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The lowest FA Cup final attendance

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:22 pm
by Montreal Wanderer
Did you know this was at Burnden Park in 1901 when Spurs beat Sheffield United? I suppose you did but I didn't, nor did I know it was a source of free pies to this very day.
Within six years, it was to stage a historic FA Cup final replay, when Tottenham Hotspur overcame Sheffield United 3-1. The match holds the record for the lowest attendance at an FA Cup final (surprising after the first match attracted 110,000 at Crystal Palace). The day that the match was held became known as "Pie Saturday", stemming from the over-estimation by the caterers at the club of the number of meat pies required , leaving them with many surplus, which had to be handed out free after the match. To this day, Tottenham Hotspur still send a case-load of meat pies to the poor and needy in the town to celebrate the great day in their history.
Now I know that Nolan was pretty poor this last year, but was he needy? Could this be the missing link to our problems?

Attendance, by the way, was 20,470.

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:17 pm
by Dave Sutton's barnet
Wasn't there a lack of trains, or somesuch? Worth remembering that Spurs weren't a League side at the time and frankly nobody's ever liked Sheffield United...

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:26 pm
by Montreal Wanderer
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:Wasn't there a lack of trains, or somesuch? Worth remembering that Spurs weren't a League side at the time and frankly nobody's ever liked Sheffield United...
Perhaps! It was supposed to be at Goodison Park, but the scousers whined that it would cut into their attendance since they were at home that day. So Everton quickly arranged a friendly and the venue was switched to Burnden at the last moment. Oddly, the Toffees friendly against some Scottish team outdrew the Anfield crowd.

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:21 am
by bobo the clown
To this day, Tottenham Hotspur still send a case-load of meat pies to the poor and needy in the town to celebrate the great day in their history.
Yeah ??? What "town" will that be then ??

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:14 am
by Montreal Wanderer
bobo the clown wrote:
To this day, Tottenham Hotspur still send a case-load of meat pies to the poor and needy in the town to celebrate the great day in their history.
Yeah ??? What "town" will that be then ??
Bolton, if the question was serious.

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:18 pm
by bobo the clown
Montreal Wanderer wrote:
bobo the clown wrote:
To this day, Tottenham Hotspur still send a case-load of meat pies to the poor and needy in the town to celebrate the great day in their history.
Yeah ??? What "town" will that be then ??
Bolton, if the question was serious.
Just that's it's not going to be the "town" of Tottenham, is it ?

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:32 pm
by Zulus Thousand of em
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:Wasn't there a lack of trains, or somesuch? Worth remembering that Spurs weren't a League side at the time and frankly nobody's ever liked Sheffield United...
Yes, the railway company refused to lay on special trains from London so not many Hotpants fans made the trip, apparently.

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:54 am
by Leyther_Matt
Zulus Thousand of em wrote:
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:Wasn't there a lack of trains, or somesuch? Worth remembering that Spurs weren't a League side at the time and frankly nobody's ever liked Sheffield United...
Yes, the railway company refused to lay on special trains from London so not many Hotpants fans made the trip, apparently.
Some things never change.