Saltergate, 1950 - Chesterfield and Yeovil Town have history in the FA Cup
A shade over 140,000 people paid for admission to Chesterfield’s four ties that season.
Can this weekend’s tussle with Yeovil Town kick-start a decent run in the FA Cup for Chesterfield?
The two have met before in the world’s cup competition in an era far removed to now.
The Glovers, then of the Southern League, came to Saltergate back in 1950 fancying their chances having dumped out “Bank of England” First Division side Sunderland the year before.
Chesterfield came through it 3-1 with two goals from Scottish winger Matt Costello and the other from inside forward Jack Thompson.
As Town were in the Second Division at the time, the match came in the third round.
The fourth round draw was a decent one, throwing up another home tie, this time with top-flighters Middlesbrough.
Chesterfield did the business again, edging them 3-2 to set up a tasty date with Chelsea in the fifth round, yet again at Saltergate.
That feat equalled the club’s joint longest run in the competition before the famous run to the last four in 1997 that ended against ‘Boro.
A crowd of 27,000 crammed into the “Recreation Ground” for the visit of Chelsea.
The Spireites didn’t go quietly, Thompson scoring a second-half equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw and a replay at Stamford Bridge. The favourites won it 3-0.
Compensation for the Class of 1950 and the supporters were some wonderful memories and money in the bank.
A shade over 140,000 people paid for admission to the club’s four ties that season.
More than 70 years on, the FA Cup holds just as much importance for Chesterfield, Yeovil and this weekend’s other competing clubs.