DESPITE snow, prospects of a full programme of FA Cup fifth-round ties that afternoon were bright, according to the Daily Worker of Saturday February 14 1953.

The ref for the Halifax v Tottenham match had inspected the pitch at the Shay the day before and said play was almost certain, while an army of 50 had cleared snow from the ground at Turf Moor for the Burnley v Arsenal tie and similar steps would be taken at Luton, at home to Bolton, in the morning.

There was none of today’s exhaustive — or exhausting — TV coverage: the BBC was offering an hour of rugby union on the Home Service, while football — just the second half, mind — was consigned to the Light Programme. The sole TV channel was running coverage of motorbike trials. So you had to go to a match to take in a game — and kick-off was at 3pm, not any daft early or late starts.

The Worker’s John Dixon starts his preview, entitled “Arsenal inside men can win tie,” with a look at the Burnley game, which he declares the tie of the round — and sets out the team line-ups, something that seems extraordinary to the modern reader. Can you imagine Mikel Arteta or Vincent Kompany handing their opposing coach such precious information so long before a match?

Second up is Halifax v Spurs, “another intriguing game,” with the Yorkshire Third Division North side already having seen off top-flight opponents Cardiff and Stoke in previous rounds and Tottenham having just endured a 4-0 drubbing at Arsenal’s Highbury ground the previous week.

Rotherham v Aston Villa could go either way, Dixon hedges; nor is he certain Bolton’s stars can overcome Luton. 

But he’s almost certain about one tie and, with the mileage and transport involved, he’s not out on a limb with his prediction that second-tier Plymouth’s home advantage might prove crucial in their game with Third Division North side Gateshead. Wrong, though: Argyle went down 0-1 to the north-easterners.

Dixon definitely gets one right, though: “There is little chance of Southampton winning at Blackpool, where the Seasiders are showing their best form since the opening of the season.” That good form was to continue, in the cup at least, all the way till May, when the two Stans, Mathews and Mortensen, and company overcame Bolton in this year’s celebrated Wembley final.

You can read editions of the Daily Worker (1930-45) and Morning Star (200­0-today), online at mstar.link/DWMSarchive.

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