Chronicling The Cup Kings

Wolves’ FA Cup final triumph of half a century ago has been chronicled in a new book.

Author Mark Metcalf details the tournament’s trail in 1959-60, from the clashes of the first-round hopefuls to the entry of the big boys in round three and right through to Wembley.

And he spoke at length to the Molineux quintet of Ron Flowers, Eddie Stuart, George Showell, Malcolm Finlayson and skipper Bill Slater as part of his research.

All but Stuart of the five played in the final, the South African unluckily missing out in the latter stages of the run after losing his place to Showell.

Metcalf, a Yorkshire-based freelance writer, also interviewed Bryan Douglas, Ronnie Clayton and Matt Woods from Wolves’ Wembley opponents Blackburn.

“In 1960, the FA Cup was king,” he writes on the back cover of the £7.99 paperback. “The whole country stopped for it.

“The Wembley final was a massive, glamorous occasion. Wolverhampton Wanderers were the biggest club in the country, managed by stern disciplinarian Stan Cullis. Blackburn were less successful but still had  a team packed with internationals.”

The FA Cup 50 Years On is published by Cheltenham-based Sports Books (website: www.sportsbooks.ltd.uk).

The publication also lists all the results from that season’s competition as well as the Wolves and Blackburn line-ups and scorers from each game.

Several supporters were interviewed as well.

It was 50 years ago last Friday that Cullis’s men beat Rovers 3-0, with Norman Deeley scoring twice and Mick McGrath netting an own goal.