# 1956–57 FA Cup

The 1956–57 FA Cup was the 76th staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Aston Villa won the competition, beating Manchester United 2–1 in the final at Wembley, London.
Matches were 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

| Round | Date |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 8 September 1956 |
| First qualifying round | Saturday 22 September 1956 |
| Second qualifying round | Saturday 6 October 1956 |
| Third qualifying round | Saturday 20 October 1956 |
| Fourth qualifying round | Saturday 3 November 1956 |
| First round proper | Saturday 17 November 1956 |
| Second round | Saturday 8 December 1956 |
| Third round | Saturday 5 January 1957 |
| Fourth round | Saturday 26 January 1957 |
| Fifth round | Saturday 16 February 1957 |
| Sixth round | Saturday 2 March 1957 |
| Semifinals | Saturday 23 March 1957 |
| Final | Saturday 4 May 1957 |

## Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 30 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Billingham Synthonia, South Shields, Evenwood Town, Blyth Spartans, Scarborough, Morecambe, Wigan Athletic, New Brighton, Rhyl, Bromsgrove Rovers, Hereford United, Boston United, Selby Town, Goole Town, Ilkeston Town, Burton Albion, Peterborough United, Dunstable Town, Ely City, Walthamstow Avenue, Margate, Guildford City, Yiewsley, Tooting & Mitcham United, Hastings United, Newport (IOW), Dorchester Town, Weymouth, Yeovil Town and Cheltenham Town.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Evenwood Town, Dunstable Town, Ely City and Yiewsley. Of the others, South Shields had last featured at this stage in 1947-48 and Morecambe had last done so in 1936-37.
New Brighton, who had been in the Football League from 1923 until 1951, became the first club since Chelmsford City in 1938-39 to feature in nine rounds of an FA Cup tournament. They progressed from the preliminary round to the fourth round proper, defeating Prescot Cables, Marine, Earlestown, South Liverpool, Hyde United, Stockport County, Derby County and Torquay United before going out to Burnley at Turf Moor.

## Results
### First round proper

At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 30 non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round Bishop Auckland and Bedford Town were given byes to this round, with Bishop Auckland being the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup and Bedford Town having taken Arsenal to a third-round replay in the previous season's FA Cup.
Matches were played on Saturday, 17 November 1956. Eight matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | Attendance |
| 1 | Ely City | 2–6 | Torquay United | 17 November 1956 | |
| 2 | Chester | 0–0 | Barrow | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Barrow | 3–1 | Chester | 22 November 1956 | |
| 3 | Darlington | 7–2 | Evenwood Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 4 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 8–0 | Burton Albion | 17 November 1956 | |
| 5 | Southampton | 2–0 | Northampton Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 6 | Weymouth | 1–0 | Shrewsbury Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 7 | Yeovil Town | 1–3 | Peterborough United | 17 November 1956 | |
| 8 | Walsall | 0–1 | Newport County | 17 November 1956 | 12,085 |
| 9 | Crewe Alexandra | 2–2 | Wrexham | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Wrexham | 2–1 | Crewe Alexandra | 21 November 1956 | |
| 10 | Derby County | 2–1 | Bradford City | 17 November 1956 | |
| 11 | Swindon Town | 2–1 | Coventry City | 17 November 1956 | |
| 12 | Bishop Auckland | 2–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 17 November 1956 | |
| 13 | Ipswich Town | 4–0 | Hastings United | 17 November 1956 | 13,481 |
| 14 | Queens Park Rangers | 4–0 | Dorchester Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 15 | Accrington Stanley | 4–1 | Morecambe | 17 November 1956 | |
| 16 | Brentford | 3–0 | Guildford City | 17 November 1956 | |
| 17 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–1 | Millwall | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Millwall | 3–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 19 November 1956 | |
| 18 | Rhyl | 3–2 | Scarborough | 17 November 1956 | |
| 19 | Norwich City | 2–4 | Bedford Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 20 | Hull City | 4–0 | Gateshead | 17 November 1956 | |
| 21 | Carlisle United | 6–1 | Billingham Synthonia | 17 November 1956 | |
| 22 | Crystal Palace | 2–0 | Walthamstow Avenue | 17 November 1956 | |
| 23 | Exeter City | 0–2 | Plymouth Argyle | 17 November 1956 | |
| 24 | Yiewsley | 2–2 | Gillingham | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Gillingham | 2–0 | Yiewsley | 21 November 1956 | |
| 25 | Hartlepools United | 3–1 | Selby Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 26 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 1–0 | Rochdale | 17 November 1956 | |
| 27 | Mansfield Town | 1–1 | Workington | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Workington | 2–1 | Mansfield Town | 21 November 1956 | |
| 28 | Halifax Town | 2–3 | Oldham Athletic | 17 November 1956 | |
| 29 | Margate | 3–1 | Dunstable Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 30 | Cheltenham Town | 1–2 | Reading | 17 November 1956 | |
| 31 | Southport | 0–0 | York City | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | York City | 2–1 | Southport | 21 November 1956 | |
| 32 | New Brighton | 3–3 | Stockport County | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Stockport County | 2–3 | New Brighton | 21 November 1956 | |
| 33 | Hereford United | 3–2 | Aldershot | 17 November 1956 | |
| 34 | Newport (IOW) | 0–6 | Watford | 17 November 1956 | |
| 35 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 2–1 | Bromsgrove Rovers | 17 November 1956 | |
| 36 | Wigan Athletic | 1–2 | Goole Town | 17 November 1956 | |
| 37 | Boston United | 0–2 | Bradford Park Avenue | 17 November 1956 | |
| 38 | South Shields | 2–2 | Chesterfield | 17 November 1956 | |
| Replay | Chesterfield | 4–0 | South Shields | 21 November 1956 | |
| 39 | Colchester United | 1–4 | Southend United | 17 November 1956 | |
| 40 | Ilkeston Town | 1–5 | Blyth Spartans | 17 November 1956 | |

