# 1923–24 FA Cup

The 1923–24 FA Cup was the 49th 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 second time, beating Aston Villa 2–0 in the final at Wembley.
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

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 8 September 1923 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 22 September 1923 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 6 October 1923 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 20 October 1923 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 3 November 1923 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 17 November 1923 |
| Fifth round qualifying | Saturday 1 December 1923 |
| Sixth round qualifying | Saturday 15 December 1923 |
| First round proper | Saturday 12 January 1924 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 2 February 1924 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 23 February 1924 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 8 March 1924 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 29 March 1924 |
| Final | Saturday 26 April 1924 |

## Qualifying rounds

37 Football League clubs joined the participating non-league teams entering this season's tournament in the qualifying rounds. Four Second Division sides, Port Vale, Stockport County, Nelson and Coventry City were entered in the fifth qualifying round, with Port Vale losing to Wrexham, Nelson losing to Wigan Borough and Coventry losing to Tranmere Rovers. Stockport progressed to the next round but lost there to Norwich City.
18 Third Division clubs (Darlington, Crewe Alexandra, Accrington Stanley, Walsall, Rotherham County, Grimsby Town, Halifax Town, Chesterfield, Wrexham and Wigan Borough from the North, and Northampton Town, Brentford, Gillingham, Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers, Reading, Merthyr Town and Norwich City from the South) were also entered in the fifth qualifying round, with 14 of these winning through to the next round and only four going out at this stage.
Another twelve Third Division clubs (Ashington, Hartlepools United, Barrow, Southport, New Brighton, Rochdale, Lincoln City and Tranmere Rovers from the North, and Southend United, Exeter City, Newport County and Aberdare Athletic from the South) were entered in the fourth qualifying round. Barrow went out to non-league Carlisle United while the others either progressed or lost amongst themselves.
The remaining Third Division clubs, Durham City, Doncaster Rovers and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic were entered in the preliminary round. Durham needed two replays to see off West Stanley before losing to Northern Combination outfit Dipton United, while Doncaster and Bournemouth (both newly elected to the Football League this season) withdrew from the competition after being drawn against Fryston Colliery Welfare and Portsea Gas Company respectively.
The eleven League teams ultimately winning through to the first round proper were Grimsby Town, Portsmouth, Accrington Stanley, Northampton Town, Ashington, Exeter City, Norwich City, Aberdare Athletic, Gillingham, Darlington and Halifax Town. The final spot in the main draw went to Welsh Southern League club Llanelli, who were appearing at that stage for the first time.
Of the 171 clubs entered in the extra preliminary round, the most successful were Hinckley United and Folkestone who progressed to the fifth qualifying round before losing to Grimsby Town and Norwich City respectively. Kent League side Sittingbourne, having entered the competition in the fourth qualifying round, was the only non-league club besides Llanelli to participate in the sixth qualifying round.

## First round proper

40 of the 44 clubs from the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division joined the 12 lower-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. To bring the number of teams up to 64, amateur side Corinthian received a bye to the first round as did nine Third Division South sides and two Third Division North sides. These were:
* Watford
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Luton Town
* Swindon Town
* Queens Park Rangers
* Charlton Athletic
* Millwall
* Swansea Town
* Plymouth Argyle
* Wolverhampton Wanderers
* Bradford Park Avenue
32 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 12 January 1924. Seven matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture, of which two went to another replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Ashington | 1–5 | Aston Villa | 12 January 1924 |
| 2 | Blackpool | 1–0 | Sheffield United | 12 January 1924 |
| 3 | Burnley | 3–2 | South Shields | 12 January 1924 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Bradford City | 12 January 1924 |
| 5 | The Wednesday | 4–1 | Leicester City | 12 January 1924 |
| 6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Darlington | 12 January 1924 |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 0–1 | Watford | 12 January 1924 |
| 8 | Derby County | 2–1 | Bury | 12 January 1924 |
| 9 | Everton | 3–1 | Preston North End | 12 January 1924 |
| 10 | Swindon Town | 4–0 | Bradford Park Avenue | 12 January 1924 |
| 11 | Manchester City | 2–0 | Nottingham Forest | 12 January 1924 |
| 12 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–2 | Notts County | 12 January 1924 |
| 13 | Fulham | 2–0 | Llanelli | 12 January 1924 |
| 14 | Accrington Stanley | 0–0 | Charlton Athletic | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | Accrington Stanley | 17 January 1924 |
| 15 | Barnsley | 0–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–0 | Barnsley | 16 January 1924 |
| 16 | Northampton Town | 1–1 | Halifax Town | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Northampton Town | 16 January 1924 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 4–2 | Northampton Town | 21 January 1924 |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 2–4 | Newcastle United | 12 January 1924 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 5–0 | Aberdare Athletic | 12 January 1924 |
| 19 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 12 January 1924 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 0–1 | Bristol City | 12 January 1924 |
| 21 | Millwall | 0–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 12 January 1924 |
| 22 | Hull City | 2–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 4–0 | Hull City | 16 January 1924 |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic | 2–1 | Sunderland | 12 January 1924 |
| 24 | Crystal Palace | 2–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 January 1924 |
| 25 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Southampton | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Southampton | 2–0 | Chelsea | 16 January 1924 |
| 26 | Exeter City | 1–0 | Grimsby Town | 12 January 1924 |
| 27 | Huddersfield Town | 1–0 | Birmingham | 12 January 1924 |
| 28 | Cardiff City | 0–0 | Gillingham | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Gillingham | 0–2 | Cardiff City | 16 January 1924 |
| 29 | Swansea Town | 1–1 | Clapton Orient | 12 January 1924 |
| Replay | Clapton Orient | 1–1 | Swansea Town | 16 January 1924 |
| Replay | Swansea Town | 2–1 | Clapton Orient | 21 January 1924 |
| 30 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Luton Town | 12 January 1924 |
| 31 | Leeds United | 1–0 | Stoke | 12 January 1924 |
| 32 | Corinthian | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 12 January 1924 |

