IT is considered by some to be the finest game ever played at Bootham Crescent.

Six decades on, the efforts of York City’s ‘Happy Wanderers’ in the FA Cup remain among the club’s most celebrated moments and none were more breathtaking, and surprising, than the magnificent 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round.

Played 60 years ago this weekend, an all-ticket crowd of 21,000 watched the Minstermen take on the likes of future England manager Alf Ramsey.

What made the win all the more impressive was that York, then of the Third Division North, fell behind to their illustrious opponents through George Robb’s 11th-minute close-range goal.

But City would outplay Spurs for long periods. They equalised through Norman Wilkinson in the 29th minute and were soon in front through Billy Fenton.Wilkinson ensured victory with ten minutes remaining - steering Fenton’s cross home - and stunned Spurs legend Danny Blanchflower could only remark: “York’s standard of play left us speechless”.

Yorkshire Evening Press City correspondent Wilf Meek, who covered the club from 1922 to 1968, witnessed the upset and, here, we reproduce his analysis report which was carried in the paper on the Monday after the game - as the intrepid reporter was covering trainer Tom Lockie’s side at Stockport County.

THOUSANDS of soccer supporters, the whole of the national press and radio commentators have at last acclaimed York City’s amazing FA Cup progress.

It is as if a finely balanced and clever team had suddenly sprung up at Bootham Crescent headquarters.

And keeping things in their proper perspective, this sudden realisation is all wrong.

This York City team, man for man, has been there all the season, producing soccer of a brand the local public has never had before, and with a few of us trying to hammer that home week by week.

Not so effectively, one assumes, seeing that ‘gates’ have seldom touched 10,000 though the weather has had a bit to do with that.

I have derived the utmost personal satisfaction from reading this belated discovery, for it is wholesale justification for the opinion I expressed last August.

“This new look City team is going places this season” was what I wrote after Wrexham, and I did get criticised and even ridiculed!

So you can appreciate why a few of us associated with the club have had a quiet chuckle at the weekend.

It has taken the spectacular cup feats to give the necessary spark to the widespread acclamation of the team.

The Blackpool feat was hailed as a big one, but probably there were a few who thought it was just one of those occasional performances which a Third Division club brings off against exalted opponents.

York Press:

IN FRONT: Billy Fenton guides the Minstermen into the lead

Now 21,000 spectators, most of them from York and district, have seen a demonstration of superb soccer against one of the finest teams in the country, and they saw the Spurs eclipsed in the same way as Blackpool.

Will they ever forget the confident copy book way the York inside forwards carved out those combined movements which so adroitly brought first Fenton into the game with his great speed to ruffle (Alf) Ramsey, and then Hughes, with his inimitable dribbling, so baffling that (Mel) Hopkins never knew whether he was going on the outside or the inside.

Billy Hughes is the nearest approach to a pocket edition of the Stanley Matthews pattern I have seen in this season’s football.

Ball never far from his feet and a body swerve which deceived Hopkins.

The great secret of this forward line is that everyone is a ball player.

Norman Wilkinson, only 22, and in his first season of League football is coming on leaps and bounds.

Note the perfection with which he and (Arthur) Bottom have developed the double spearhead attacking idea, so that a centre-half never quite knows who is playing centre-forward.

Forty-two goals between them is the haul All this attacking football, so brilliantly executed against Spurs, would be useless without a half-back line to dovetail into the pattern.

The policy throws extra work on the wing halves and the backs and how well (Gordon) Brown and (Ron) Spence have done their job.

As often as not, they make a six or seven pronged attack. This season is a great reward for such long service players as Spence, (Syd) Storey and (Alan) Stewart, a trio of fine club men who have never spared themselves.

I have yet to see Stewart shirk a tackle or safeguard himself at the expense of his team. I doubt if (Stan) Mortensen and (Len) Duquemin have ever been so doggedly mastered as Stewart mastered them.

Generalship and experience spring from the backs, where skipper Ernie Phillips and George Howe consider it a crime to waste a ball.

They would rather push it across goal to one another or put it back 40 yards to (Tommy) Forgan than kick aimlessly to an opponent.

Forgan, brilliant successor in the wake of some fine goalkeepers, is similarly precise with his clearances.

I gathered Spurs were staggered when City, with a 2-1 lead and sub - ject to Tottenham’s do-or-die effort, did not pursue time-wasting tactics but went on playing as if confident they could add to their lead.

I think it had a great psychological advantage and shook Spurs.

York Press:

HEROES: the Happy Wanderers, left, back row from left, Norman Wilkinson, Gordon Brown, Tommy Forgan, Alan Stewart, Ron Spence, George Howe and trainer Tom Lockie; front, Billy Hughes, Arthur Bottom, captain Ernie Phillips, Syd Storey and Billy Fenton

Well there it is. The great record of 1938 is equalled. “Giant killing magnificent. Heartiest congratulations” telegraphed Sir Harry Hylton-Foster, York’s MP, after the match.

Among a spate of good wishes were telegrams from York Rugby League Club and the clubs beaten by City in the Cup, not forgetting little Dorchester.

How the secretary of the Dorset club must be preening himself for his widely quoted observations after City’s visit: “I pity any First Division team who meet these Continental Yorkshiremen!”

Well Blackpool and Spurs now know it was not said lightheartedly.

After the match on Saturday, as players tumbled out of the bath to have cuts and bruises attended to, it was hinted that one or two might justifiably be rested from today’s re-arranged game at Stockport.

“But we all want to play,” came back the chorus, and so the Cup team left for Stockport this morning.

They were up at Bootham Crescent being plastered and patched up - great enthusiasm and team spirit characteristic of the best football playing side I have seen in the Northern Section in 26 years.”

Were you, or any of your relatives, at the game? Leave your memories below in the comments section.