Wikipedia:Today's featured article/August 9, 2025
The 1883 FA Cup final was played between Blackburn Olympic F.C. and Old Etonians F.C. on 31 March 1883 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the 12th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest football competition. Old Etonians had defeated Blackburn Rovers, in the 1882 final. Blackburn Olympic had not previously progressed beyond the first round of the competition. Old Etonians took the lead in the first half with a goal from Harry Goodhart, but Alfred Matthews scored an equaliser for Blackburn and, with the scores level, the game went into extra time. Blackburn's James Costley scored and Blackburn won the match 2–1. It was the first time that a working-class team had won the Cup; it had previously been won exclusively by wealthy amateurs. The victory intensified a debate over professionalism in football; following threats to break away by teams which wished to pay players, professionalism in football was legalised in 1885 and the dominance of amateurs quickly ended. (Full article...)