### Second round

The matches were played on Saturday, 8 December 1956. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place on the following Wednesday. Derby County went out at this stage to non-league opposition for the second consecutive season.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | Attendance |
| 1 | Chesterfield | 4–1 | Barrow | 8 December 1956 | |
| 2 | Southampton | 3–2 | Weymouth | 8 December 1956 | |
| 3 | Watford | 1–3 | Ipswich Town | 8 December 1956 | 13,913 |
| 4 | Reading | 1–0 | Bedford Town | 8 December 1956 | |
| 5 | Gillingham | 1–2 | Newport County | 8 December 1956 | 8,700 |
| 6 | Derby County | 1–3 | New Brighton | 8 December 1956 | |
| 7 | Swindon Town | 0–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 8 December 1956 | |
| 8 | Accrington Stanley | 2–1 | Oldham Athletic | 8 December 1956 | |
| 9 | Brentford | 1–1 | Crystal Palace | 8 December 1956 | |
| Replay | Crystal Palace | 3–2 | Brentford | 12 December 1956 | |
| 10 | Rhyl | 3–1 | Bishop Auckland | 8 December 1956 | |
| 11 | Millwall | 4–0 | Margate | 8 December 1956 | |
| 12 | Hull City | 2–1 | York City | 8 December 1956 | |
| 13 | Carlisle United | 2–1 | Darlington | 8 December 1956 | |
| 14 | Goole Town | 2–2 | Workington | 8 December 1956 | |
| Replay | Workington | 0–1 | Goole Town | 12 December 1956 | |
| 15 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 0–0 | Wrexham | 8 December 1956 | |
| Replay | Wrexham | 6–2 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 12 December 1956 | |
| 16 | Blyth Spartans | 0–1 | Hartlepools United | 8 December 1956 | |
| 17 | Torquay United | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 8 December 1956 | |
| 18 | Hereford United | 2–3 | Southend United | 8 December 1956 | |
| 19 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 0–2 | Queens Park Rangers | 8 December 1956 | |
| 20 | Peterborough United | 3–0 | Bradford Park Avenue | 8 December 1956 | |

