1950-51 FA Cup

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1950–51 FA Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Wales
Final positions
ChampionsNewcastle United (4th title)
Runners-upBlackpool

The 1950–51 FA Cup was the 70th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Newcastle United won the competition for the fourth time, beating Blackpool 2–0 in the final at Wembley, London.

Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If the replayed match was drawn further replays would be held at neutral venues until a winner was determined. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played.

Calendar

RoundDate
Extra preliminary roundSaturday 2 September 1950
Preliminary roundSaturday 16 September 1950
First round qualifyingSaturday 30 September 1950
Second round qualifyingSaturday 14 October 1950
Third round qualifyingSaturday 28 October 1950
Fourth round qualifyingSaturday 11 November 1950
First round properSaturday 25 November 1950
Second round properSaturday 9 December 1950
Third round properSaturday 6 January 1951
Fourth round properSaturday 27 January 1951
Fifth round properSaturday 10 February 1951
Sixth round properSaturday 24 February 1951
Semi-finalsSaturday 10 March 1951
FinalSaturday 28 April 1951

Qualifying rounds

Most teams that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 25 places available in the first round. This season, newly-elected Third Division clubs Colchester United, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United and Shrewsbury Town were also entered in the qualifying rounds, although Shrewsbury Town had to forfeit their preliminary round match against Oswestry Town as it clashed with a League fixture against York City. Colchester and Scunthorpe were entered in the fourth qualifying round, and were (as of 2026) the last Football League clubs to compete in FA Cup qualifying round fixtures.

The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were Ashington, North Shields, Bishop Auckland, Scarborough, Cleator Moor Celtic, Nelson, Witton Albion, Rhyl, Bromsgrove Rovers, Hereford United, Linby Colliery, Worcester City, Gainsborough Trinity, Dartford, Tooting & Mitcham United, Guildford City, Walthamstow Avenue, Tonbridge, Chelmsford City, Bromley, Glastonbury, Cheltenham Town, Llanelli, Gloucester City and Colchester United.

Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Cleator Moor Celtic, Linby Colliery, Tonbridge and Glastonbury. Of the others, Nelson had not featured at this stage since 1932–33, Ashington since 1929-30, Worcester City since 1928-29 and Llanelli since 1923-24. With the FA tightening Cup entry requirements in the following seasons, it would also be Cleator Moor Celtic's last appearance at any stage of the competition for 38 years.

Linby Colliery was also the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the main draw, defeating Parliament Street Methodists, Retford Town, Shirebrook, Boston United, Spalding United and Nuneaton Borough in order to qualify.

Results

First round proper

At this stage 42 of 48 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 24 non-league clubs and Colchester United who came through the qualifying rounds. Gateshead, Northampton Town and Stockport County were given byes to the third round. The fourth of the new clubs admitted to the League this season, Gillingham entered in this round as did non-league Willington, who were the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.[1]

