# 1946–47 FA Cup

The 1946–47 FA Cup was the 66th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Charlton Athletic, the previous season's runners-up, won the competition for the first time, beating Burnley 1–0 after extra time 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

| Round | Date |
| Extra preliminary round | Saturday 7 September 1946 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 21 September 1946 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 5 October 1946 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 19 October 1946 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 2 November 1946 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 16 November 1946 |
| First round proper | Saturday 30 November 1946 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 14 December 1946 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 11 January 1947 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 25 January 1947 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 8 February 1947 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 1 March 1947 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 29 March 1947 |
| Final | Saturday 26 April 1947 |

## 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, Spennymoor United, Stockton, Workington, Lancaster City, Marine, Runcorn, South Liverpool, Cheltenham Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Gainsborough Trinity, Wellington Town, Brush Sports, Peterborough United, Colchester United, Cambridge Town, Leytonstone, Finchley, Hayes, Sutton United, Gravesend & Northfleet, Gillingham, Poole Town, Merthyr Tydfil and Yeovil Town.
Those advancing to the competition proper for the first time were Cambridge Town, Leytonstone, Loughborough-based works outfit Brush Sports, the recently reconstituted Merthyr Tydfil and the recently merged Gravesend & Northfleet. Additionally, Poole Town had not featured at this stage since 1928–29 and Finchley had not done so since 1881-82.
Finchley was also the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the competition proper, defeating Polytechnic, Hendon, Wood Green Town, Hoddesdon Town, Harrow Town and Eastbourne Town before losing to Port Vale at the Old Recreation Ground.

## 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. Chester, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sides Barnet and Bishop Auckland, the previous season's FA Amateur Cup winners and runners-up, were given byes to this round.
34 matches were played on Saturday, 30 November 1946. Six were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 4–2 | Exeter City | 30 November 1946 |
| 2 | Barnet | 3–0 | Sutton United | 30 November 1946 |
| 3 | Barrow | 0–0 | Halifax Town | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 1–0 | Barrow | 4 December 1946 |
| 4 | Bristol City | 9–3 | Hayes | 30 November 1946 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 6–1 | Bishop Auckland | 30 November 1946 |
| 6 | Yeovil Town | 2–2 | Peterborough United | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | Peterborough United | 1–0 | Yeovil Town | 5 December 1946 |
| 7 | Reading | 5–0 | Colchester United | 30 November 1946 |
| 8 | Gillingham | 4–1 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 30 November 1946 |
| 9 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1–2 | Darlington | 30 November 1946 |
| 10 | Swindon Town | 4–1 | Cambridge Town | 30 November 1946 |
| 11 | Stockton | 2–4 | Lincoln City | 30 November 1946 |
| 12 | Doncaster Rovers | 2–2 | Accrington Stanley | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | Accrington Stanley | 0–5 | Doncaster Rovers | 4 December 1946 |
| 13 | Wrexham | 5–0 | Marine | 30 November 1946 |
| 14 | Ipswich Town | 2–0 | Torquay United | 30 November 1946 |
| 15 | Stockport County | 2–0 | Southport | 30 November 1946 |
| 16 | Wellington Town | 1–1 | Watford | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | Watford | 1–0 | Wellington Town | 4 December 1946 |
| 17 | Queens Park Rangers | 2–2 | Poole Town | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | Poole Town | 0–6 | Queens Park Rangers | 4 December 1946 |
| 18 | Leytonstone | 1–6 | Walsall | 30 November 1946 |
| 19 | Northampton Town | 2–0 | Mansfield Town | 30 November 1946 |
| 20 | South Liverpool | 2–1 | Workington | 30 November 1946 |
| 21 | Norwich City | 7–2 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 November 1946 |
| 22 | Hull City | 0–0 | New Brighton | 30 November 1946 |
| Replay | New Brighton | 1–2 | Hull City | 4 December 1946 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 4–0 | Runcorn | 30 November 1946 |
| 24 | Oldham Athletic | 1–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 30 November 1946 |
| 25 | Hartlepools United | 6–0 | North Shields | 30 November 1946 |
| 26 | Port Vale | 5–0 | Finchley | 30 November 1946 |
| 27 | York City | 0–1 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 30 November 1946 |
| 28 | Rotherham United | 2–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 30 November 1946 |
| 29 | Aldershot | 4–2 | Cheltenham Town | 30 November 1946 |
| 30 | Gateshead | 3–1 | Bradford City | 30 November 1946 |
| 31 | Lancaster City | 1–0 | Spennymoor United | 30 November 1946 |
| 32 | Leyton Orient | 1–2 | Notts County | 30 November 1946 |
| 33 | Brush Sports | 1–6 | Southend United | 30 November 1946 |
| 34 | Merthyr Tydfil | 3–1 | Bristol Rovers | 30 November 1946 |

## Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 14 December 1946. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture. Two of these then went to a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Darlington | 1–2 | Hull City | 14 December 1946 |
| 2 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 4–2 | Aldershot | 14 December 1946 |
| 3 | Barnet | 2–9 | Southend United | 14 December 1946 |
| 4 | Bristol City | 1–2 | Gillingham | 14 December 1946 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 6–1 | Hartlepools United | 14 December 1946 |
| 6 | Watford | 1–1 | Port Vale | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Port Vale | 2–1 | Watford | 16 December 1946 |
| 7 | Walsall | 0–0 | Ipswich Town | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 0–1 | Walsall | 18 December 1946 |
| 8 | Notts County | 2–1 | Swindon Town | 14 December 1946 |
| 9 | Lincoln City | 1–1 | Wrexham | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Wrexham | 3–3 | Lincoln City | 18 December 1946 |
| Replay | Lincoln City | 2–1 | Wrexham | 23 December 1946 |
| 10 | South Liverpool | 2–3 | Carlisle United | 14 December 1946 |
| 11 | Norwich City | 4–4 | Queens Park Rangers | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Queens Park Rangers | 2–0 | Norwich City | 18 December 1946 |
| 12 | Oldham Athletic | 1–2 | Doncaster Rovers | 14 December 1946 |
| 13 | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Stockport County | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Stockport County | 2–1 | Halifax Town | 18 December 1946 |
| 14 | Rotherham United | 4–1 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 14 December 1946 |
| 15 | Gateshead | 4–0 | Lancaster City | 14 December 1946 |
| 16 | Peterborough United | 1–1 | Northampton Town | 14 December 1946 |
| Replay | Northampton Town | 1–1 | Peterborough United | 19 December 1946 |
| Replay | Northampton Town | 8–1 | Peterborough United | 23 December 1946 |
| 17 | Merthyr Tydfil | 1–3 | Reading | 14 December 1946 |

## Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Chester, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 January 1947. Five matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these requiring a second replay to settle the fixture. Gillingham was the last non-league club left in the tournament.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 2–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 11 January 1947 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Sunderland | 11 January 1947 |
| 3 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 0–2 | Derby County | 11 January 1947 |
| 4 | Burnley | 5–1 | Aston Villa | 11 January 1947 |
| 5 | Southampton | 5–1 | Bury | 11 January 1947 |
| 6 | Reading | 2–2 | Grimsby Town | 11 January 1947 |
| Replay | Grimsby Town | 3–1 | Reading | 14 January 1947 |
| 7 | Walsall | 2–5 | Liverpool | 11 January 1947 |
| 8 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Hull City | 11 January 1947 |
| Replay | Hull City | 0–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 16 January 1947 |
| 9 | Sheffield Wednesday | 4–1 | Blackpool | 11 January 1947 |
| 10 | Bolton Wanderers | 5–1 | Stockport County | 11 January 1947 |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–0 | Rotherham United | 11 January 1947 |
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 2–1 | Leeds United | 11 January 1947 |
| 13 | Lincoln City | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | 11 January 1947 |
| 14 | Luton Town | 6–0 | Notts County | 11 January 1947 |
| 15 | Everton | 4–2 | Southend United | 11 January 1947 |
| 16 | Doncaster Rovers | 2–3 | Portsmouth | 11 January 1947 |
| 17 | Sheffield United | 3–0 | Carlisle United | 11 January 1947 |
| 18 | Newcastle United | 6–2 | Crystal Palace | 11 January 1947 |
| 19 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–2 | Stoke City | 11 January 1947 |
| Replay | Stoke City | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 January 1947 |
| 20 | Manchester City | 3–0 | Gateshead | 11 January 1947 |
| 21 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | 11 January 1947 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 3–1 | Queens Park Rangers | 15 January 1947 |
| 22 | Fulham | 1–2 | Birmingham City | 11 January 1947 |
| 23 | Brentford | 1–0 | Cardiff City | 11 January 1947 |
| 24 | Northampton Town | 1–2 | Preston North End | 11 January 1947 |
| 25 | Coventry City | 5–2 | Newport County | 11 January 1947 |
| 26 | West Ham United | 1–2 | Leicester City | 11 January 1947 |
| 27 | Millwall | 0–3 | Port Vale | 11 January 1947 |
| 28 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Arsenal | 11 January 1947 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 1–1 | Chelsea | 15 January 1947 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 0–2 | Chelsea | 20 January 1947 |
| 29 | Bradford Park Avenue | 0–3 | Manchester United | 11 January 1947 |
| 30 | Huddersfield Town | 3–4 | Barnsley | 11 January 1947 |
| 31 | Swansea Town | 4–1 | Gillingham | 11 January 1947 |
| 32 | Charlton Athletic | 3–1 | Rochdale | 11 January 1947 |

## Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 January 1947. Five games were drawn and went to replays, of which one went to a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 0–0 | Stoke City | 25 January 1947 |
| Replay | Stoke City | 3–2 | Chester | 29 January 1947 |
| 2 | Burnley | 2–0 | Coventry City | 25 January 1947 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 2–0 | Grimsby Town | 25 January 1947 |
| 4 | Preston North End | 6–0 | Barnsley | 25 January 1947 |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | Port Vale | 25 January 1947 |
| 6 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–1 | Everton | 25 January 1947 |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 3–3 | Manchester City | 25 January 1947 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 1–0 | Bolton Wanderers | 29 January 1947 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 25 January 1947 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 2–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 29 January 1947 |
| 9 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Chesterfield | 25 January 1947 |
| 10 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–2 | Charlton Athletic | 25 January 1947 |
| 11 | Luton Town | 2–0 | Swansea Town | 25 January 1947 |
| 12 | Newcastle United | 3–1 | Southampton | 25 January 1947 |
| 13 | Brentford | 0–0 | Leicester City | 25 January 1947 |
| Replay | Leicester City | 0–0 | Brentford | 30 January 1947 |
| Replay | Leicester City | 4–1 | Brentford | 3 February 1947 |
| 14 | Manchester United | 0–2 | Nottingham Forest | 25 January 1947 |
| 15 | Chelsea | 2–2 | Derby County | 25 January 1947 |
| Replay | Derby County | 1–0 | Chelsea | 29 January 1947 |
| 16 | Birmingham City | 1–0 | Portsmouth | 25 January 1947 |

## Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 February 1947. There were three replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 1–0 | Derby County | 8 February 1947 |
| 2 | Nottingham Forest | 2–2 | Middlesbrough | 8 February 1947 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 6–2 | Nottingham Forest | 12 February 1947 |
| 3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–2 | Preston North End | 20 February 1947 |
| 4 | Luton Town | 0–0 | Burnley | 8 February 1947 |
| Replay | Burnley | 3–0 | Luton Town | 11 February 1947 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Leicester City | 8 February 1947 |
| Replay | Leicester City | 1–2 | Newcastle United | 20 February 1947 |
| 6 | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 8 February 1947 |
| 7 | Stoke City | 0–1 | Sheffield United | 8 February 1947 |
| 8 | Birmingham City | 5–0 | Manchester City | 8 February 1947 |

## Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 1 March 1947. There was one replay, in the Burnley–Middlesbrough match.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 4–1 | Birmingham City | 1 March 1947 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Burnley | 1 March 1947 |
| Replay | Burnley | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | 4 March 1947 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 0–2 | Newcastle United | 1 March 1947 |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic | 2–1 | Preston North End | 1 March 1947 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 29 March 1947. Burnley and Liverpool needed to replay their match, which was settled two weeks later in Burnley's favour. They went on to meet Charlton Athletic in the final at Wembley.

### Replay
## Final

The 1947 FA Cup Final was contested by Charlton Athletic and Burnley at Wembley, England on 26 April 1947. Charlton, losing finalists the previous year, won by a single goal, scored in extra time by Chris Duffy. History repeated itself this year as the ball again burst during the game. Later, the reason for these problems in 1946 and 1947 was put down to the poor quality of leather available after World War II.

### Match details

| Charlton Athletic | Burnley |