1914–15 FA Cup

October 2020 1914–15 FA Cup EnglandWales Sheffield United 3 Chelsea 1913–14 1919–20 The 1914–15 FA Cup was the 44th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup), and the last to be held before the cancellation of all football competitions due to World War I. Sheffield United won the competition for the third time, beating Chelsea 3–0 in the final at Old Trafford, Manchester. 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 The format of the FA Cup for the season had two preliminary rounds, six qualifying rounds, four proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final. Round Date Extra preliminary round Saturday 12 September 1914 Preliminary round Saturday 26 September 1914 First round qualifying Saturday 10 October 1914 Second round qualifying Saturday 24 October 1914 Third round qualifying Saturday 7 November 1914 Fourth round qualifying Saturday 21 November 1914 Fifth round qualifying Saturday 5 December 1914 Sixth round qualifying Saturday 19 December 1914 First round proper Saturday 9 January 1915 Second round proper Saturday 30 January 1915 Third round proper Saturday 20 February 1915 Fourth round proper Saturday 6 March 1915 Semi-finals Saturday 27 March 1915 Final Saturday 24 April 1915 Qualifying rounds Despite the Football Association re-introducing a sixth qualifying round in this season's competition, the early stages of the tournament were decimated by withdrawals and forfeits caused by wartime travel restrictions and the significant loss of playing personnel to front lines in Europe. In the final wash-up, more than 90 ties across the extra preliminary, preliminary and first qualifying rounds were not contested and recorded as walkovers or forfeits. Ultimately, the 12 winning teams from the sixth qualifying round were Nottingham Forest, Glossop and Lincoln City from the Football League Second Division, along with non-league sides Swansea Town, Bristol Rovers, Rochdale, Croydon Common, Merthyr Town, South Shields, Luton Town, Goole Town and Darlington. Goole Town was appearing in the competition proper for the first time, while Nottingham Forest was required to participate in the qualifying rounds for the first time. Glossop was competing as a Football League team for the last time, being voted out of the Second Division at the end of the season, while Croydon Common would be the only club from the Football League or the Southern League First Division to be wound up before the resumption of full competitive football in 1919. A former Football League member in Walsall was the most successful club from the extra preliminary round, defeating Willenhall Pickwick, Cannock Town, Hednesford Town, Cradley Heath St Luke's, Stoke and Wrexham before going out to Shrewsbury Town in the fifth qualifying round. First round proper 36 of the 40 clubs from the First and Second divisions joined the 12 clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. The other four sides, Lincoln City, Nottingham Forest, Glossop and Leicester Fosse were entered in the sixth qualifying round, with only Leicester going out at that stage after losing to Swansea Town. Sixteen Southern League sides were given byes to the First Round to bring the total number of teams up to 64. These were: SouthamptonMillwallQueens Park RangersCrystal PalaceSwindon TownPlymouth ArgyleReadingPortsmouthGillinghamCardiff CityNorwich CityExeter CityNorthampton TownSouthend UnitedWest Ham UnitedBrighton & Hove Albion 32 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 9 January 1915. Six matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Birmingham2–2Crystal Palace9 January 1915ReplayBirmingham3–0Crystal Palace13 January 19152Blackpool1–2Sheffield United9 January 19153Darlington0–1Bradford City9 January 19154Bristol City2–0Cardiff City9 January 19155Burnley3–1Huddersfield Town9 January 19156Bury1–1Plymouth Argyle9 January 1915ReplayPlymouth Argyle1–2Bury13 January 19157Liverpool3–0Stockport County9 January 19158Preston North End0–0Manchester City9 January 1915ReplayManchester City3–0Preston North End13 January 19159Rochdale2–0Gillingham9 January 191510South Shields1–2Fulham9 January 191511Southampton3–0Luton Town9 January 191512Reading0–1Wolverhampton Wanderers9 January 191513Nottingham Forest1–4Norwich City9 January 191514Aston Villa2–0Exeter City9 January 191515The Wednesday1–0Manchester United9 January 191516Bolton Wanderers2–1Notts County9 January 191517Grimsby Town0–3Northampton Town9 January 