually won 4–0 in the second replay at a neutral venue, [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]] in Sheffield, after the first two matches had ended in draws.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The F.A. Cup: Sunderland in the Semi-Final |date=16 March 1937 |page=4 |issue=47634}}</ref> Sunderland's scorers in this second replay were Gurney, Carter, Gallacher and [[Charles Thomson (footballer born 1910)|Charlie Thomson]].

In the semi-finals at [[Leeds Road]], Huddersfield, they faced the Third Division South giantkillers [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]], who were the first team from that level to reach the last four since the Third Division was formed in 1920. Millwall had scored 22 goals in six consecutive wins in their Cup run, including home wins against First Division teams [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] and [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]], with their captain and inside-forward [[Dave Mangnall]] scoring nine of them.<ref name="collett"/> Mangnall made a late recovery from a thigh injury to start the semi-final, and opened the scoring after ten minutes, but Sunderland replied with goals from Gurney and Gallacher to reach their first final since 1913.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitehead |first1=Richard |title=The Cup |date=2022 |publisher=Pitch Publishing |location=Chichester |isbn=9781801500630}}</ref>

===Preston North End===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right"
!scope=col|Round
! scope="col" style="width:120px;"| Opposition
! scope="col" style="width:50px;"| Score
! scope="col" style="width:130px;"| Venue
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 3rd
|align="left"| [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]
| 2–0
|align="left"| [[Deepdale]] (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 4th
|align="left"| [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
| 5–1
|align="left"| Deepdale (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| 5th
|align="left"| [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]]
| 5–3
|align="left"| Deepdale (h)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Quarter-final
|align="left"| [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]
| 3–1
|align="left"| [[White Hart Lane]] (a)
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:center"| Semi-final
|align="left"| [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| 4–1
|align="left"| [[Highbury Stadium|Highbury]] (n)
|}

Preston's FA Cup run began with a 2–0 home win in a third round match against [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]], who had won the Cup as recently as [[1932 FA Cup final|1932]] but who had been relegated to the Second Division two years later. They then scored five in consecutive home wins against First Division [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] and [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] of the Third Division South, with their Scottish forward [[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|Frank O'Donnell]] scoring hat-tricks in both matches.<ref name="collett"/>

Preston defeated another Second Division former FA Cup-winning team, [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], 3–1 in the quarter-finals, with their goals coming from Frank O'Donnell, his younger brother [[Hugh O'Donnell (footballer)|Hugh]] and another Scottish player, [[Jimmy Dougal]]. The attendance of 71,913 was a record for [[White Hart Lane]] at the time.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The F.A. Cup |date=8 March 1937 |page=6 |issue=47627}}</ref> Frank O'Donnell and Dougal each scored twice more when Preston returned to London to beat the [[1935 FA Cup final|1935]] runners-up, [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]], 4–1 in the semi-finals at [[Highbury Stadium|Highbury]]. Preston scored three times in the first twenty minutes to blitz their Midlands opponents, who were playing just two days after the death of their chairman and legendary former player, [[Billy Bassett]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Preston in their fourth final |date=12 April 1937 |page=6 |issue=47656}}</ref>

In all, Preston scored 19 goals in their five matches to reach the final, with Frank O'Donnell contributing ten of them and scoring in every match.<ref name="collett"/>

==Pre-match==
Sunderland were the League champions from the [[1935–36 in English football|previous season]], when they had won their sixth championship by a large margin of eight points, but had slipped to eighth position in [[1936–37 in English football|1936–37]].<ref name="breedon">{{cite book |last1=Smailes |first1=Gordon |title=The Breedon Book of Football Records |date=2000 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |isbn=1859832148}}</ref> They had never previously won the FA Cup, and had only once before reached the final, when they lost 1–0 to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] in [[1913 FA Cup final|1913]].<ref name="utilita">{{cite book |title=Football Yearbook 2024-2025 |date=2024 |publisher=Headline |location=London |isbn=9781035419500}}</ref><ref name="butler">{{cite book |last1=Butler |first1=Bryon |title=The Official Illustrated History of the FA Cup |date=1996 |publisher=Headline |location=London |isbn=0747217815}}</ref> Preston finished 14th in the First Division after the final league matches of the season were completed on the same day as the final, their lowest position since returning to the top flight in 1934.<ref name="breedon"/> Like their opponents, they had not played in an FA Cup final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] before, with their most recent appearance in the final having been a 1–0 defeat to [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] at [[Stamford Bridge (stadium)|Stamford Bridge]] in [[1922 FA Cup final|1922]]. The club's only previous victory in the competition had come in [[1888–89 in English football|1888–89]], when the [[The Invincibles (English football)#Preston North End|Preston 'Invincibles']] team won the League and FA Cup [[Double (association football)|double]].<ref name="utilita"/>