Matches were played on Saturday, 25 November 1950. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1Chester1–2Bradford Park Avenue25 November 1950
2Darlington2–7Rotherham United25 November 1950
3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1–0Colchester United25 November 1950
4Bristol City4–0Gloucester City25 November 1950
5Rochdale3–1Willington25 November 1950
6Reading3–1Cheltenham Town25 November 1950
7Nottingham Forest6–1Torquay United25 November 1950
8Crewe Alexandra4–0North Shields25 November 1950
9Lincoln City1–1Southport25 November 1950
ReplaySouthport3–2Lincoln City28 November 1950
10Gainsborough Trinity0–3Plymouth Argyle25 November 1950
11Scarborough1–2Rhyl25 November 1950
12Wrexham1–0Accrington Stanley25 November 1950
13Bishop Auckland2–2York City25 November 1950
ReplayYork City2–1Bishop Auckland29 November 1950
14Bristol Rovers1–1Llanelli25 November 1950
ReplayLlanelli1–1Bristol Rovers28 November 1950
2nd replayBristol Rovers3–1Llanelli4 December 1950 [A]
15Norwich City2–0Watford25 November 1950
16Glastonbury1–2Exeter City25 November 1950
17Bradford City2–2Oldham Athletic25 November 1950
ReplayOldham Athletic2–1Bradford City28 November 1950
18Carlisle United2–1Barrow25 November 1950
19Crystal Palace1–4Millwall29 November 1950[B]
20Worcester City1–4Hartlepools United25 November 1950
21Witton Albion1–2Nelson25 November 1950
22Southend United0–3Swindon Town25 November 1950
23Mansfield Town1–0Walthamstow Avenue25 November 1950
24Bromsgrove Rovers1–3Hereford United25 November 1950
25Port Vale3–2New Brighton25 November 1950
26Halifax Town2–3Ashington25 November 1950
27Newport County4–2Walsall25 November 1950
28Cleator Moor Celtic0–5Tranmere Rovers25 November 1950[C]
29Aldershot2–2Bromley25 November 1950
ReplayBromley0–1Aldershot29 November 1950
30Guildford City1–5Dartford25 November 1950
31Tooting & Mitcham United2–3Brighton & Hove Albion25 November 1950
32Chelmsford City2–2Tonbridge25 November 1950
ReplayTonbridge0–1Chelmsford City29 November 1950
33Leyton Orient1–2Ipswich Town25 November 195010,560[2]
34Linby Colliery1–4Gillingham25 November 1950

Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 9 December 1950. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place on the following Wednesday. One second replay was played on Monday, 18 December 1950.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1Ashington1–2Rochdale9 December 1950
2Bristol City2–1Wrexham9 December 1950
3Reading4–0Dartford9 December 1950
4Crewe Alexandra2–2Plymouth Argyle9 December 1950
ReplayPlymouth Argyle3–0Crewe Alexandra13 December 1950
5Bristol Rovers2–2Gillingham9 December 1950
ReplayGillingham1–1Bristol Rovers13 December 1950
2nd replayBristol Rovers2–1Gillingham18 December 1950 [D]
6Brighton & Hove Albion2–0Ipswich Town9 December 195014,411[2]
7Rhyl0–1Norwich City9 December 1950
8Millwall1–1Bradford Park Avenue9 December 1950
ReplayBradford Park Avenue0–1Millwall13 December 1950
9Exeter City3–0Swindon Town9 December 1950
10Hartlepools United1–2Oldham Athletic9 December 1950
11Port Vale3–2Nelson9 December 1950
12Southport1–3Carlisle United9 December 1950
13York City2–1Tranmere Rovers9 December 1950
14Hereford United0–3Newport County9 December 1950
15Rotherham United3–1Nottingham Forest9 December 1950
16Aldershot3–0Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic9 December 1950
17Chelmsford City1–4Mansfield Town9 December 1950

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Gateshead, Northampton Town and Stockport County.

The matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 6 January 1951, though two were postponed until later the same week. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. For the first time since 1924–25, no teams from the qualifying rounds reached this stage (or its pre-1925 equivalent).

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1Bristol City2–1Blackburn Rovers6 January 1951
2Rochdale2–3Chelsea9 January 1951
3Leicester City0–3Preston North End6 January 1951
4Notts County3–4Southampton6 January 1951
5Aston Villa2–0Burnley6 January 1951
6Bolton Wanderers2–0York City6 January 1951
7Grimsby Town3–3Exeter City6 January 1951
ReplayExeter City4–2Grimsby Town10 January 1951
8Sunderland2–0Coventry City6 January 1951
9Derby County2–2West Bromwich Albion6 January 1951
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion0–1Derby County10 January 1951
10Luton Town2–0Portsmouth6 January 1951
11Sheffield United1–0Gateshead6 January 1951
12Stockport County2–1Brentford6 January 1951
13Newcastle United4–1Bury6 January 1951
14Queens Park Rangers3–4Millwall6 January 1951
15Fulham1–0Sheffield Wednesday6 January 1951
16Bristol Rovers5–1Aldershot10 January 1951
17Northampton Town3–1Barnsley6 January 1951
18West Ham United2–1Cardiff City6 January 1951
19Brighton & Hove Albion2–1Chesterfield6 January 1951
20Manchester United4–1Oldham Athletic6 January 1951
21Norwich City3–1Liverpool6 January 1951
22Plymouth Argyle1–2Wolverhampton Wanderers6 January 1951
23Hull City2–0Everton6 January 1951
24Huddersfield Town2–0Tottenham Hotspur6 January 1951
25Mansfield Town2–0Swansea Town6 January 1951
26Newport County3–2Reading6 January 1951
27Charlton Athletic2–2Blackpool6 January 1951
ReplayBlackpool3–0Charlton Athletic10 January 1951
28Arsenal0–0Carlisle United6 January 1951
ReplayCarlisle United1–4Arsenal11 January 1951
29Leeds United1–0Middlesbrough6 January 1951
30Stoke City2–2Port Vale6 January 1951
ReplayPort Vale0–1Stoke City8 January 1951 [E]
31Rotherham United2–1Doncaster Rovers6 January 1951
32Birmingham City2–0Manchester City6 January 195130,057[3]

