1938–39 FA Cup

August 2020 1938–39 FA Cup EnglandWales Portsmouth (1st title) Wolverhampton Wanderers 1937–38 1939–40 The 1938–39 FA Cup was the 64th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Portsmouth won the competition for the first time, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 in the final at Wembley. As this was the last full FA Cup competition before the Second World War, Portsmouth held the trophy until the end of the 1945–46 season. 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. Some matches, however, might be rescheduled for other days if there were clashes with games for other competitions or the weather was inclement. 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 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 Round Date Extra preliminary round Saturday 3 September 1938 Preliminary round Saturday 17 September 1938 First round qualifying Saturday 1 October 1938 Second round qualifying Saturday 15 October 1938 Third round qualifying Saturday 29 October 1938 Fourth round qualifying Saturday 12 November 1938 First round proper Saturday 26 November 1938 Second round proper Saturday 10 December 1938 Third round proper Saturday 7 January 1939 Fourth round proper Saturday 21 January 1939 Fifth round proper Saturday 11 February 1939 Sixth round proper Saturday 4 March 1939 Semi-Finals Saturday 25 March 1939 Final Saturday 29 April 1939 Qualifying rounds Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 25 places available in the first round. The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were North Shields, Horden Colliery Welfare, Lancaster City, Stalybridge Celtic, Chorley, Workington, Runcorn, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Gainsborough Trinity, Wellington Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Peterborough United, Colchester United, Lowestoft Town, Chelmsford City, Apsley (later to be known as Hemel Hempstead Town), Hayes, Corinthian, Folkestone, Guildford City, Walthamstow Avenue, Tunbridge Wells Rangers, Street, Cheltenham Town and Yeovil & Petter's United. Advancing to the competition proper for the first time were Runcorn, Colchester United, Apsley and Street, while Lowestoft Town was doing so for the first time since 1926–27, Horden Colliery Welfare for the first time since 1925-26, and Chorley for the first time since 1899-1900. Hayes was the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the first round proper, defeating Wycombe Wanderers, Yiewsley, Chesham United, Banbury Spencer, Southall and Newport (IOW) to secure their place in the main draw. However, Chelmsford City was the most successful non-league club this season, moving from the preliminary round to the fourth round proper and defeating Barking, Ford Sports (Dagenham), Crittall Athletic, Romford, Dulwich Hamlet, Kidderminster Harriers and Football League sides Darlington and Southampton in their history-making run. First round proper At this stage, 41 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 25 non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. Barnsley, York City and Notts County were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league Scarborough and Bromley were given byes to this round, with Bromley having won the previous season's FA Amateur Cup. 34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 26 November 1938. Eight were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Chester3–1Bradford City26 November 19382Darlington4–0Stalybridge Celtic26 November 19383Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic2–1Bristol City26 November 19384Watford4–1Northampton Town26 November 19385Reading3–3Newport County26 November 1938ReplayNewport County3–1Reading5 December 19386Walsall4–1Carlisle United26 November 19387Folkestone2–1Colchester United26 November 19388Lincoln City4–1Barrow26 November 19389Gainsborough Trinity2–1Gateshead26 November 193810Swindon Town6–0Lowestoft Town26 November 193811Scarborough0–0Southport26 November 1938ReplaySouthport5–3Scarborough29 November 193812Doncaster Rovers4–2New Brighton26 November 193813Wrexham1–2Port Vale26 November 193814Ipswich Town7–0Street26 November 193815Bristol Rovers4–1Peterborough United26 November 193816Bromley2–1Apsley26 November 193817Hull City4–1Rotherham United26 November 193818Clapton Orient3–1Hayes26 November 193819Oldham Athletic2–2Crewe Alexandra26 November 1938ReplayCrewe Alexandra1–0Oldham Athletic30 November 193820Crystal Palace1–1Queens