The two League matches between the finalists that season had both ended in victories for the home team, with Sunderland winning 3–0 at [[Roker Park]] in September 1936 and Preston winning 2–0 in the return fixture at [[Deepdale]] in January 1937. Both teams showed patchy form in the weeks leading up to the final, with Sunderland having suffered heavy defeats at [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]] (6–0) and [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]] (3–0), and Preston having lost 5–2 at home to the champions-elect [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] before winning their last League fixture 1–0 away to [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]].<ref name="breedon"/>

Sunderland were seen as much stronger in attack than in defence.<ref name="timespreview">{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The F.A. Cup: To-day's Final at Wembley |date=1 May 1937 |page=4 |issue=47673}}</ref> They were the third-highest scorers in the First Division that season but had the third-worst defensive record, and had failed to keep a single clean sheet away from home in the League.<ref name="breedon"/> Their undisputed star player was their 23-year-old captain and inside-right, [[Raich Carter]], who was described by his England team-mate [[Stanley Matthews]] as "a man who could lay claim to football genius".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Matthews |first1=Stanley |title=The Way It Was |date=2000 |publisher=Headline |isbn=9780747271086}}</ref> Carter had won his first England cap three years before and led a Sunderland attack that had scored over a hundred goals in the 1936–37 season.<ref>{{cite ODNB |title=Carter, Raich|last=Gregson|first=Keith|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/54795}}</ref><ref name="breedon"/> Their other leading players included the centre-forward [[Bobby Gurney]], who had also been capped by England and who went on to become the leading goalscorer in the club's history, and the Scottish international inside-left [[Patrick Gallacher|Patsy Gallacher]]. The club's 19-year-old goalkeeper, [[Johnny Mapson]], who had been signed after the sudden death of [[Jimmy Thorpe]] the previous year, was set to become the youngest goalkeeper to appear in a Wembley FA Cup final.<ref>{{cite web |title=Timeline |url=https://www.safc.com/club-information/history/timeline |website=safc.com |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Amos |first1=Mike |title=Tragedy of Jimmy Thorpe's last match |work=The Northern Echo |date=4 February 1999}}</ref><ref name="collett"/>

Carter's wedding took place five days before the final.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raich Carter |url=http://englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersC/BioCarterHS.html |website=englandfootballonline.com |access-date=24 February 2025}}</ref> The week before, he and Preston's centre-forward [[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|Frank O'Donnell]] had faced each other in the [[British Home Championship|Home Championship]], when O'Donnell scored on his debut as [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] overturned a half-time deficit to beat [[England national football team|England]] 3–1 in front of an international record crowd of more than 149,000. Preston's left-back [[Andy Beattie]] also played for Scotland in the match.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland - International Matches 1931-1939 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot-intres1939.html |website=The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland 3 - 1 England |url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=208 |website=englandstats |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="barrett"/> O'Donnell was the spearhead of a North End team that also included his brother [[Hugh O'Donnell (footballer)|Hugh]] and that was dominated by Scottish players. Their sole England international was [[Joseph Beresford|Joe Beresford]], who had won a single cap three years previously.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joe Beresford |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersB/BioBeresfordJ.html |website=englandfootballonline.com |access-date=24 February 2025}}</ref> Even though they had finished below Sunderland in the League, Preston were considered by some reporters to be the better balanced and organised team, especially away from home, although their goalkeeper [[George Holdcroft]] was absent from the Wembley side because of a hand injury.<ref name="timespreview"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Preston for the Cup!: F. A. Cup Final |work=Answers |issue=2252 |date=1 May 1937}}</ref>

