While the City goals were scored by Joe Hayes, Jack Dyson and Bobby Johnstone, the match will forever be remembered for goalkeeper Bert Trautmann’s role.
In front of an estimated 100,000 at the national stadium, Trautmann played the final 17 minutes of the game with a broken bone in his neck.
Diving at the feet of Birmingham striker Peter Murphy, Trautmann received a hefty blow and received extensive treatment on the pitch. With no substitutes allowed, the goalkeeper elected to play on rather than leave his side down to ten men.
Although in great pain, he kept out Birmingham twice in the closing stages to seal the trophy and collect his winners’ medal.
The incident, and Trautmann’s extraordinary life as a prisoner-of-war before his glittering football career, have become the subject of numerous books and films in the years that have followed.
This success came hot off the heels of the 1955 defeat to Newcastle United and was our fourth major honour after a First Division title in 1937.
City had defeated Blackpool, Southend United, Liverpool, Everton and Spurs to make Wembley, with Birmingham getting past Torquay United, Leyton Orient, West Brom, Arsenal and Sunderland.
Watch the classic highlights in the video player above.
