[Lord Snooty]

March 9:

A couple of FA Cup games for you today. In 1938 on this date, we had the replay for the quarter final tie against York City. It was on a Wednesday afternoon following the previous Saturday's goal less draw at Bootham Crescent and schools and factories reported many absences in the area as 58,066 people turned up to watch this one.

Town won it 2-1 and would go on to face Sunderland in the semi finals. But the goals for the Town on that day were scored by two men who would lose their lives in service of the country during the 2nd World War. The second goal was by Frank Chivers, who I mentioned recently for being killed in a mining accident, having been conscripted into doing mining work. The first goal scored was this player's only goal for Town. His name was Edwin Watson and here's what is written on Wikipedia about him.......

Edwin Watson (28 May 1914 – 12 June 1944) was a professional footballer, who played for Partick Thistle, Huddersfield Town and Bradford Park Avenue. He was killed in the Second World War. He was born in Pittenweem, Fife, Scotland.

Military service and death:

Watson served as a flight sergeant in No. 201 Squadron RAF of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. He is known to have served on two missions as an air gunner on a Short Sunderland III conducting anti-submarine sweeps from RAF Pembroke Dock over the Bay of Biscay. On 7 June 1944, Watson's Sunderland located U-955 off Cape Ortegal, Spain and sunk it with depth charges, killing all 50 crew on board the U-boat.

Five days later, on 12 June 1944, the Sunderland encountered U-333, and conducted depth charge raids on it. The Sunderland is thought to have been shot down by flak from the submarine's anti-aircraft guns during the attack, killing everybody on board, including Watson. His body was not recovered from the wreckage, and he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial. In 2021, he was added to the Huddersfield Town 'roll of honour'.

Anyway, the semi final has been scheduled for March 26th and the venue will be Ewood Park in Blackburn.


Talking of Blackburn. The next FA Cup game on this date was in the next season in 1939 against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, another quarter final replay in midweek. And another big crowd came to see it, with 54,400 being present. The first game ended in a 1-1 draw, but it was the mighty Town who won the replay. It was 2-1 again and this time both scorers survived the war and lived long enough to draw the old age pension.

Ex Leeds and West Brom winger, Jack Mahon got the first. This was his only goal for us. The other was from Pat Beasley, who later in life would manage Birmingham City and take them all the way to the Final of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup.

And so we have another semi final to look forward to. This one will be at Highbury against Portsmouth on the 25th of March.