Thousands of Sunderland fans travelled from the north-east to London on special trains before the match, and the team occupied a special carriage pulled by a [[London and North Eastern Railway|LNER "Footballer" Class B17]] locomotive which was named after the club and decorated with red and white ribbons.<ref name="lloyd"/> Supporters' onward travel to the stadium was affected by a London busmen's strike that continued for four weeks.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=London Bus Strike |date=1 May 1937 |page=12 |issue=47673}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gardiner |first1=Juliet |title=The Thirties: An Intimate History |date=2010 |publisher=HarperPress |location=London |isbn=9780007314539 |page=481}}</ref> Attendance at [[May Day]] political meetings in the north-east was said to be reduced because of the number of people who were following the broadcast of the match.<ref name="lloyd">{{cite web |last1=Lloyd |first1=Chris |title=When in 1937 Sunderland won the FA Cup for the first time ending 53 years of hurt |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17555277.1937-sunderland-won-fa-cup-first-time-ending-53-years-hurt/ |website=The Northern Echo |access-date=23 February 2025 |date=6 April 2019}}</ref>

==Match==

The match was the first FA Cup final held in May (all previous finals had been played in March or April).<ref name="butler"/> It was attended by the new king, [[George VI]], and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]], and became known as the 'Coronation Cup Final' as it took place eleven days before the [[Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth|coronation]].<ref name="collett">{{cite book |last1=Collett |first1=Mike |title=The Guinness Record of the FA Cup |date=1993 |publisher=Guinness |location=Enfield |isbn=0851125387}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=George VI |url=https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/george-vi/ |website=westminster-abbey.org |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref> King [[Farouk of Egypt]] was also in attendance.<ref name="=yfanefa">{{cite web |title=The Coronation Cup Final Preston North End versus Sunderland |url=https://www.yfanefa.com/record/18175 |website=yfanefa.com |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref> The match was broadcast live on BBC radio's [[BBC National Programme|National Programme]] with commentary from [[George Allison]] and [[Ivan Sharpe]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Broadcasting: The Cup Final: The Royal Academy Banquet |date=1 May 1937 |page=12 |issue=47673}}</ref> Part of the match was also shown on BBC television, before the final was televised in its entirety for the first time the following year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Scott |title=How Arsenal blazed TV trail, jostling for airtime with cartoons and smut |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/tvandradioblog/2015/sep/16/how-arsenal-blazed-tv-trail-jostling-for-airtime-with-cartoons-and-smut |website=The Guardian |access-date=23 February 2025| date=16 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The FA Cup Final first televised |url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/april/fa-cup-final |website=BBC |access-date=23 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="watt">{{cite book |last1=Watt |first1=Tom |last2=Palmer |first2=Kevin |title=Wembley: The Greatest Stage |date=1998 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=London |isbn=0684840510}}</ref> Because of a contract dispute with Wembley Stadium, the match was not covered by [[Pathé News]] but instead a short film was produced by the Featurettes Company.<ref name="=yfanefa"/>

The match was played in fine weather on a pitch that [[Raich Carter|Carter]] described as "like a bowling green".<ref name="watt"/> The clubs had declined to use [[Shirt number#Association football|shirt numbering]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thraves |first1=Andrew |title=The History of the Wembley FA Cup Final |date=1994 |publisher=Wiedenfeld and Nicolson |location=London |isbn=029783407X}}</ref> Preston's captain [[Billy Tremelling|Tremelling]] won the toss and chose to play towards the sun in the first half.<ref name="timesmatch">{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The F.A. Cup: Sunderland's first victory |date=3 May 1937 |page=7 |issue=47674}}</ref> Preston had marginally the better of the opening stages and caused Sunderland some trouble with [[Throw-in#Long throws|long throws]].<ref name="timesmatch"/><ref name="scotsman"/> [[Willie Fagan|Fagan]] began the game well on Preston's left and [[Joseph Beresford|Beresford]] sent a shot into the side netting.<ref name="toi"/>

