Herbert Chapman becomes England’s first manager.
England certainly lagged behind some of the Continental sides regarding the employment of a manager for the national team. While other countries saw the value in having a single supremo responsible for international team affairs, the England side was still chosen by the International Selection Committee, which had been
Formed in 1888. The vagaries of this unwieldy system included political manoeuvrings. Committee members who favoured a particular player would try to garner support for their man, and some horse-trading undoubtedly went on. There was litde consistency, and in the 1930s nearly a hundred players were capped, although many of these may have played just once or twice before being discarded.
Herbert Chapman was quick to recognise the shortcomings of this system and he persuaded the FA to allow him to take charge of the England side which toured Italy and Switzerland in May 1933. Chapman dius became the international side’s only pre-war manager. England drew with Italy and beat Switzerland, but it would be another decade before the authorities took the idea on board seriously.
At the end of the 1931-32 season Arsenal fans were left to reflect on what might have been. Having faded in the league and seen their crown pass to Everton, the Gunners also lost in the FA Cup Final, and in highly controversial circumstances. Bob John put Arsenal 1-0 up against Newcasde United but it was the equalising goal which provided the game's talking point. The Arsenal defenders momentarily stopped as Jimmy Richardson crossed from die right, the ball appearing to have gone well over the bye-line. Jack Allen pounced to score and the referee allowed the goal to stand. Allen went on to hit the winner 20 minutes from time. Photographic evidence subsequently showed that Arsenal had been hard done by but that was scant consolation. At one point the Gunners looked like becoming the first twentieth-century team to achieve the coveted Double; in fact. Chapman’s men ended the campaign empty-handed.
Below.’The ‘over the line' Final: Jack, the Arsenal inside-right, gets his head to the ball in front of the Newcastle goal, but Meinroy is ready to save the shot. The 1932 Cup Final was a battle between the North and the South remembered for Newcastle's equaliser which came in the 42nd minute after John had put Arsenal ahead. Arsenal defenders thought the ball had crossed the bye-line before Allen scored for Newcastle but referee MrW. P. Harper thought otherwise and the goal was given. Allen scored again in the 71st minute and Newcastle took the Cup for the first time since 1924.
Everton beat nervous Manchester City
Right: Play around Manchester City's goal in the 1933 Cup Final. 93,000 people watched as Everton defeated a nervous-looking Manchester City by 3 goals to nil. The 1930s was a successful period in the history of Everton; having been promoted back into Division One in the 1931-2 season the Merseyside team finished the year at the top of the league pushing Arsenal into second place. Below: Sagar, the Everton goalkeeper, makes a remarkable save in the 1933 Cup Final. Creswell, in white, is nearest the camera, behind him is White and on the left is Herd, Manchester City's centre-forward. This was the first Cup Final in which players wore numbers on the backs of their shirts. Everton was allocated numbers I - 11, printed in black on their white shirts, and Manchester City was given 12 - 22, written in white on red shirts.
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