191518Middlesbrough9–3Goole Town9 January 191519Derby County1–2Leeds City9 January 191520Everton3–0Barnsley9 January 191521Tottenham Hotspur2–1Sunderland9 January 191522Queens Park Rangers2–1Glossop9 January 191523Bristol Rovers0–0Southend United16 January 1915ReplaySouthend United3–0Bristol Rovers23 January 191524West Ham United2–2Newcastle United9 January 1915ReplayNewcastle United3–2West Ham United13 January 191525Brighton & Hove Albion2–1Lincoln City9 January 191526Millwall2–1Clapton Orient9 January 191527Hull City1–0West Bromwich Albion9 January 191528Chelsea1–1Swindon Town9 January 1915ReplayChelsea5–2Swindon Town13 January 191529Croydon Common0–3Oldham Athletic9 January 191530Bradford Park Avenue1–0Portsmouth9 January 191531Swansea Town1–0Blackburn Rovers9 January 191532Arsenal3–0Merthyr Town9 January 1915 Second round proper The 16 Second Round matches were played on Saturday, 30 January 1915. Three matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following weekend fixture. One of these was again drawn, and a second replay was played, again at the following Saturday. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Burnley6–0Southend United30 January 19152Bury0–1Bradford Park Avenue30 January 19153The Wednesday2–0Wolverhampton Wanderers30 January 19154Bolton Wanderers0–0Millwall30 January 1915ReplayMillwall2–2Bolton Wanderers6 February 1915ReplayBolton Wanderers4–1Millwall13 February 19155Everton4–0Bristol City30 January 19156Sheffield United1–0Liverpool30 January 19157Newcastle United1–1Swansea Town30 January 1915ReplaySwansea Town0–2Newcastle United6 February 19158Manchester City1–0Aston Villa30 January 19159Queens Park Rangers1–0Leeds City30 January 191510Fulham2–3Southampton30 January 191511Brighton & Hove Albion0–0Birmingham30 January 1915ReplayBirmingham3–0Brighton & Hove Albion6 February 191512Norwich City3–2Tottenham Hotspur30 January 191513Bradford City1–0Middlesbrough30 January 191514Hull City2–1Northampton Town30 January 191515Oldham Athletic3–0Rochdale30 January 191516Chelsea1–0Arsenal30 January 1915 Third round proper The eight Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 20 February 1915. There were two replays, played the following week, of which one went to a second replay in the following midweek fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Birmingham2–3Oldham Athletic20 February 19152Southampton2–2Hull City20 February 1915ReplayHull City4–0Southampton27 February 19153The Wednesday1–2Newcastle United20 February 19154Bolton Wanderers2–1Burnley20 February 19155Sheffield United1–0Bradford Park Avenue20 February 19156Manchester City1–2Chelsea20 February 19157Queens Park Rangers1–2Everton20 February 19158Bradford City1–1Norwich City20 February 1915ReplayNorwich City0–0Bradford City27 February 1915ReplayBradford City2–0Norwich City3 March 1915 Fourth round proper The four Fourth round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 6 March 1915. There were two replays, played a week later. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Bolton Wanderers4–2Hull City6 March 19152Bradford City0–2Everton6 March 19153Oldham Athletic0–0Sheffield United6 March 1915ReplaySheffield United3–0Oldham Athletic13 March 19154Chelsea1–1Newcastle United6 March 1915ReplayNewcastle United0–1Chelsea13 March 1915 Semi-finals The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 27 March 1915. Sheffield United and Chelsea won and went on to meet in the final. 27 March 1915 15:00 Sheffield United 2–1 Bolton Wanderers Ewood Park, Blackburn 27 March 1915 15:00 Chelsea 2–0 Everton Halse, Croal Villa Park, Birmingham 20,000 H H Taylor (Altrincham) Final 1915 FA Cup Final The final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War. The match was moved from its pre-war location of Crystal Palace in south London to Old Trafford in Manchester to avoid disruption to travel in and around London. Match details 24 April 1915 15:00 BST Sheffield United 3–0 Chelsea Simmons 36Fazackerley 84Kitchen 88 Old Trafford, Manchester 49,557 H. H. Taylor _white_stripes _whitestripes _white_stripes _3_stripes_red FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 000000 000000 Sheffield United _2lightbluestripes_2 44bbff 44bbff 44bbff FFFFFF 002288 Chelsea See also FA Cup Final Results 1872- References General Official site; fixtures and results service at TheFA.com 1914-15 FA Cup at rsssf.com 1914-15 FA Cup at soccerbase.com Specific 1914–15 Category:1914–15 in English men's football cups