Fourth round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 27 January 1951. Two matches were drawn, the replays being played on Wednesday, 31 January 1951.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1Blackpool2–1Stockport County27 January 1951
2Bristol City1–0Brighton & Hove Albion27 January 1951
3Preston North End0–2Huddersfield Town27 January 1951
4Wolverhampton Wanderers3–1Aston Villa27 January 1951
5Sunderland2–0Southampton27 January 1951
6Derby County1–3Birmingham City27 January 195137,384[3]
7Luton Town1–2Bristol Rovers27 January 1951
8Sheffield United0–0Mansfield Town27 January 1951
ReplayMansfield Town4–2Sheffield United31 January 1951
9Newcastle United3–2Bolton Wanderers27 January 1951
10Manchester United4–0Leeds United27 January 1951
11Millwall0–1Fulham27 January 1951
12Hull City2–0Rotherham United27 January 1951
13Exeter City1–1Chelsea27 January 1951
ReplayChelsea2–0Exeter City31 January 1951
14Newport County0–2Norwich City27 January 1951
15Arsenal3–2Northampton Town27 January 1951
16Stoke City1–0West Ham United27 January 1951

Fifth round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 10 February 1951. One match was drawn and replayed the following Wednesday.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1Blackpool2–0Mansfield Town10 February 1951
2Wolverhampton Wanderers2–0Huddersfield Town10 February 1951
3Sunderland3–1Norwich City10 February 1951
4Bristol Rovers3–0Hull City10 February 1951
5Manchester United1–0Arsenal10 February 1951
6Chelsea1–1Fulham10 February 1951
ReplayFulham3–0Chelsea14 February 1951
7Stoke City2–4Newcastle United10 February 1951
8Birmingham City2–0Bristol City10 February 195147,831[3]

Sixth round proper

Blackpool1 – 0Fulham
Birmingham City1 – 0Manchester United
Higgins
Attendance: 50,000

Replays

Semi-finals

Blackpool0 – 0Birmingham City
Attendance: 70,000

Replays

Birmingham City1 – 2Blackpool
Smith
Attendance: 70,114

Final

The final took place on Saturday, 28 April 1951 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Newcastle United over Blackpool by 2–0, with both goals scored by Jackie Milburn. The attendance was 100,000.

Newcastle United2 – 0Blackpool
Milburn 50' 55' [4]
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Bill Ling
Newcastle United
Blackpool
 

Notes

A. ^: Match played at Ninian Park, Cardiff.
B. ^: The original tie was abandoned after 34 minutes due to fog, with the score 0–0.
C. ^: Match played at Borough Park, Workington.
D. ^: Match played at White Hart Lane, London.
E. ^: Match played at Victoria Ground, Stoke-on-Trent.

References

General
Specific
  1. [The Guinness Record of the FA Cup https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guinness-Record-FA-Cup/dp/0851125387 Amazon]. Accessed 2009-09-18. Archived 2009-09-21.
  2. 1950-51 Pride of Anglia
  3. Detail for matches involving Birmingham City from Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. "FA Cup Final 1951". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2008-05-16.