### Third round

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage and the matches were played on Saturday, 5 January 1957. Eleven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week, and two ties required second replays, which were both played on Monday, 14 January 1957.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | Attendance |
| 1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 2–0 | Accrington Stanley | 5 January 1957 | |
| 2 | Bristol City | 4–1 | Rotherham United | 5 January 1957 | |
| 3 | Burnley | 7–0 | Chesterfield | 5 January 1957 | |
| 4 | Bury | 1–3 | Portsmouth | 5 January 1957 | |
| 5 | Preston North End | 0–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 | Preston North End | 9 January 1957 | |
| 2nd replay | Preston North End | 5–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 14 January 1957 | |
| 6 | Notts County | 1–3 | Rhyl | 5 January 1957 | |
| 7 | Nottingham Forest | 6–0 | Goole Town | 5 January 1957 | |
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–3 | Blackpool | 5 January 1957 | |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–3 | Swansea Town | 5 January 1957 | |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Charlton Athletic | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Charlton Athletic | 2–3 | Middlesbrough | 10 January 1957 | |
| 11 | Sunderland | 4–0 | Queens Park Rangers | 5 January 1957 | 30,557 |
| 12 | Luton Town | 2–2 | Aston Villa | 5 January 1957 | 20,094 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 2–0 | Luton Town | 7 January 1957 | 28,356 |
| 13 | Everton | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 5 January 1957 | 56,293 |
| 14 | Doncaster Rovers | 1–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | West Bromwich Albion | 2–0 | Doncaster Rovers | 9 January 1957 | |
| 15 | Wrexham | 1–1 | Reading | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Reading | 1–2 | Wrexham | 9 January 1957 | |
| 16 | Ipswich Town | 2–3 | Fulham | 5 January 1957 | 22,199 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Manchester City | 5 January 1957 | 57,921 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 4–5 | Newcastle United | 9 January 1957 | 46,990 |
| 18 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–0 | Leicester City | 5 January 1957 | 56,492 |
| 19 | Barnsley | 3–3 | Port Vale | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Port Vale | 0–1 | Barnsley | 7 January 1957 | |
| 20 | West Ham United | 5–3 | Grimsby Town | 5 January 1957 | |
| 21 | Millwall | 2–0 | Crystal Palace | 5 January 1957 | |
| 22 | Hull City | 3–4 | Bristol Rovers | 5 January 1957 | |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 3–3 | Birmingham City | 5 January 1957 | 27,445 |
| Replay | Birmingham City | 2–0 | Carlisle United | 9 January 1957 | 56,458 |
| 24 | Southend United | 2–1 | Liverpool | 5 January 1957 | |
| 25 | Hartlepools United | 3–4 | Manchester United | 5 January 1957 | |
| 26 | Huddersfield Town | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 1–1 | Huddersfield Town | 7 January 1957 | |
| 2nd replay | Huddersfield Town | 2–1 | Sheffield United | 14 January 1957 | |
| 27 | Newport County | 3–3 | Southampton | 5 January 1957 | 18,562 |
| Replay | Southampton | 0–1 | Newport County | 9 January 1957 | 22,372 |
| 28 | Arsenal | 4–2 | Stoke City | 5 January 1957 | |
| 29 | Leeds United | 1–2 | Cardiff City | 5 January 1957 | |
| 30 | New Brighton | 2–1 | Torquay United | 5 January 1957 | |
| 31 | Peterborough United | 2–2 | Lincoln City | 5 January 1957 | |
| Replay | Lincoln City | 4–5 | Peterborough United | 9 January 1957 | |
| 32 | Leyton Orient | 0–2 | Chelsea | 5 January 1957 | |

### Fourth round

The matches were played on Saturday, 26 January 1957. No replays were necessary. Rhyl, New Brighton and Peterborough United were the last non-league clubs left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | Attendance |
| 1 | Blackpool | 6–2 | Fulham | 26 January 1957 | |
| 2 | Bristol City | 3–0 | Rhyl | 26 January 1957 | 29,438 |
| 3 | Burnley | 9–0 | New Brighton | 26 January 1957 | |
| 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 26 January 1957 | 41,752 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 2–3 | Aston Villa | 26 January 1957 | 42,396 |
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion | 4–2 | Sunderland | 26 January 1957 | 48,010 |
| 7 | Everton | 2–1 | West Ham United | 26 January 1957 | 55,245 |
| 8 | Wrexham | 0–5 | Manchester United | 26 January 1957 | 34,445 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4–0 | Chelsea | 26 January 1957 | 66,398 |
| 10 | Bristol Rovers | 1–4 | Preston North End | 26 January 1957 | |
| 11 | Portsmouth | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | 26 January 1957 | |
| 12 | Millwall | 2–1 | Newcastle United | 26 January 1957 | 45,646 |
| 13 | Southend United | 1–6 | Birmingham City | 26 January 1957 | 30,000 |
| 14 | Huddersfield Town | 3–1 | Peterborough United | 26 January 1957 | |
| 15 | Cardiff City | 0–1 | Barnsley | 26 January 1957 | |
| 16 | Newport County | 0–2 | Arsenal | 26 January 1957 | 22,450 |

### Fifth round

The matches were played on Saturday, 16 February 1957. Two matches were drawn and replayed later the same week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | Attendance |
| 1 | Blackpool | 0–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 16 February 1957 | 32,707 |
| Replay | West Bromwich Albion | 2–1 | Blackpool | 20 February 1957 | 58,054 |
| 2 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 3–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 February 1957 | 25,892 |
| 3 | Preston North End | 3–3 | Arsenal | 16 February 1957 | |
| Replay | Arsenal | 2–1 | Preston North End | 19 February 1957 | |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 2-1 | Bristol City | 16 February 1957 | 63,099 |
| 5 | Barnsley | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | 16 February 1957 | |
| 6 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Everton | 16 February 1957 | 61,803 |
| 7 | Millwall | 1–4 | Birmingham City | 16 February 1957 | 41,000 |
| 8 | Huddersfield Town | 1–2 | Burnley | 16 February 1957 | 55,168 |

### Final

The final took place on Saturday, 4 May 1957 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Aston Villa over Manchester United by 2–1. The attendance was 100,000.
| Aston Villa | Manchester United |