Spireites retro: The 1950 run to the fifth round and a controversial selection

Reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1950 equalled Chesterfield’s best run until the 1996-7 semi-final season.

All cup runs start somewhere; the 1949-50 one began with a 3-1 home victory over Yeovil Town which, as Chesterfield were in Division Two at the time, was a third round tie.

In the photo, the young Spireite centre-forward Bobby Raine launches into a challenge on the Yeovil keeper that has the appearance of being filed under ‘enthusiastic’ rather than ‘accurate.’

Still, no damage was done. Raine was a controversial selection for a problem position; three others had been tried there that season, without any one claiming the spot, and the youngster couldn’t even claim to be the regular attacking pivot for the club’s A team.

He acquitted himself well enough, however, and the club saw off the team that had famously beaten Sunderland a year earlier, and fancied their chances at Saltergate.

Chesterfield advanced to beat Middlesbrough in round four before falling to Chelsea after a Stamford Bridge replay.

As ever, the true value of an FA Cup run to the Chesterfield Football Club came in the counting of the coin, and a shade over 140,000 fans paid for admission to the club’s four matches that season.