THIS all-Lancashire Cup Final was a numbers game which added up to a comprehensive Everton victory.

Over 92,000 were present at the Empire Stadium – with Wembley catering staff bringing in extra orders of pies rather than sandwiches given the culinary preferences of the travelling supporters descending on the capital from the north west.

This was a second FA Cup victory for Everton, who had previously triumphed at the Crystal Palace in 1906.

It was also a first appearance at the Twin Towers for a Merseyside club since the mighty arena was erected a decade previously.

And for the first time in FA Cup Final history – the protagonists wore numbers on the back of their shirts to aid identification.

With both clubs sporting change strips in contrast to their usual blue jerseys, Everton in white wore numbers 1-11 with goalkeeper Ted Sagar at 1 and outside-left Jimmy Stein at 11 – with triumphant skipper and centre-forward William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean therefore becoming the game’s first ‘number nine’ while City, in scarlet, wore 12-22, working backwards with their outside-left Eric Brook at 12 and custodian Len Langford possessing 22.

Everton’s first Wembley success completes a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the club over the past three seasons.

A mere two years after the Goodison Park outfit celebrated the Golden Anniversary of their founding in 1878 with a First Division title in 1927/28 inspired by Dean’s record-breaking 60-goal haul, they were relegated from the top-flight for the first time in their history in 1930.

However, since then they have recovered in fine style with their 1931 Second Division Championship being followed up by the First Division crown in 1932 and now the FA Cup – quite a hat-trick.

On returning to Liverpool, Everton’s victorious players were driven through the city’s streets by Jack Pagenham who had also steered their previous cup-winners on their homecoming 27 years earlier and their ride was on a replica of the coach used in 1906. Having gone into the Final with some indifferent form – netting just twice in the previous seven matches – Everton were installed as underdogs with City 7/4 favourites.

In order to prepare for the match away from the intense spotlight and burden of expectation back on Merseyside, Everton’s players decamped to the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton in the days leading up to the Final.

Secretary Tom McIntosh revealed that the break had been a great tonic for the players, saying: “We have never had such a nice, quiet time as this week at Buxton. You would not have thought it was Cup Final week – just a breather, the weather is perfect.”

Relaxing with a few sprints and some rounds of golf, the brief sabbatical to the edge of the Peak District obviously benefited Everton – perhaps it was something in the water in the famous Buxton springs? – as they dismantled City with ease at Wembley.