FOUR of the surviving members of the Wanderers 1953 FA Cup Final team met up again to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the famous match with a champagne lunch.
Malcolm Barrass, Harold Hassall, Nat Lofthouse and Doug Holden, who had travelled from his home in Kent, were joined at the lunch at Gallagher's, Blackrod, by former Wanderers stars Roy Hartle and Tommy Banks, who was a squad member and whose brother Ralph played in the final.
One of the highlights was the video showing of the final - without the final 15 minutes when Blackpool came back from 3-1 down to win the match 4-3. Such disappointing memories would have been enough to spoil a good dinner!
Harold Hassall, who played inside left in the match, entertained the 50 guests with anecdotes about the final and the players, including the tale of when Tommy Banks met legendary film star Humphrey Bogart at the reception hotel on the morning following the final.
Tommy Banks also read out a letter from the Duke of Edinburgh, who was presented to the two teams before the final.
Another special guest was Professor Wroblewski of Wrightington Hospital, who had performed operations, including hip replacements, on Hassall, Hartle and Banks.
On display were several items of memorabilia from the final including shirt and shorts, loser's medal and winner's medal, the referee's whistle and medal, Stanley Matthews' boots and copies of the menu card from the reception held after the game at the Cafe Royal, London, and the menu card from the civic reception at Bolton Town Hall on Monday, May 4.
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