[[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|Frank O'Donnell]] opened the scoring for Preston shortly before half-time with a low shot after a pass by [[Jimmy Dougal|Dougal]] to become only the third player to score in every round including the final.<ref name="collett"/><ref name="timesmatch"/> Shortly afterwards, Frank O'Donnell threatened again but was fouled by his marker, [[Bert Johnston (footballer)|Johnston]]. From a corner, he put the ball into Sunderland's net for the second time, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on [[Johnny Mapson|Mapson]].<ref name="guardianmatch">{{Cite news|work=The Manchester Guardian |title=Sunderland win the F.A. Cup |date=3 May 1937 |page=3}}</ref>

Sunderland reorganised at half-time and began to exert more pressure in the second half.<ref name="observer"/> [[Raich Carter|Carter]] nodded a corner from [[Eddie Burbanks|Burbanks]] to [[Bobby Gurney|Gurney]] to equalise with a header from close range, although Preston protested that the goal should have been disallowed for offside.<ref name="timesmatch"/> Carter missed a clear chance but, with 18 minutes remaining, he took Gurney's pass to shoot past Preston's diving goalkeeper [[Mick Burns (footballer)|Burns]] to put Sunderland ahead. Again, there was some suspicion of offside in the build-up to the goal.<ref name="guardianmatch"/> [[Patrick Gallacher|Gallacher]] then set up Burbanks to secure the victory with a powerful shot inside the near post from a narrow angle.<ref name="Isherwood">{{cite book |last1=Isherwood |first1=Glen |title=Wembley: The FA Cup Finals |date=2003 |publisher=Britespot Publishing |location=Cradley Heath |isbn=1904103170 |pages=38–9}}</ref><ref name="barrett">{{cite book |last1=Barrett |first1=Norman |title=The Daily Telegraph Football Chronicle |date=1993 |publisher=Stanley Paul and Company |location=London |isbn=0091782287 |page=62}}</ref> It was only the third time in Wembley history that a team had come from a goal down to win the Cup.

Queen Elizabeth presented the trophy to Sunderland's captain, Carter, reportedly telling him that it was "a nice wedding present".<ref name="butler"/>

Even though only one final since 1903 had produced more goals, the immediate reaction to the match was mixed and emphasised that it had been exciting rather than of high quality. ''The Times'' described it as a "match of contradictions",<ref name="timesmatch"/> ''The Guardian'' as "not a great match"<ref name="guardianmatch"/> and ''The Scotsman'' as "one of the poorest exhibitions of football seen at Wembley"<ref name="scotsman">{{Cite news|work=The Scotsman |title=Sunderland's win |date=3 May 1937 |page=6}}</ref> because of the number of free-kicks, balls put out of play and erratic passes, particularly by the full-backs. In contrast, ''The New York Times'' described it as a "thrilling tussle"<ref>{{Cite news|work=The New York Times |title=English Cup honors taken by Sunderland team |date=2 May 1937 |page=12}}</ref> and ''The Times of India'' as "a memorable final".<ref name="toi">{{Cite news|work=The Times of India |title=Sunderland win their first final |date=3 May 1937 |page=15}}</ref> ''The Observer'' claimed that "not more than two finals since the war have produced better football".<ref name="observer">{{Cite news|work=The Observer |title=Historic Cup Final |date=2 May 1937 |page=36}}</ref> Burbanks was reported to be the game's most effective attacker, having contributed to all three of Sunderland's goals, while [[Len Duns|Duns]] was described as having played with "an exhilarating ardour".<ref name="guardianmatch"/> With the exception of Frank O'Donnell and Fagan, Preston's attacking line was judged disappointing.<ref name="guardianmatch"/><ref name="observer"/>

