Treasure trove of referee at controversial Busby Babes FA Cup final up at Scarborough auction

The 1957 Wembley final saw Aston Villa facing league champions Manchester United, known as the Busby Babes, the youngest team ever to have played in a cup final.

United were the hot favourites to win the game and complete a league and cup double but everything changed in the sixth minute when Villa forward Peter McParland attempted to shoulder charge United goalkeeper Ray Wood, who had the ball in his arms.

There was a shocking collision, Wood was knocked unconscious and was stretchered off with a broken cheekbone.

In a decision that still causes heated argument, ref Coultas opted not to send McParland off.

The result was that just minutes into the game United were down to ten men (no subs in those days), centre half Jackie Blanchflower had to take over in goal and although Wood did come back on as an outfield player he was pretty much a passenger as Villa won 2-1 - with both Villa goals scored by McParland!

Dominic Cox of auctioneers David Duggleby said: “They were very different times of course.

"In those days players were allowed to shoulder charge goalkeepers.

"The famous BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme described it as ‘a fair challenge’.

"Frank Coultas said of the incident that it was not a malicious foul.

“McParland had just been ‘a bit too enthusiastic in playing the traditional British game of getting stuck in’.

“McParland was booed every time he touched the ball for the rest of the game, found a pile of hate mail waiting for him when he reported for training at the start of the next season and was given security when Villa played United in the Charity Shield at Old Trafford.

"United won that game 4-0.”

Several photographs of the incident taken by press cameramen are among the items in the Frank Coultas collection that is to go under the hammer in a Tokens, Medallions & Paranumismatica Sale at the David Duggleby Saleroom in Scarborough on Friday September 27.

“It is a remarkable collection, a unique collection, that includes Frank’s 1957 FA Cup gold medal and the kit that he wore that afternoon as well as photographs, programmes and ephemera relating to the game and the traditional eve of final reception staged by the London Referees’ Association,” added Mr Cox.

“The collection includes other memorabilia from Frank’s refereeing career that started in 1934 and lasted a quarter of a century, the final eight years of which were at the highest level.”

The Coultas collection, which has remained in the family until now, is being sold as a single lot that has a pre-sale estimate of £2,500 to £3,500.

Other sporting lots in the auction include gold medallions for Northern Rugby League

(1920s), Hull Bicycle Club (Victorian), Bridlington Billiard League (1927), fishing and snooker,

plus a large collection of tokens, checks and coins of Yorkshire interest.

Viewing is taking place at Duggleby’s Vine Street Salerooms in Scarborough throughout the week including September 27 from 9am until the start of the auction at 2pm.

Visit www.davidduggleby.com to view the catalogue.