1909 FA Cup Final
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| Event | 1908–09 FA Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 24 April 1909 | ||||||
| Venue | Crystal Palace, London | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Billy Meredith (Manchester United) | ||||||
| Referee | Jim Mason (Staffordshire) | ||||||
| Attendance | 71,401 | ||||||
The 1909 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1908–09 FA Cup, the 38th season of England's premier club football cup competition. The match was played on 24 April 1909 at Crystal Palace, and was contested by Manchester United and Bristol City, both of the First Division. Manchester United won by a single goal, scored by Sandy Turnbull midway through the first half. This was the first of United's record twelve FA Cup titles to date.
It was the first time that either team had played in an FA Cup Final, but Manchester United went into the match as favourites, having been league champions the previous season. Despite having lost 1–0 to Bristol City at Bank Street just two weeks earlier, United held a one-point advantage over their opposition with two matches still to play.
Both teams usually wore red shirts, so, prior to the final, the FA issued them with orders to change their kit for the match. Manchester United's players sported white shirts with a red V-stripe and a red rose of Lancashire on the left breast, while Bristol City chose to wear blue shirts. United made an event of the presentation of their new kits, hiring contemporary music hall star George Robey to present the uniforms to the players.
Manchester United inside left Sandy Turnbull had been struggling with a knee injury in recent times, but, on the morning of the match, he convinced his manager, Ernest Mangnall, that he could play. Turnbull's claim was endorsed by club captain Charlie Roberts, who told Mangnall "[Turnbull] might get a goal and if he does we can afford to carry him."
The star of the Bristol City team was Billy Wedlock, an England international centre-half, but he failed to take control of the game and was nullified by United's half back trio of Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts and Alex Bell. United outside right Billy Meredith also played an important part in the match, his contribution to his team's attacking opportunities earning him the man of the match award.
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