# 1949–50 FA Cup

The 1949–50 FA Cup was the 69th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Arsenal won the competition for the third time, beating Liverpool 2–0 in the final at Wembley, through two goals from Reg Lewis.
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 1949 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 17 September 1949 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 1 October 1949 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 15 October 1949 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 29 October 1949 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 12 November 1949 |
| First round proper | Saturday 26 November 1949 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 10 December 1949 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 7 January 1950 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 28 January 1950 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 11 February 1950 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 4 March 1950 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 18 March 1950 |
| Final | Saturday 29 April 1950 |

## 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 Billingham Synthonia, North Shields, Stockton, Netherfield, Fleetwood, Rhyl, Mossley, Bromsgrove Rovers, Witton Albion, Goole Town, Nuneaton Borough, Grantham, Hereford United, King's Lynn, Wealdstone, Tilbury, Gravesend & Northfleet, Walthamstow Avenue, Chelmsford City, Gillingham, Hastings United, Leytonstone, Romford, Weymouth and Gloucester City.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Fleetwood, Mossley, Nuneaton Borough, Wealdstone, Tilbury and Hastings United, while Goole Town had not featured at this stage since 1914–15. Mossley was also the most successful team from the extra preliminary round, progressing to the second round proper by defeating Ashton United, Altrincham, Northwich Victoria, Buxton, Droylsden, Runcorn and Witton Albion.

## 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. Rotherham United, Reading and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sides Yeovil Town and Bromley were given byes to this round, Yeovil after reaching the fifth round of the previous FA Cup tournament and Bromley as the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 26 November 1949. Three were drawn and went to replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 4–1 | Goole Town | 26 November 1949 |
| 2 | Darlington | 2–2 | Crewe Alexandra | 26 November 1949 |
| Replay | Crewe Alexandra | 1–0 | Darlington | 30 November 1949 |
| 3 | Hastings United | 1–3 | Gillingham | 26 November 1949 |
| 4 | Weymouth | 2–2 | Aldershot | 26 November 1949 |
| Replay | Aldershot | 2–3 | Weymouth | 30 November 1949 |
| 5 | Yeovil Town | 4–1 | Romford | 26 November 1949 |
| 6 | Notts County | 4–0 | Tilbury | 26 November 1949 |
| 7 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Bristol City | 26 November 1949 |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers | 26 November 1949 |
| 9 | Doncaster Rovers | 5–1 | New Brighton | 26 November 1949 |
| 10 | Wrexham | 4–1 | Grantham | 26 November 1949 |
| 11 | Ipswich Town | 2–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 26 November 1949 |
| 12 | Tranmere Rovers | 2–1 | Halifax Town | 26 November 1949 |
| 13 | Stockport County | 3–0 | Billingham Synthonia | 26 November 1949 |
| 14 | Leytonstone | 1–2 | Chelmsford City | 26 November 1949 |
| 15 | Accrington Stanley | 0–1 | Hartlepools United | 26 November 1949 |
| 16 | Northampton Town | 4–1 | Walthamstow Avenue | 26 November 1949 |
| 17 | Bromley | 1–2 | Watford | 26 November 1949 |
| 18 | Rhyl | 0–3 | Rochdale | 26 November 1949 |
| 19 | Bradford City | 9–0 | Fleetwood | 26 November 1949 |
| 20 | Millwall | 3–5 | Exeter City | 26 November 1949 |
| 21 | Carlisle United | 1–0 | Lincoln City | 26 November 1949 |
| 22 | Oldham Athletic | 4–0 | Stockton | 26 November 1949 |
| 23 | Crystal Palace | 0–3 | Newport County | 26 November 1949 |
| 24 | Witton Albion | 0–1 | Mossley | 26 November 1949 |
| 25 | Mansfield Town | 4–1 | Walsall | 26 November 1949 |
| 26 | Port Vale | 1–0 | Wealdstone | 26 November 1949 |
| 27 | Southport | 1–1 | Barrow | 26 November 1949 |
| Replay | Barrow | 0–1 | Southport | 1 December 1949 |
| 28 | Hereford United | 3–0 | Bromsgrove Rovers | 26 November 1949 |
| 29 | Netherfield (Kendal) | 4–3 | North Shields | 26 November 1949 |
| 30 | Gloucester City | 2–3 | Norwich City | 26 November 1949 |
| 31 | Gateshead | 3–1 | York City | 26 November 1949 |
| 32 | Leyton Orient | 0–2 | Southend United | 26 November 1949 |
| 33 | Nuneaton Borough | 2–1 | King's Lynn | 26 November 1949 |
| 34 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 1–3 | Torquay United | 26 November 1949 |

## Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 10 December 1949. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. One of these replays went to a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Rochdale | 1–2 | Notts County | 10 December 1949 |
| 2 | Watford | 6–0 | Netherfield (Kendal) | 10 December 1949 |
| 3 | Weymouth | 2–1 | Hereford United | 10 December 1949 |
| 4 | Yeovil Town | 3–1 | Gillingham | 10 December 1949 |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 0–2 | Stockport County | 10 December 1949 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 1–1 | Oldham Athletic | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Oldham Athletic | 0–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 13 December 1949 |
| Replay | Crewe Alexandra | 0–3 | Oldham Athletic | 19 December 1949 |
| 7 | Doncaster Rovers | 1–0 | Mansfield Town | 10 December 1949 |
| 8 | Wrexham | 2–2 | Southend United | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Southend United | 2–0 | Wrexham | 15 December 1949 |
| 9 | Northampton Town | 4–2 | Torquay United | 10 December 1949 |
| 10 | Carlisle United | 2–0 | Swindon Town | 10 December 1949 |
| 11 | Exeter City | 2–0 | Chester | 10 December 1949 |
| 12 | Hartlepools United | 1–1 | Norwich City | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Norwich City | 5–1 | Hartlepools United | 16 December 1949 |
| 13 | Port Vale | 1–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 10 December 1949 |
| 14 | Newport County | 1–1 | Gateshead | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Gateshead | 1–2 | Newport County | 15 December 1949 |
| 15 | Southport | 2–1 | Bradford City | 10 December 1949 |
| 16 | Chelmsford City | 1–1 | Ipswich Town | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 1–0 | Chelmsford City | 15 December 1949 |
| 17 | Nuneaton Borough | 0–0 | Mossley | 10 December 1949 |
| Replay | Mossley | 0–3 | Nuneaton Borough | 17 December 1949 |

## Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Rotherham United, Reading and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 January 1950. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these going to a second replay. Weymouth, Yeovil Town and Nuneaton Borough were the last non-league clubs left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Blackpool | 4–0 | Southend United | 7 January 1950 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 3–1 | Yeovil Town | 7 January 1950 |
| 3 | Bury | 5–4 | Rotherham United | 7 January 1950 |
| 4 | Watford | 2–2 | Preston North End | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 0–1 | Watford | 11 January 1950 |
| 5 | Reading | 2–3 | Doncaster Rovers | 7 January 1950 |
| 6 | Notts County | 1–4 | Burnley | 7 January 1950 |
| 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–0 | Liverpool | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Liverpool | 2–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 January 1950 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 2–2 | Middlesbrough | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Aston Villa | 11 January 1950 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 0–3 | Middlesbrough | 16 January 1950 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 6–0 | Huddersfield Town | 7 January 1950 |
| 10 | Luton Town | 3–4 | Grimsby Town | 7 January 1950 |
| 11 | Sheffield United | 3–1 | Leicester City | 7 January 1950 |
| 12 | Stockport County | 4–2 | Barnsley | 7 January 1950 |
| 13 | Manchester City | 3–5 | Derby County | 7 January 1950 |
| 14 | Queens Park Rangers | 0–2 | Everton | 7 January 1950 |
| 15 | Brentford | 0–1 | Chelsea | 7 January 1950 |
| 16 | Northampton Town | 1–1 | Southampton | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Southampton | 2–3 | Northampton Town | 11 January 1950 |
| 17 | Coventry City | 1–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 7 January 1950 |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 1–1 | Norwich City | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Norwich City | 0–2 | Portsmouth | 12 January 1950 |
| 19 | West Ham United | 5–1 | Ipswich Town | 7 January 1950 |
| 20 | Manchester United | 4–0 | Weymouth | 7 January 1950 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 11 January 1950 |
| 22 | Carlisle United | 2–5 | Leeds United | 7 January 1950 |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic | 2–7 | Newcastle United | 7 January 1950 |
| 24 | Bradford Park Avenue | 0–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 7 January 1950 |
| 25 | Exeter City | 3–0 | Nuneaton Borough | 7 January 1950 |
| 26 | Cardiff City | 2–2 | West Bromwich Albion | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | West Bromwich Albion | 0–1 | Cardiff City | 11 January 1950 |
| 27 | Newport County | 1–2 | Port Vale | 7 January 1950 |
| 28 | Swansea Town | 3–0 | Birmingham City | 7 January 1950 |
| 29 | Charlton Athletic | 2–2 | Fulham | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Fulham | 1–2 | Charlton Athletic | 11 January 1950 |
| 30 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 7 January 1950 |
| 31 | Southport | 0–0 | Hull City | 7 January 1950 |
| Replay | Hull City | 5–0 | Southport | 12 January 1950 |
| 32 | Stoke City | 0–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 January 1950 |

## Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 28 January 1950. Six games were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Blackpool | 2–1 | Doncaster Rovers | 28 January 1950 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 3–2 | Middlesbrough | 28 January 1950 |
| 3 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 1–1 | Northampton Town | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Northampton Town | 2–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 2 February 1950 |
| 4 | Burnley | 2–1 | Port Vale | 28 January 1950 |
| 5 | Bury | 2–2 | Derby County | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Derby County | 5–2 | Bury | 1 February 1950 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 3–1 | Exeter City | 28 January 1950 |
| 7 | Watford | 0–1 | Manchester United | 28 January 1950 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 3–4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 February 1950 |
| 9 | Stockport County | 0–0 | Hull City | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Hull City | 0–2 | Stockport County | 2 February 1950 |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5–1 | Sunderland | 28 January 1950 |
| 11 | Portsmouth | 5–0 | Grimsby Town | 28 January 1950 |
| 12 | West Ham United | 1–2 | Everton | 28 January 1950 |
| 13 | Chelsea | 3–0 | Newcastle United | 28 January 1950 |
| 14 | Charlton Athletic | 1–1 | Cardiff City | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Cardiff City | 2–0 | Charlton Athletic | 1 February 1950 |
| 15 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Swansea Town | 28 January 1950 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 28 January 1950 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 2–3 | Leeds United | 1 February 1950 |

## Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 February 1950. There were three replays in total, each taking place four days later.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chesterfield | 1–1 | Chelsea | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Chelsea | 3–0 | Chesterfield | 15 February 1950 |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | Blackpool | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Blackpool | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 15 February 1950 |
| 3 | Derby County | 4–2 | Northampton Town | 11 February 1950 |
| 4 | Everton | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 February 1950 |
| 5 | Stockport County | 1–2 | Liverpool | 11 February 1950 |
| 6 | Manchester United | 3–3 | Portsmouth | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Portsmouth | 1–3 | Manchester United | 15 February 1950 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Burnley | 11 February 1950 |
| 8 | Leeds United | 3–1 | Cardiff City | 11 February 1950 |

## Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 4 March 1950. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Blackpool | 4 March 1950 |
| 2 | Derby County | 1–2 | Everton | 4 March 1950 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Manchester United | 4 March 1950 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Leeds United | 4 March 1950 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were intended to be played on Saturday, 18 March 1950, although the Liverpool–Everton fixture was not played until the week after. The London derby clash of Arsenal–Chelsea went to a replay, with Arsenal eventually winning their tie to meet Liverpool in the final at Wembley.

### Replay
## Final

The 1950 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley. Arsenal won 2–0, with both goals scored by Reg Lewis. Future legendary Liverpool manager Bob Paisley was famously dropped for the final, even after scoring the winning goal against rivals Everton in the semi-final.

### Match facts

| Arsenal | Liverpool |