After defeating Charlton Athletic 4-1 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley in April 1946, the Rams began the defence of their trophy with a third-round tie away to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic on 11 January 1947. The holders took the lead in the first minute with a freak goal. From the touchline near the halfway line, Derby’s outside-left Tim Ward struck the ball long down the middle towards Angus Morrison, but it bounced high, sailed over the head of Bournemouth’s stranded goalkeeper Bird, and rolled into the net. Raich Carter added a second for the Rams a few minutes later, sealing Derby’s path to the fourth round, where they were drawn away to Chelsea on 25 January.

The Rams earned a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, Carter scoring a last-minute equaliser to force a replay at the Baseball Ground four days later. The FA Cup has thrown up countless dramatic moments over the decades, and what was about to unfold in that replay surely ranks among Derby County’s finest.

After five minutes, Rams goalkeeper Alick Grant – signed from Leicester City in November to replace the injured Vic Woodley – fell heavily and was stretchered off with a dislocated elbow. Grant’s elbow was reset on the touchline, and 20 minutes later he returned to the pitch, swapping places with regular outside-left Frank Broome, who went in goal for the remainder of the game. Despite the setback, Leon Leuty and the rest of the Derby defence held so firm that Broome was rarely tested, other than a full-length save from a Tommy Lawton header near the end of normal time, as the game remained goalless. Chelsea appealed that the ball had crossed the line, but the referee waved play on.

As the match went into extra time, Derby’s number one played an unlikely role in the winning goal. Nine minutes in, Grant swung the ball across to Reg Harrison, who flicked it into the middle for Jackie Stamps to lob it over Harry Medhurst’s head and into the Chelsea net. The Rams held on to progress to round five, where they were drawn away to Liverpool – and it was there that their cup defence ended, beaten 1-0 at Anfield.

The official programme from the fourth-round replay against Chelsea is a typical eight-page issue of the period, filled mainly with adverts for local businesses. Interestingly, the programme notes mention that when Frank Broome signed from Aston Villa, the Rams were told he could play in any position in the forward line – a versatility that would prove so useful in that dramatic replay. The article goes on to state: “We would suggest a versatile player is very much appreciated by any Club, irrespective of the old saying that a good player can play anywhere.”

Alick Grant made 15 appearances during his spell at Derby – 14 of them between November 1946 and February 1947, plus a further outing on the opening day of the 1947/48 season, a 0-0 draw against Huddersfield Town at the Baseball Ground. Grant left the Rams for Newport County in October 1948, but he surely leaves behind a unique legacy as the only Derby County goalkeeper to have contributed to a winning goal in an FA Cup tie while playing out of position on the wing.