===Match details===
{{footballbox
|date=1 May 1937<br/>15:00 [[Western European Summer Time|BST]]|
|team1=[[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]
|score=3–1
|team2=[[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]]
|report=https://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1937.htm
|goals1=[[Bobby Gurney|Gurney]] {{goal|52}}<br />[[Raich Carter|Carter]] {{goal|72}}<br />[[Eddie Burbanks|Burbanks]] {{goal|78}}{{ref|a}}
|goals2=[[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|F. O'Donnell]] {{goal|38}}
|stadium=[[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]], [[London]]
|attendance=93,495
|referee=R. G. Rudd (London)}}
{| width=92%
|-
|{{Football kit
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 | pattern_la = _white_stripes
 | pattern_b  = _whitestripes3
 | pattern_ra = _white_stripes
 | pattern_so = _redtop
 | leftarm    = FF0000
 | body       = FF0000
 | rightarm   = FF0000
 | shorts     = 000000
 | socks      = 000000
 | title      = Sunderland
}}
|{{Football kit
 | pattern_la =
 | pattern_b  = _collar
 | pattern_ra =
 | pattern_so = _hoops_white
 | leftarm    = FFFFFF
 | body       = FFFFFF
 | rightarm   = FFFFFF
 | shorts     = 000077
 | socks      = 004499
 | title      = Preston North End
}}
|}
{| width="100%"
|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|  !!width="200"| !!
|-
|GK ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Johnny Mapson]]
|-
|RB ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jimmy Gorman]]
|-
|LB ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alex Hall (footballer, born 1908)|Alex Hall]]
|-
|RH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Charles Thomson (footballer born 1910)|Charlie Thomson]]
|-
|CH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bert Johnston (footballer)|Bert Johnston]]
|-
|LH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Sandy McNab]]
|-
|OR ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Len Duns]]
|-
|IR ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Raich Carter]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]])
|-
|CF ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bobby Gurney]]
|-
|IL ||''' '''||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Patrick Gallacher|Patsy Gallacher]]
|-
|OL ||''' '''||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Eddie Burbanks]]
|-
|colspan=4|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan="4"|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Johnny Cochrane]]
|}
|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|  !!width="200"| !!
|-
|GK ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mick Burns (footballer)|Mick Burns]]
|-
|RB ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Frank Gallimore]]
|-
|LB ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Andy Beattie]]
|-
|RH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bill Shankly]]
|-
|CH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Billy Tremelling]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]])
|-
|LH ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Milne (footballer, born 1911)|Jimmy Milne]]
|-
|OR ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Dougal]]
|-
|IR ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joseph Beresford]]
|-
|CF ||''' ''' ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Frank O'Donnell (footballer)|Frank O'Donnell]]
|-
|IL ||''' '''||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Willie Fagan]]
|-
|OL ||''' '''||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Hugh O'Donnell (footballer)|Hugh O'Donnell]]
|-
|colspan=4|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan="4"| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Tommy Muirhead]]
|}
|}
'''Match rules'''
*90 minutes.
*30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
*Replay if scores still level.

==Post-match==
[[File:Rokerlads1937.jpg|thumb|The Sunderland 1937 FA Cup-winning team with the trophy|right]]
Sunderland celebrated their first FA Cup victory with a huge crowd that had gathered at [[Monkwearmouth railway station|Monkwearmouth station]] for their return, before an open-top bus tour of the town and a reception at [[Roker Park]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Remembering Sunderland's 1937 FA Cup final win |url=https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/remembering-sunderlands-1937-fa-cup-final-win-368765 |website=Sunderland Echo |access-date=23 February 2025 |date=12 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|work=The Manchester Guardian |title=The Cup-Winners Go Home |date=4 May 1937 |page=12}}</ref> Despite losing, Preston's team was also received enthusiastically by their supporters outside [[Preston Town Hall]]. Their captain [[Billy Tremelling]] said "We have lost with a good heart. We do not mind losing to a good team."<ref>{{Cite news|work=The Manchester Guardian |title=Preston Enthusiasm |date=4 May 1937 |page=12}}</ref>

The two clubs came close to meeting again in the final of the FA Cup the [[1937–38 in English football|following season]]. Sunderland reached the semi-finals after four successive 1–0 victories in the early rounds, but were defeated 3–1 by [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]], who were in turn beaten 1–0 after extra-time by Preston in [[1938 FA Cup final|the final]].<ref name="collett"/> By the time of the 1938 final, Preston's manager [[Tommy Muirhead]] had departed, Tremelling had retired, and their team retained only four players who had started the 1937 final – [[Frank Gallimore]], [[Andy Beattie]], [[Bill Shankly]] and [[Hugh O'Donnell (footballer)|Hugh O'Donnell]].<ref name="Isherwood"/>

