A Dance With Wolves For Blackburn
1960 FA Cup run
The road to Wembley was a tough one for Blackburn, as they fought off First Division teams Blackpool, Tottenham, Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday to reach the final, where they came up against Stan Cullis's mighty Wolves…
Blackburn became the latest team to be struck by the so-called 'curse of Wembley' as full-back Dave Whelan was stretchered off with a fractured leg. Wolves might have been tired after a long season battling for the League and European Cup, but had more than enough left in the tank to win 3-0 against the 10 men of Rovers.
Results
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Round | Sunderland (a) | 1-1 |
| 3rd Round replay | Sunderland (h) | 4-1 |
| 4th Round | Blackburn (h) | 1–1 |
| 4th Round replay | Blackburn (a) | 0–3 |
| 5th Round | Tottenham (a) | 1–3 |
| Quarter-Final | Burnley (a) | 3-3 |
| Quarter-Final | Burnley (h) | 2-0 |
| Semi-Final | Sheffield Wednesday (Maine Road) | 2–1 |
Key Games
Blackpool 0-3 Blackburn (FA Cup 4th round replay, February 2, 1960)
Rovers saw off their Lancashire rivals five days after the two teams had drawn 1-1 at Ewood Park in the first meeting. Blackpool's Stanley Matthews was aiming for his second FA Cup winners' medal at the age of 45, but two goals from Peter Dobing and a header from Derek Dougan ended his dream.
Burnley 3-3 Blackburn (FA Cup quarter-final, March 12, 1960)
Blackburn staged a remarkable comeback after trailing by three goals to their bitter rivals with 20 minutes left at Turf Moor, but it was a controversial penalty that sparked their revival. The ball appeared to have hit Burnley defender Alex Elder on the hand, but the referee gave a spot-kick for handball, which Bryan Douglas promptly converted. Four minutes later, Peter Dobing scored to make it 3-2. In a pulsating finish, Mick McGrath netted the equaliser four minutes from time. The replay proved equally dramatic, Blackburn winning 2-0 after extra-time.
Blackburn 0-3 Wolves (FA Cup final, May 7, 1960)
The 'curse of Wembley' had seen a string of players injured in the final in recent years, and Dave Whelan joined the list when he had to leave the field with a fractured leg. Blackburn just never got going on a hot afternoon which caused most of the crowd to take off their jackets, prompting BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme to brand it 'the white shirt final'. Wolves ran out 3-0 winners and, just to compound their misery, the Blackburn fans were condemned for booing the victorious Wolves players and pelting them with rubbish.
Key Off-field Moments
Derek Dougan's Transfer Request
The Irish centre-forward shocked the Blackburn camp by handing in a transfer request just minutes before the team set off for Wembley. He denied it had affected his performance, saying "I put everything into the match that I could. I'm sure it did not affect my play."
The Signing Of Louis Bimpson
Bimpson had been discarded by Liverpool in November 1959, but six months later he found himself at Wembley. Needing cover for his squad after a spate of injuries, Blackburn manager Dally Duncan picked up the striker for just £5,000. But Bimpson soon established himself in the team on merit, scoring against Sunderland in the third round and twice against Spurs in the fifth round.
Harry Leyland's Lucky Tie-Pin
Blackburn keeper Harry Leyland pinned his hopes on a lucky charm at Wembley. He carried a tie-pin which had been worn by Herbert Arthur, who kept goal for Rovers when they achieved a hat-trick of FA Cup successes between 1884 and 1886. It was then passed on to Jock Douglas, Blackburn's goalkeeper in the 1928 final, when they beat Huddersfield. Unfortunately, it failed to work its magic for Leyland.
Key Figures
Dally Duncan
The final was the highlight of Douglas 'Dally' Duncan's brief period in charge of Blackburn. The one-time Scottish winger had previously managed Luton for 11 years, before joining the Lancashire club in October 1958. He remained in charge for just two years before he was succeeded by Jack Marshall.
Dave Whelan
The Rovers full-back had to be carried off in the first half after a collision with Wolves winger Norman Deeley. He had broken his left leg in two places, and with no substitutes allowed in those days, Blackburn had to play the whole of the second half with ten men. Whelan later became a multi-millionaire, turning a Wigan sports shop called JJ Bradburns into the massive chain JJB Sports.
Peter Dobing
Born in Manchester, the forward had made his Blackburn debut as a 17-year-old in 1955. He played a starring role in their Cup run of 1960, scoring five times, including the second goal in the amazing comeback against Burnley, and a spectacular long-range strike in the replay against the same opponents. But he couldn't repeat the feat in the final against Wolves. He later joined Manchester City as a replacement for Denis Law.
What Happened Next
Blackburn improved on their league performance after finishing 17th in 1959-60. The following season, they finished a respectable eighth, but could only reach the fifth round of the FA Cup, losing to Sheffield United. Derek Dougan remained at the club until the end of the 1960-61 season, when he joined Aston Villa.
Wolves reached the semi-finals of the European Cup-Winners' Cup, losing 3-1 on aggregate to Rangers. In the league, they finished third, but their defence of the FA Cup ended in the third round, losing 2-1 to Huddersfield in a replay.
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