## Second round proper

The 16 Second Round matches were played on Saturday, 2 February 1924. Eight matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture. Three of these then went to a second replay played the following week, and two of these went to a third replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Burnley | 0–0 | Fulham | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Fulham | 0–1 | Burnley | 6 February 1924 |
| 2 | Southampton | 3–1 | Blackpool | 2 February 1924 |
| 3 | The Wednesday | 1–1 | Bristol City | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Bristol City | 2–0 | The Wednesday | 6 February 1924 |
| 4 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–4 | Liverpool | 2 February 1924 |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 5–0 | Corinthian | 2 February 1924 |
| 6 | Derby County | 2–2 | Newcastle United | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Newcastle United | 2–2 | Derby County | 6 February 1924 |
| Replay | Derby County | 2–2 | Newcastle United | 11 February 1924 |
| Replay | Newcastle United | 5–3 | Derby County | 12 February 1924 |
| 7 | Swindon Town | 2–0 | Oldham Athletic | 2 February 1924 |
| 8 | Manchester City | 2–2 | Halifax Town | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 0–0 | Manchester City | 6 February 1924 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 3–0 | Halifax Town | 11 February 1924 |
| 9 | West Ham United | 1–1 | Leeds United | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Leeds United | 1–0 | West Ham United | 6 February 1924 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 5–2 | Everton | 2 February 1924 |
| 11 | Manchester United | 0–3 | Huddersfield Town | 2 February 1924 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 0–0 | Notts County | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Notts County | 0–0 | Crystal Palace | 6 February 1924 |
| Replay | Crystal Palace | 0–0 | Notts County | 11 February 1924 |
| Replay | Crystal Palace | 2–1 | Notts County | 18 February 1924 |
| 13 | Exeter City | 0–0 | Watford | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Watford | 1–0 | Exeter City | 6 February 1924 |
| 14 | Cardiff City | 1–0 | Arsenal | 2 February 1924 |
| 15 | Swansea Town | 0–2 | Aston Villa | 2 February 1924 |
| 16 | Charlton Athletic | 0–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 February 1924 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Charlton Athletic | 6 February 1924 |

## Third round proper

The eight Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 23 February 1924. Two matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Burnley | 1–0 | Huddersfield Town | 23 February 1924 |
| 2 | Southampton | 0–0 | Liverpool | 23 February 1924 |
| Replay | Liverpool | 2–0 | Southampton | 27 February 1924 |
| 3 | Watford | 0–1 | Newcastle United | 23 February 1924 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 3–0 | Leeds United | 23 February 1924 |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 23 February 1924 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–2 | West Bromwich Albion | 27 February 1924 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–5 | Manchester City | 23 February 1924 |
| 7 | Crystal Palace | 1–2 | Swindon Town | 23 February 1924 |
| 8 | Cardiff City | 3–0 | Bristol City | 23 February 1924 |

## Fourth round proper

The four Fourth round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 March 1924. There were two replays, played in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | West Bromwich Albion | 0–2 | Aston Villa | 8 March 1924 |
| 2 | Swindon Town | 1–1 | Burnley | 8 March 1924 |
| Replay | Burnley | 3–1 | Swindon Town | 12 March 1924 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 1–0 | Liverpool | 8 March 1924 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 0–0 | Cardiff City | 8 March 1924 |
| Replay | Cardiff City | 0–1 | Manchester City | 12 March 1924 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 29 March 1924. The matches ended in victories for Newcastle United and Aston Villa, who went on to meet in the final at Wembley.

## Final

The 1924 FA Cup Final was contested by Newcastle United and Aston Villa at Wembley. Newcastle won 2–0, the goals scored by Neil Harris and Stan Seymour.

## Match details

| Newcastle United | Aston Villa |