A 9ct. gold 1897 F.A. Amateur Cup winner's medal, by Vaughton & Sons, Birmingham, 1896-97, the obverse inscribed THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AMATEUR CUP,

A 9ct. gold 1897 F.A. Amateur Cup winner's medal, by Vaughton & Sons, Birmingham, 1896-97, the obverse inscribed THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AMATEUR CUP, the reverse inscribed WINNERS Although the medal in uninscribed with the details of the winners, the Birmingham Assay Office date letter on the medal ran from June 1896 to June 1897. This therefore informs us that the medal must have been presented to the winning team in season 1896-97, namely Old Carthusians FC who beat Stockton 4-1 in a replay at Feethams Football Ground in Darlington. The final at Tufnell Park in London had ended as a 1-1 draw after extra-time. This was Old Carthusians second success in the F.A. Amateur Cup, having won the trophy in its inaugural season of 1893-94. It would also prove their final winning appearance. The club, whose players consisted of former pupils of Charterhouse School, had also won the F.A. Cup in 1881. Nine Old Carthusians were also capped for England at full international level including the Walters brothers, Arthur Melmoth and Percy Melmoth who for obvious reasons were nicknamed ''morning'' and ''afternoon''.