A Closer Look At… Cup final anthem jackets

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Overview

It’s a familiar, almost comforting image… two teams emerge from the Wembley tunnel into bright sunshine, both clad in zip up jackets made from a petroleum by product. Each team stands in line, with the captain introducing his players to a Duke, or a Princess, maybe even the Queen herself, who can’t see that the reverse of the jacket advertises a Danish brewery or a Japanese technology firm. But, when did this type of garb join club blazers or Savile Row suits as a traditional part of the cup final pageantry? Let’s see if we can find out?

1955 FA Cup Final
As far as we can tell, Manchester City were the pioneers, walking onto the Wembley pitch in blue sweatshirts with white yoke panels, an inset V neck attached to polo collars, and a thin white stripe down each arm. They were matched with loose fitting jogger bottoms. What did Prince Philip make of this pre-game outfit we wonder? For their part, Newcastle came on to the pitch ready for action in just their playing kit, and the Geordies left Wembley with the cup after a 3-1 victory.

Manchester City reached the final a year later, a game remembered for German goalkeeper Bert Trautmann pulling off numerous saves despite sustaining a broken neck against Birmingham City. Both sides wore change kits, with Manchester City donning their now famous maroon and white shirts, though they didn’t wear pre-game sweaters as they had in 1955.

1959 FA Cup Final

Four years after the first pre-game ‘tracksuits’ were worn, both cup finalists lined up to meet the Duke of Edinburgh at Wembley in them. Luton Town wore quarter-zip sweatshirts with wide point length collars and elasticated waists. The club crest was embroidered onto white cloth that was sewn on the left chest (as worn). Baggy bottoms completed the look. Their opponents won the warm-up suit style war though…

Nottingham Forest went to the trouble of adding commemorative game detail, with ‘Wembley 1959’ below the zip pocket, above which ‘N.F.F.C’ was embroidered. That choice made them style winners as well as cup winners, they defeated Luton 2-1.