The clubs' successes in the competition did not continue after the Second World War. Sunderland have only won the Cup once since, in [[1973 FA Cup final|1973]], while Preston were runners-up in [[1954 FA Cup final|1954]] and [[1964 FA Cup final|1964]] but have not won the trophy since 1938.<ref name="utilita"/>

[[File:Greeting Sunderland's FA Cup winning team, 1937 (29274702660).jpg|thumb|The Sunderland team arrive at Newcastle Central Station with the Cup|left]]

Five previously uncapped players – Shankly, [[Jimmy Dougal]], [[Sandy McNab]], [[Bert Johnston (footballer)|Bert Johnston]] and [[Charles Thomson (footballer born 1910)|Charlie Thomson]] – played in internationals for [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] after appearing in the final. Like many players in his generation, [[Raich Carter]]'s career was heavily disrupted by the Second World War, and he finished with just 13 international caps, but won a second FA Cup winners' medal with [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] in the first post-war final in [[1946 FA Cup final|1946]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Raich Carter |url=https://nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/raich-carter/ |website=nationalfootballmuseum.com |access-date=25 February 2025}}</ref> [[Willie Fagan]] also played in a post-war final, but was on the losing side for the second time when [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] were beaten by [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] in [[1950 FA Cup final|1950]].<ref name="collett"/>

Several of Preston's players from the 1937 final went on to take significant management roles. [[Jimmy Milne (footballer, born 1911)|Jimmy Milne]] managed the club for seven years in the 1960s.<ref name="utilita"/> In 1954, while manager of Huddersfield, Beattie became the first man to take charge of the [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]] at the [[1954 FIFA World Cup|World Cup Finals]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland at the World Cup |url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scotland/archive/scotland-at-major-tournaments/scotland-at-the-world-cup/ |website=scottishfa.co.uk |access-date=25 February 2025}}</ref> Shankly managed Liverpool for 15 years, winning three League titles and two further FA Cups.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bill Shankly |url=https://nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/bill-shankly/ |website=nationalfootballmuseum.com |access-date=25 February 2025}}</ref>

[[Johnny Mapson]]'s record as the youngest goalkeeper to play in a Wembley FA Cup final lasted until [[1969 FA Cup final|1969]], when it was beaten by [[Peter Shilton]].<ref name="collett"/> Mapson was the last survivor from Sunderland's 1937 side when he died in August 1999 at the age of 82.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Scott |title=Sunderland's previous appearances at Wembley |url=https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/20148502.sunderlands-previous-appearances-wembley/ |website=Bucks Free Press |access-date=23 February 2025 |date=18 May 2022}}</ref> The last surviving player from the game, Preston's Jimmy Dougal, died two months later at the age of 86.<ref>{{Cite news|work=Lancashire Evening Post |title=Death of Jimmy Dougal |date=20 October 1999 |page=25}}</ref>

==Notes==
:1.{{note|a}}Goal times, especially those of Burbanks and O'Donnell are not consistently recorded in contemporary sources and should be viewed as approximate. Burbanks's goal is reported as occurring between five minutes after Carter's and five minutes before full-time in different sources. O'Donnell's goal is reported at between 38 and 44 minutes into the first half.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1937.htm Match report at www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk]
*[https://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1937.html FA Cup Final lineups]

{{FA Cup Finals}}
{{1936–37 in English football}}
{{Sunderland A.F.C. matches}}
{{Preston North End F.C. matches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1937 Fa Cup Final}}
[[Category:FA Cup finals]]
[[Category:1936–37 FA Cup|Final]]
[[Category:Sunderland A.F.C. matches|FA Cup Final 1937]]
[[Category:Preston North End F.C. matches|FA Cup Final 1937]]
[[Category:May 1937 sports events in the United Kingdom|FA Cup Final]]
[[Category:1937 in sport in London|FA Cup Final]]