How a Welsh team missed English title by a whisker

Three years after just missing out on the First Division, Cardiff City beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final

Cardiff City’s FA Cup victory in 1927 remains the finest moment in the club’s history, marking the first – and to date only – time the trophy has left England.

But three years earlier, they came agonisingly close to becoming the first Welsh side to win English football's top prize.

On the last day of the 1923/24 season, they needed a win – but a 0-0 draw, coupled with victory for nearest rivals Huddersfield, meant the Bluebirds lost out by 0.024 of a goal

More than that, their all-time top scorer missed a penalty, and they would have clinched the title if modern-day goal difference had been used.

It was exactly 100 years ago, on 3 May 1924, when Cardiff had their nearly moment.

“They were in the race for the title all season, that season,” said Neil Jensen, author of The Great Uncrowned.

“They had a bit of a blip, in that they didn’t have the same dynamism in the closing months, probably down to the fact they had a small squad, and tiredness kicked in.”

Cardiff were competing against Huddersfield Town, managed by Herbert Chapman, whose success with the west Yorkshire side, and later Arsenal, saw him lauded as one of the most influential managers of the time.

With one game to play, the Bluebirds led the Terriers by a single point.

“The difference was incredibly tight,” he said. “Huddersfield had to win 3-0, and Cardiff had to fail to win – which was how it turned out.”

In a tight, nervous game against Birmingham, Cardiff could have clinched it with a first-half penalty.

Len Davies, who went on to be the club's record scorer with 128 goals, stepped up… and hit it right at the keeper.

“It was the first time he had taken a penalty in a match,” said Terry Phillips, Cardiff City’s club historian.

“There was 70 minutes gone in the game, and Len put the ball down and took it, but, in (captain) Fred Keenor’s words, “he muffed his shot”.

Terry Phillips says if today's rules applied, Cardiff would have won the title, as both teams were on +27 goals, and City had scored more

Meanwhile Huddersfield beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 and became champions.

“If you settled it on goal difference, as they would now, they would have both been on +27, and Cardiff would have won it on goals scored: 61 goals to Huddersfield’s 60.”

“They would have been champions, but for 0.024 of a goal. Incredible.”

The result remains the narrowest margin of victory ever recorded in the top tier of English football. It was also the first time the title had been decided by goal average.

What was goal average?

From 1888, when the Football League was formed, until 1976, goal average was used to separate teams finishing on the same number of points.

It was calculated by taking the number goals scored, and dividing by the number of goals conceded.

It helped to encourage teams to play more defensive football, as clean sheets were a significant factor towards getting a higher average.

It was abolished in 1976, and replaced with goal difference – the difference between the number of goals scored for and against a team - a system that is still used today.

But Cardiff were not the only side to miss out like this, with both Arsenal and Manchester United winning league titles thanks to the rule in subsequent decades.

Neil Jensen says crowds of people met the team after the game

Despite the loss, Cardiff were amazed by the reception they had back home.

“They came back by train from Birmingham, and got back to Cardiff at 10.25 in the evening… and there were thousands of people there to welcome them home,” said Mr Jensen.

“Len Davies tried to sneak out and avoid the crowds, but he was picked up and lifted by the crowd out of the station.”

Three years later Cardiff had revenge - of sorts - when they won the FA Cup against Arsenal, by then managed by Herbert Chapman.

“History, for a club, any club, it is very important” said Erol Bulut, Cardiff’s current manager.

“I know what a big history Cardiff City have. To be in this history is important, but maybe in another 100 years’ time, they can also talk about our term, what we had.”

“It is important though to always have these positive things in our history – it is good for us, good for the manager, good for the football players.”

In the century since, Cardiff have had their fair share of highs and lows.

But for one goal in 1924, that history might look a lot different today.