'It meant everything': Stanley Matthews' daughter relives Blackpool's famous 1953 FA Cup triumph

That’s how Jean Gough, the daughter of the great Sir Stanley Matthews, describes what Blackpool’s 1953 FA Cup final meant to her father – or “Pop”, as she affectionately refers to him.

Jean, now aged 84, was in attendance at Wembley on that famous day when Joe Smith’s men came from 3-1 down to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3.

It was third time lucky for Blackpool and Matthews, who lost to Manchester United in 1948 and Newcastle United in 1951.

Jean attended the game with her mother and two grandmothers and still has vivid memories of the day.

“I was very lucky! Because Pop was an older player he had older children, whereas most of the other players had toddlers. I was 14 though so I remember all of it. It was the most memorable day of my whole life,” she told The Gazette.

“Whenever I think back to that day I get this feeling in my stomach and my heart. I remember the moves that went on and who was playing. I can actually picture them, it’s incredible really.”

Ironically, 1953 was also a year of coronation. It was the first match Queen Elizabeth II attended and came exactly one month before she was officially crowned as monarch.

Matthews mesmerised the 100,000 crowd — including Her Majesty — packed into Wembley with his incredible trickery on the right wing.

He set up Stan Mortensen’s second goal of his hat-trick as well as Bill Perry’s winner three minutes into stoppage time.

Despite Mortensen’s hat-trick, Blackpool’s cup triumph is still referred to as the “Matthews final” to this very day.

“Pop always said it shouldn’t be called that because Morty scored a hat-trick and that’s never been done,” Jean said.

“He always said it was a team of winners and at the third attempt they finally won it, so it was unbelievable. Unfortunately they’ve all passed now. Cyril Robinson was the last one.

“We were lucky in a way because Bolton’s left winger was injured, so he was a passenger on the wing. He couldn’t come back and challenge Stan, so he had a lot of room.

“When he kicked the ball for the final goal, he slipped. It was Bill Perry who got the goal. But Stan was looking for Morty but he couldn’t see him. I can remember it all.

“Winning the final with Blackpool meant everything to my Pop though. I think it was the greatest thing that thrilled him the most.

“I know he was the first winner of the Ballon d’Or and he played until he was 50, but Blackpool meant everything to him. My brother and I grew up there and there’s just something about it, it’s a fabulous place.”

Jean added: “1953 was a very significant year for the whole country. It was a coronation of the Queen, Mount Everest was overcome, Gordon Richards won the Derby, Roger Bannister ran the four minute mile. But of course the one that was the most important was the FA Cup final.

“It was also the beginning of television that year, so 10 million people managed to watch the final. People went to their neighbours who were lucky enough to have one of these little boxes.”

To mark the anniversary, the club are hosting a special lunch at Bloomfield Road on Sunday, June 4, the day after this year’s FA Cup final.

Jean will be in attendance and is looking forward to seeing some old faces while reminiscing about that special day.

“I’m delighted I’ll be able to go to that. It’s great to be invited,” she said.

“My husband and I will make it and there will probably be some old friends there. Blackpool friends mainly, of course, so it will be lovely.”

Jean remains a keen follower of Blackpool’s results to this day. Only recently, while holidaying in the US, she watched the 1-0 win against Birmingham City via iFollow with her brother, Stanley Jr.

“I just hope the Pool survive,” she said, speaking before their relegation was confirmed on Friday night.

“I went to the QPR game at Loftus Road earlier in the season because we live near London and they were great that night. Since then they’ve had terrible luck. Everything has gone wrong.

“They’ve had terrible injuries, they hit the post or a goal is given offside, it just seems to be one of those seasons. But they deserve to stay up because the owner Simon Sadler is a great man, a Blackpool man. Look where he’s got himself to.”