Brian Glanville is an unrivalled authority on the FA Cup final, having seen all but three since 1951. As the showpiece of the English game returns to its natural home after a six-year absence, he reflects on the great players and the great matches that have graced the event. As it is a very personal selection, some readers may find that their favourite final is omitted - for example, some may wonder why the 1953 Matthews final doesn’t make the list, but that was one of the three Brian missed. Even so, Brian is sure everybody will find something to remember - and to savour.

1951: Newcastle 2 Blackpool 0
This was my first Wembley final and I remember it vividly for Jackie Milburn’s two splendid goals. The first came after an astute through pass by the Magpies’ Chilean international, George Robledo. For a moment, Milburn hesitated, wondering whether he was offside. Then he ran half the length of the field to score. The second goal came when little Ernie Taylor backheeled him the ball on the edge of the box and his left-footed shot flew past George Farm into the far left-hand corner.

1952: Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0
An Arsenal team of walking wounded went down fighting. Jimmy Logie, the playmaker, “had a hole in his thigh big enough to put in a small apple,” said his manager, Tom Whittaker. Centre-half Ray Daniel broke a bone in his already injured arm and, worst of all, right-back Wally Barnes caught his studs in the turf and wrenched his knee, crippling him. George Robledo headed a late winner off the woodwork. “Ours is the cup,” said Newcastle’s supremo Stan Seymour to Whittaker, “Yours is the honour and the glory.”

1956: Manchester City 3 Birmingham City 1
Rightly known as the Revie final, but it could have been called Trautmann’s. Don Revie, whose inspired play took Second Division Leicester City to the 1949 final, which he missed through violent nose bleeding, ran the show as a deeplying centre-forward in a gifted Manchester City team. Bert Trautmann, the big German goalkeeper, broke his neck when he dived at the feet of Birmingham’s Peter Murphy but played on to the end.

1971: Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1
Arsenal dominated Liverpool in normal time but were thwarted by the defiant goalkeeping of Ray Clemence. Liverpool then went ahead in extra time when Steve Heighway cut in from the left and beat Bob Wilson inside his near post. Eddie Kelly equalised before George Graham headed on John Radford’s cross from the edge of the box and the ball was thumped in for the winner by Charlie George. A jubilant George lay flat on his back, arms outstretched, waiting to be picked up by his colleagues.

1973: Sunderland 1 Leeds United 0
In 1973, Sunderland, managed by Bob Stokoe, became the first Second Division team to win the cup since 1931, when West Bromwich beat Birmingham. Leeds were in their prime but two salient incidents condemned them. One was a magnificent save by Sunderland’s keeper, Jim Mont-gomery, who turned a ferocious, point-blank right-footer from Peter Lorimer on to the underside of the bar. The other was the goal scored by Ian Porterfield.

1976: Southampton 1 Manchester United 0
Southampton became the second Second Division team to win a postwar final at Wembley, beating Manchester United, who had only been promoted the previous season. The only goal was scored seven minutes from the end by Bobby Stokes, who raced through a gap on to a skilful ball from the outstanding Scottish inside forward Jim McCalliog, to beat Alex Stepney. Southampton profited from the great experience of England international Mick Channon, while Peter Osgood gained his second winners’ medal.

1979: Arsenal 3 Manchester United 2
Arsenal won an oscillating final that seemed to have slipped away from them, three goals coming in the closing minutes. The match seemed to be Arsenal’s at half-time when they led 2-0 thanks to goals by Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton. But in the 86th minute, Manchester United suddenly revived, Gordon McQueen, their centre-half, making it 2-1 before Sammy McIlroy equalised two minutes later. Three minutes more and Arsenal, inspired by Liam Brady, regained their lead, Graham Rix crossing from the left, Alan Sunderland connecting.

1981: Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 2 (replay)
This replay final is remembered for the spectacular solo goal scored for Spurs by Ricky Villa, a goal worthy of winning any final. Part of the supporting cast three years earlier for Argentina when they controversially won the World Cup in Buenos Aires, Villa got the ball on the left of the goal, and showed power, pace and supreme technique, as he slalomed past defender after defender before beating Joe Corrigan in City’s goal.

1988: Wimbledon 1 Liverpool 0
Another shock. Wimbledon, not many years since amateurs in the Isthmian League, were given little chance against mighty Liverpool. Did they, as some allege, intimidate Liverpool’s players in the tunnel before the game? In any event, Lawrie Sanchez, a very rare scorer, later to manage Northern Ireland and now Fulham, rose to meet a left wing cross from Dennis Wise to head the only goal of an extraordinary game. And the inspired Dave Beasant saved a Liverpool penalty from John Aldridge.

1990: Manchester United 3 Crystal Palace 3
This final was distinguished bya glorious performance from Crystal Palace’s Ian Wright. The game was 69 minutes old when Wright, who had twice broken a leg that season and had thus begun on the bench, was sent on by Steve Coppell. Manchester United could do little against his searing pace. It took him only three minutes to accelerate past Gary Pallister and cut in to make it 2-2. Just two minutes of extra-time had been played when he put Crystal Palace ahead with a superb volley. It was too good to be true and United, who had been lucky to be given a goal in the first half by Bryan Robson after an obvious foul preceded it, managed to equalise through Mark Hughes. They won the replay 1-0 with a rare goal by their fullback Lee Martin. But Wright was emphatically on his way.

2001: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
A Cardiff cup final in which Arsenal had every reason to feel unlucky. Early on, Thierry Henry rounded the Liverpool keeper, Sander Westerveld, and shot. Stephane Henchoz, Liverpool’s Swiss centre-back, blocked the ball with his arm but no spot kick was awarded. Freddie Ljungberg put Arsenal ahead, but in a late five-minute spell two superb pieces of opportunism by Michael Owen gave Liverpool the trophy.

2006: Liverpool 3 West Ham 3 (Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties)
What a game! The last final at the Millennium stadium. West Ham went two ahead through a Jamie Carragher own goal and Dean Ashton. After 32 minutes, Liverpool pulled one back thanks to Djibril Cisse, and they equalised in the 54th minute through Steven Gerrard. Paul Konchesky put the Hammers in front again with a cross that sailed over Jose Reina’s head. Then, in the dying seconds, Gerrard took the match into extra-time with a stunning shot from well outside the box. And to penalties - Reina, at fault for two of West Ham’s goals, saved three and the cup went to Anfield.

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football