United's glory days, when cup wins were routine

WHEN NEWCASTLE LIFTED THE FA CUP IN 1955, NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE SEVEN DECADES UNTIL THE NEXT DOMESTIC TROPHY ARRIVED, WRITES DAVID MORTON

- 

N the run-up to Newcastle United's recent Carabao Cup victory, one unpalatable but undeniable fact was repeated time after time across the media - the Magpies had not won a major domestic trophy for 70 years.

Thankfully, that burden of history was finally removed at Wembley in March as United turned in a wonderful performance to beat Liverpool 2-1 and lift the cup. But what of that last trophy win? This week, in fact, marks the 70th anniversary of Newcastle's last FA Cup triumph in the shadow of the national stadium's old twin towers.

It was Saturday, May 7, 1955-10 years after the end of World War Two and Britain finally found itself on the mend. The wheels of industry were turning, work was plentiful, the shops were increasingly well-stocked after years of rationing, and living standards for most families were on the rise.