Park Rangers26 November 1938ReplayQueens Park Rangers3–0Crystal Palace28 November 193821Southend United3–0Corinthian26 November 193822Hartlepools United2–1Accrington Stanley26 November 193823Scunthorpe & Lindsey United4–2Lancaster City26 November 193824Halifax Town7–3Rochdale26 November 193825Cheltenham Town1–1Cardiff City26 November 1938ReplayCardiff City1–0Cheltenham Town30 November 193826Yeovil & Petter's United2–1Brighton & Hove Albion26 November 193827Runcorn3–0Wellington Town26 November 193828Torquay United3–1Exeter City26 November 193829Workington1–1Mansfield Town26 November 1938ReplayMansfield Town2–1Workington30 November 193830Walthamstow Avenue4–1Tunbridge Wells Rangers26 November 193831Aldershot1–1Guildford City26 November 1938ReplayGuildford City3–4Aldershot30 November 193832Horden CW1–1Chorley26 November 1938ReplayChorley1–2Horden CW30 November 193833North Shields1–4Stockport County26 November 193834Chelmsford City4–0Kidderminster Harriers26 November 1938 Second round proper The matches were played on Saturday, 10 December 1938. Four matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture. One of these, Halifax Town vs. Mansfield Town, then went to two more replays before being settled. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Chester2–2Hull City10 December 1938ReplayHull City0–1Chester15 December 19382Walsall4–2Clapton Orient10 December 19383Folkestone1–1Yeovil & Petter's United10 December 1938ReplayYeovil & Petter's United1–0Folkestone15 December 19384Lincoln City8–1Bromley10 December 19385Gainsborough Trinity0–1Doncaster Rovers10 December 19386Ipswich Town4–1Torquay United10 December 19387Stockport County0–0Walthamstow Avenue10 December 1938ReplayWalthamstow Avenue1–3Stockport County15 December 19388Bristol Rovers0–3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic10 December 19389Hartlepools United0–2Queens Park Rangers10 December 193810Scunthorpe & Lindsey United1–2Watford10 December 193811Cardiff City1–0Crewe Alexandra10 December 193812Port Vale0–1Southend United10 December 193813Halifax Town1–1Mansfield Town10 December 1938ReplayMansfield Town3–3Halifax Town14 December 1938ReplayMansfield Town0–0Halifax Town19 December 1938ReplayMansfield Town1–2Halifax Town21 December 193814Southport2–0Swindon Town10 December 193815Runcorn3–1Aldershot10 December 193816Horden CW2–3Newport County10 December 193817Chelmsford City3–1Darlington10 December 1938 Third round proper The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Barnsley, York City and Notts County. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 January 1939, although seven matches began at later dates. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these requiring a second replay to settle the fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Birmingham2–0Halifax Town7 January 19392Blackpool1–2Sheffield United7 January 19393Chester1–0Coventry City7 January 19394Chesterfield1–1Southend United11 January 1939ReplaySouthend United4–3Chesterfield16 January 19395Liverpool3–0Luton Town7 January 19396Leicester City1–1Stoke City7 January 1939ReplayStoke City1–2Leicester City11 January 19397Notts County3–1Burnley7 January 19398Blackburn Rovers2–0Swansea Town7 January 19399Aston Villa1–1Ipswich Town7 January 1939ReplayIpswich Town1–2Aston Villa11 January 193910Sheffield Wednesday1–1Yeovil & Petter's United7 January 1939ReplayYeovil & Petter's United1–2Sheffield Wednesday12 January 193911Grimsby Town6–0Tranmere Rovers10 January 193912Wolverhampton Wanderers3–1Bradford Park Avenue7 January 193913Middlesbrough0–0Bolton Wanderers7 January 1939ReplayBolton Wanderers0–0Middlesbrough11 January 1939ReplayBolton Wanderers0–1Middlesbrough16 January 193914West Bromwich Albion0–0Manchester United7 January 1939ReplayManchester United1–5West Bromwich Albion11 January 193915Sunderland3–0Plymouth Argyle7 January 193916Derby County0–1Everton7 January 193917Tottenham Hotspur7–1Watford7 January 193918Queens Park Rangers1–2West Ham United7 January 193919Fulham6–0Bury7 January 193920Barnsley1–2Stockport County7 January 193921Brentford0–2Newcastle United7 January 193922Portsmouth4–0Lincoln City7 January 193923Norwich City0–5Manchester City12 January 193924Chelsea2–1Arsenal7 January 193925Huddersfield Town0–0Nottingham Forest11 January 1939ReplayNottingham Forest0–3Huddersfield Town16 January 193926Cardiff City1–0Charlton Athletic7 January 193927Newport County0–2Walsall7 January 193928Southport1–1Doncaster Rovers10 January 1939ReplayDoncaster Rovers2–1Southport12 January 193929Runcorn2–4Preston North End7 January 193930Leeds United3–1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic11 January 193931York City0–5Millwall11 January 193932Chelmsford City4–1Southampton7 January 1939 Fourth round proper The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 21 January 1939. Five games were drawn and went to replays, of which two went to a second replay. Chelmsford City was the last non-league club remaining in the competition, participating in their ninth round of this tournament. