The Seaham miner who refereed an FA Cup Final between Sheffield United and Arsenal at Wembley

Imagine it. You are working as a miner down the pit at Seaham.

Then you get a message to say you're going to referee an FA Cup Final.

Harry got the Wembley call

It really happened in 1936 when Seaham pit worker Harry Nattrass got the news that he was going to be the man in the middle at Wembley.

Mr Nattrass, of Corbett Street, New Seaham, had worked at the Londonderry pit for 25 years when he officiated at the biggest match in the English calendar.

Here he is being congratulated by his colleagues after being chosen for the match between Sheffield United and Arsenal.

The game went smoothly and Ted Drake won it for Arsenal with a late winner.

A scout and 14 years as a referee

But Harry's claim to fame did not end there. He later became a scout for Newcastle United.

Harry, who was born in Seaham, combined his job at the pit with a career as a prominent Football League referee from 1933 until 1947.

He spent the Second World War as a match official in “friendly” games.

He officiated at Ibrox in 1936

But perhaps his most famous match was a 2-0 victory by Scotland over Germany on October 14, 1936, which was held at Ibrox, the home of Glasgow Rangers FC.

It was quite the year for highlights.

Sunderland won the League and then went on to beat the FA Cup winners Arsenal 2-1 in the Charity Shield.

Two hundred men joined the Jarrow March to London in protest over unemployment and poverty.

The Spitfire got its first test flight.

Billy Butlin opened his first holiday camp at Skegness.

And King George V died aged 70.

Tell us about a year in Wearside history which you would like us to spotlight, by emailing [email protected]