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Only 1,000 casualties: The most sensational cup final in history

Wembley Stadium's first cup final in 1923 between West Ham and Bolton made news as 30, 000 fans fearing they would not get in rushed the gates

Looking over towards the two shilling seats, one saw that men were tumbling over like sheep over the barriers, and tussling with a handful of policemen who tried in vain to stop them taking seats which did not belong to them . . . The people who leaped over the barriers were to an extent innocent people. After all human beings were pouring down upon them like a score of Alpine torrents . . . and on all sides the crowd could be seen leaping over the barriers as easily as a high tide leaps over a breakwater on a stormy day - and as they leaped others leaped on their backs, and drove them to the very touch-line . . . one bold invader had even got on the roof. He had fallen through, the brave fellow and we could see his legs kicking from the waist downwards . . .

When King George arrived and appeared in his red box, it was though a temporary truce had been declared between the party of law and the party of disorder, and God Save the King roared from the throng.

As for the football that followed, how mild a game it seemed after so sensational a prologue. Over 900 people received treatment from the Red Cross ambulance men. Most of the serious cases were fractured ribs . . .

An editorial noted: The British are a good tempered people with a strong respect for law and order. British crowds are, with the possible exception of those in well-dragooned Germany, the best-humoured, the best behaved and the most easily handled in the world. There are exceptions . . .

From Monday, April 30th, 1923