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1872–73 FA Cup

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1872–73 FA Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Scotland
Dates19 October 1872 –
29 March 1873
Teams16
Defending championsWanderers
Final positions
ChampionsWanderers (2nd title)
Runner-upOxford University
Tournament statistics
Matches played13
Goals scored35 (2.69 per match)

The 1872–73 Football Association Challenge Cup was the second edition of the annual FA Cup, the oldest national football tournament in the world. Sixteen teams entered, one more than the previous season, although two teams never contested a match. It began on 19–26 October 1872 and ended at the final on 29 March 1873.

Wanderers successfully pursued its second Cup title, on 29 March 1873 in Lillie Bridge[1] having been accorded a bye to the final in keeping with the tournament being a "challenge" cup. They were also for the first and only time in Cup history accorded choice of venue.

Oxford University pursued the Cup defeating in the [#Fourth round|Fourth round]] Maidenhead, 4–0. They were to contest Queen's Park, who had been accorded a bye to the Semi-final in consideration of reducing traveling costs for the team. Queen's Park withdrew giving Oxford University a walkover to the final that they lost, 2–0. Either 3,000 or 150 attended.[2]

The final had the only morning kick off in Cup history and the low attendance was attributed to attendees not staying the entire match as the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race was occurring later the same day.

Format

[edit]
  • First round: Fourteen teams (all except Queen's Park and defending champions Wanderers) played and the seven winners advance.
  • Second round: Six teams played, the winners advancing. One team would get a bye.
  • Third round: The four second-round winners played. The winners advanced.
  • Fourth round: The two third-round winners played. The winners advanced.
  • Semi-final: The winning team from the fourth round would face Queen's Park. (However, this match was not needed as Queen's Park withdrew.)
  • Final: The semi-final winners faced Wanderers, the defending champions.

Calendar

[edit]
Round Date Fixtures Clubs New entries this round
Original Replays Walkovers Byes
First round 19–26 October 1872 7 0 1 2 16 → 9 14
Second round 23 November – 7 December 1872 3 0 0 3 9 → 6 none
Third round 9–21 December 1872 2 0 0 2 6 → 4 none
Fourth round 3 February 1873 1 0 0 2 4 → 3 none
Semi-final none 1 0 1 1 3 → 2 1
Final 29 March 1873 1 0 0 0 2 → 1 1

First round

[edit]
19 October 1872 (1872-10-19) Barnes0–1 South Norwood
26 October 1872 (1872-10-26) Civil Service0–3 Royal Engineers
26 October 1872 (1872-10-26) Maidenhead 1–0Marlow
26 October 1872 (1872-10-26) Reigate Priory2–4 Windsor Home Park
26 October 1872 (1872-10-26) 1st Surrey Rifles2–0 Upton Park
26 October 1872 (1872-10-26) Crystal Palace2–3 Oxford University

Second round

[edit]
23 November 1872 (1872-11-23) Clapham Rovers0–3 Oxford University
7 December 1872 (1872-12-07) 1st Surrey Rifles0–3 Maidenhead
7 December 1872 (1872-12-07) Windsor Home Park 3–0[nb 1]South Norwood
Notes
  1. ^ Originally played 23 November 1872 at South Norwood's ground, South Norwood winning 1–0. The match was ruled as void, and ordered to be replayed.[3]

Third round

[edit]
9 December 1872 (1872-12-09) Oxford University 1–0Royal Engineers
21 December 1872 (1872-12-21) Windsor Home Park0–1 Maidenhead

Fourth round

[edit]
3 February 1873 (1873-02-03) Oxford University 4–0Maidenhead

Semi-final

[edit]

Final

[edit]
Wanderers2–0Oxford University
Report
Attendance: either 3,000 or 150[2]

The final was played at Lillie Bridge, and had a morning kick-off for the only time in Cup history. The attendance was considered low, and of those who did attend, not all stayed for the whole duration of the game. This was attributed to the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race occurring later the same day.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1873.html
  2. ^ a b "Football contest". London Daily Chronicle. 3 April 1873. Retrieved 22 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Results Archive - Emirates FA Cup - Competitions | the Football Association".