Arsenal v Darwen
F.A. Cup Third Round 1932.

The photo above shows the homecoming of the Darwen party after the game with Arsenal "Beaten but still Smiling".
Arsenal v Darwen FA cup third round 1932:
There was great excitement in the town in 1932 when the news that Darwen had been drawn away against Arsenal Football Club in the FA cup 3rd round.
The two clubs were no strangers to each other for some 30 years earlier the two had met in a FA cup match at the Anchor in 1902 when Darwen had completely dominated the game only to lose 0-2. (It was the only game they lost that season)
They had also faced each other for several seasons in the Football League Division 2 in the 1890's, but now some 30 years on the gulf between the two clubs was enormous, Darwen had left Barley Bank and moved to the Anchor playing in the Lancashire Combination, whilst Arsenal had also moved home - from Plumstead in South London to the heavily populated borough of Islington in North London and gone on to become one of the countries great clubs.
In 1902 the two clubs had been evenly matched but in 1932 the gulf between the two was such that the national press dubbed the game a "David and Goliath" encounter, and with Arsenal fielding 8 full internationals it is easy to see why!
In the end Darwens FA cup third round game with Arsenal in 1932 finished as most of the David and Goliath battles do with the slaughter of the weaker, thus Darwen were beaten 11-1.
Arsenal were physically fitter, yards faster on the ball, and as hard as they tried Darwen were always chasing shadows. The goals came thick and fast as follows: (1) Hulme 5th min. (2) Jack 8th min. (3) Lambert 15th min. (4) Lambert 22nd min. (5) Bastin 25th min (6) Bastin 38th min. (7) Jack 41st min. (8) Bastin 42nd min. Eight nil at half time. In the second half Darwen put up quite a good show with Robinson Quigley and Shaw showing touches of class that had the Arsenal crowd applauding the Darreners.
Darwen did score in the second half (76th min.) and it was by no means a gift, but as good a goal as any in the game, Dale latched onto a through ball from Slater and stabbed the ball past Arsenal keeper Moss to the biggest cheer of the day.The other goals for Arsenal in the second half were: (9) Jack 50th min. (10) Bastin 60th min. (11) Hulme 85th min.
The Darwen team were cheered off the field by the large Highbury crowd of 37,486, and even beaten the Darwen team were in good spirits as captain Pat Quigley said after the game "at least everybody will remember the game" with a smile! (It is still their biggest ever win at Highbury and Arsenals all time record FA cup win).
Amongst the crowd that day were ex-players William Marsden and Jack Whitley from Darwens Football League days, ex-manager and player Joe Smith who had left his post at Reading that day to cheer on the Darreners, plus hundreds of townsfolk who had made the journey to London to cheer the lads on.
Darwen Football Club had been made most welcome by everybody at Arsenal and the party certainly had a fine old time whilst in London. On the morning of the game Sir Herbert Samuel MP for Darwen and the then Home Secretary invited the party to a tour of the houses of Parliament. After the game at Sir Herberts invitation the party dined at the Strand, and made their way later to see Gracie Fields who was appearing at the Winter Gardens Theatre in the show "walk this way". She greeted the Darwen party from the stage to rousing applause.
The Darwen party arrived back home the following morning (Sunday) to an enthusiastic welcome, The team was cheered all the way from Spring vale by people standing alongside the rail track. At Darwen station the players and officials were greeted by a large gathering on the platform and outside thousands waited to greet the team "home". The team was mobbed as they made their way to the garage of Darwen chairman Harry Harwood for a special reception, not even Royalty visiting the town had experienced such a welcome wrote the local newspaper.
The players eventually escaped from the crowd through a back entrance, and all were in the best of spirits, "but then no-body mentioned the game" the chairman said later!
 

Acknowledgements for the history and images in this section to: Darwen RBL -- who originally published this page in 2002. History source: Blackburn with Darwen Library
Photo source: Blackburn with Darwen Library