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Birmingham6–0Chelmsford City21 January 19392Liverpool5–1Stockport County21 January 19393Preston North End2–0Aston Villa21 January 19394Notts County0–0Walsall21 January 1939ReplayWalsall4–0Notts County26 January 19395Blackburn Rovers4–2Southend United21 January 19396Sheffield Wednesday1–1Chester21 January 1939ReplayChester1–1Sheffield Wednesday25 January 1939ReplaySheffield Wednesday2–0Chester30 January 19397Wolverhampton Wanderers5–1Leicester City21 January 19398Middlesbrough0–2Sunderland21 January 19399Everton8–0Doncaster Rovers21 January 193910Sheffield United2–0Manchester City21 January 193911Portsmouth2–0West Bromwich Albion21 January 193912West Ham United3–3Tottenham Hotspur21 January 1939ReplayTottenham Hotspur1–1West Ham United30 January 1939ReplayWest Ham United2–1Tottenham Hotspur2 February 193913Millwall2–2Grimsby Town21 January 1939ReplayGrimsby Town3–2Millwall24 January 193914Chelsea3–0Fulham21 January 193915Cardiff City0–0Newcastle United21 January 1939ReplayNewcastle United4–1Cardiff City25 January 193916Leeds United2–4Huddersfield Town21 January 1939 Fifth round proper The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 February 1939. There were four replays, of which two went to second replays. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Birmingham2–2Everton11 February 1939ReplayEverton2–1Birmingham15 February 19392Wolverhampton Wanderers4–1Liverpool11 February 19393Sunderland1–1Blackburn Rovers11 February 1939ReplayBlackburn Rovers0–0Sunderland16 February 1939ReplayBlackburn Rovers1–0Sunderland20 February 19394Sheffield United0–0Grimsby Town11 February 1939ReplayGrimsby Town1–0Sheffield United14 February 19395Newcastle United1–2Preston North End11 February 19396Portsmouth2–0West Ham United11 February 19397Chelsea1–1Sheffield Wednesday11 February 1939ReplaySheffield Wednesday0–0Chelsea13 February 1939ReplayChelsea3–1Sheffield Wednesday20 February 19398Huddersfield Town3–0Walsall11 February 1939 Sixth round proper The four sixth round ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 4 March 1939. There was one replay, in the Huddersfield Town–Blackburn Rovers match. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Wolverhampton Wanderers2–0Everton4 March 19392Portsmouth1–0Preston North End4 March 19393Chelsea0–1Grimsby Town4 March 19394Huddersfield Town1–1Blackburn Rovers4 March 1939ReplayBlackburn Rovers1–2Huddersfield Town9 March 1939 Semi-finals The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 25 March 1939. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portsmouth won their matches to meet in the final at Wembley. 25 March 1939 15:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–0 Grimsby Town Old Trafford, Manchester 25 March 1939 15:00 Portsmouth 2–1 Huddersfield Town Highbury, London Final 1939 FA Cup Final The 1939 FA Cup Final was contested by Portsmouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wembley. Portsmouth won 4–1, with goals from Bert Barlow, John Anderson and two by Cliff Parker. Dicky Dorsett scored Wolves' effort. As a result of the suspension of the FA Cup for the duration of the Second World War, the next FA Cup final was not until seven years later in 1946, thereby enabling Portsmouth fans to claim that their team has held the Cup for the longest time. Match details 29 April 193915:00 GMT Portsmouth 4–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Barlow 29Anderson 43Parker 46, 71 Dorsett 54 Empire Stadium, Wembley, London 99,370 T. Thompson (Lemington, Newcastle upon Tyne) _collarwhite _whitetop 2B60DE 2B60DE 2B60DE FFFFFF 000000 Portsmouth right _collarblack _hoops_black FBB917 FBB917 FBB917 000000 FBB917 Wolves See also FA Cup final References General Official site; fixtures and results service at TheFA.com 1938-39 FA Cup at rsssf.com 1938-39 FA Cup at soccerbase.com Specific Category:FA Cup seasons FA Cup