THE famous FA Cup winners medal of Sir Stanley Matthews from the 1953 final with Bolton Wanderers is to be displayed.

The nine carat gold medal, presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II on the year of her coronation, went on display today at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

It coincided with what would have been the player’s 100th birthday.

Wanderers lost the game 4-3, having led 3-1, with a team that featured Nat Lofthouse and Harold Hassall, who died on Friday.

Despite teammate Stan Mortensen scoring a hat-trick, the match became known as the Matthews Final, owing to his standout performance.

The famous final was played in front of a 100,000 capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium as well as millions more at home as it became the first FA Cup Final to be televised live.

Kevin Moore, director of the National Football Museum, said: “Following the recent drama in the FA Cup, this incredible medal is a timely reminder of the competition’s magic and unrivalled history.

“We’re delighted to add the medal to our collection and give visitors the chance to discover the incredible story behind it.

"Sir Stanley Matthews is a true sporting hero and the 1953 FA Cup Final was his finest hour.”

Wanderers were to win the competition in 1958, as two goals from Nat beat Manchester United 2-0.