1965 FA Cup Final the final in 1914, when they lost 1–0 to Burnley and in 1950, when they were beaten 2–0 by Arsenal. Leeds were appearing in their first final, the furthest they had reached before was the quarter-finals of the 1949–50 FA Cup, when they lost to Arsenal. The two previous meetings between the teams during the season resulted in a win each. Leeds won the first match 4–2 in August, at Elland Road. The return fixture at Anfield was won 2–1 by Liverpool. Liverpool played Wolverhampton Wanderers a week before the final in their last match of the 1964–65 Football League
1931 FA Cup Final first meeting of the two teams in the competition was in the 1885–86 semi-final, which was the furthest that Birmingham had progressed prior to their first FA Cup final in 1931. Neither club had played a match at Wembley before, though Albion had experienced success in the FA Cup, having appeared in the final on six previous occasions and having won the cup twice, in 1888 and 1892. The two goalkeepers for the 1931 final, Harold Pearson and Harry Hibbs, were cousins. Pearson's father and Hibbs' uncle, Hubert Pearson, had kept goal for Albion during their last appearance in the