# 1948–49 FA Cup

The 1948–49 FA Cup was the 68th staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Wolverhampton Wanderers won the competition for the third time, beating Leicester City 3–1 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 4 September 1948 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 18 September 1948 |
| First qualifying round | Saturday 2 October 1948 |
| Second qualifying round | Saturday 16 October 1948 |
| Third qualifying round | Saturday 30 October 1948 |
| Fourth qualifying round | Saturday 13 November 1948 |
| First round proper | Saturday 27 November 1948 |
| Second round | Saturday 11 December 1948 |
| Third round | Saturday 8 January 1949 |
| Fourth round | Saturday 29 January 1949 |
| Fifth round | Saturday 13 February 1949 |
| Sixth round | Saturday 26 February 1949 |
| Semifinals | Saturday 26 March 1949 |
| Final | Saturday 30 April 1949 |

## 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, Scarborough, Horden Colliery Welfare, Workington, Netherfield, Rhyl, Witton Albion, Runcorn, Hereford United, Wellington Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Gainsborough Trinity, Peterborough United, Kidderminster Harriers, Cambridge Town, Walthamstow Avenue, Romford, Barnet, Tooting & Mitcham United, Dartford, Chelmsford City, Dulwich Hamlet, Weymouth, Gloucester City and Yeovil Town.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Billingham Synthonia, Witton Albion, Tooting & Mitcham United and Gloucester City, while Hereford United had not reached this stage since 1932–33 and Weymouth had not done so since 1926-27.
Weymouth was the most successful club from this season's extra preliminary round, progressing to the second round proper after defeating Bournemouth, Andover, Newport (IOW), Longfleet St Mary's, Poole Town, Trowbridge Town and Chelmsford City. Horden Colliery Welfare, Romford and Gloucester City also progressed from the extra preliminary round to the first round proper.

## 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. Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Rotherham United and Swindon Town were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sides Leytonstone and Colchester United were given byes to this round, with Leytonstone being the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup and Colchester being the best-performed non-league club from the previous season's FA Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 27 November 1948, with eight of these postponed until the following Saturday. Two were drawn and went to replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Dartford | 2–3 | Leyton Orient | 27 November 1948 |
| 2 | Barnet | 2–6 | Exeter City | 4 December 1948 |
| 3 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Barrow | 27 November 1948 |
| Replay | Barrow | 2–0 | Rochdale | 4 December 1948 |
| 4 | Weymouth | 2–1 | Chelmsford City | 27 November 1948 |
| 5 | Yeovil Town | 4–0 | Romford | 27 November 1948 |
| 6 | Walsall | 2–1 | Bristol Rovers | 27 November 1948 |
| 7 | Notts County | 2–1 | Port Vale | 27 November 1948 |
| 8 | Crewe Alexandra | 5–0 | Billingham Synthonia | 27 November 1948 |
| 9 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1–0 | Witton Albion | 27 November 1948 |
| 10 | Wrexham | 0–3 | Oldham Athletic | 27 November 1948 |
| 11 | Ipswich Town | 0–3 | Aldershot | 4 December 1948 |
| 12 | Tranmere Rovers | 1–3 | Darlington | 27 November 1948 |
| 13 | Kidderminster Harriers | 0–3 | Hereford United | 27 November 1948 |
| 14 | Leytonstone | 2–1 | Watford | 4 December 1948 |
| 15 | Northampton Town | 2–1 | Dulwich Hamlet | 27 November 1948 |
| 16 | Rhyl | 0–2 | Scarborough | 4 December 1948 |
| 17 | Norwich City | 1–0 | Wellington Town | 27 November 1948 |
| 18 | Bradford City | 4–3 | Doncaster Rovers | 4 December 1948 |
| 19 | Millwall | 1–0 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 27 November 1948 |
| 20 | Hull City | 3–1 | Accrington Stanley | 27 November 1948 |
| 21 | Crystal Palace | 0–1 | Bristol City | 27 November 1948 |
| 22 | Southend United | 1–2 | Swansea Town | 4 December 1948 |
| 23 | Hartlepools United | 1–3 | Chester | 27 November 1948 |
| 24 | Mansfield Town | 4–0 | Gloucester City | 27 November 1948 |
| 25 | Halifax Town | 0–0 | Scunthorpe United | 4 December 1948 |
| Replay | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | Halifax Town | 6 December 1948 |
| 26 | Newport County | 3–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 27 November 1948 |
| 27 | Southport | 2–1 | Horden CW | 27 November 1948 |
| 28 | New Brighton | 1–0 | Carlisle United | 27 November 1948 |
| 29 | Workington | 0–3 | Stockport County | 27 November 1948 |
| 30 | Walthamstow Avenue | 3–2 | Cambridge Town | 27 November 1948 |
| 31 | York City | 2–1 | Runcorn | 27 November 1948 |
| 32 | Gateshead | 3–0 | Netherfield (Kendal) | 27 November 1948 |
| 33 | Peterborough United | 0–1 | Torquay United | 27 November 1948 |
| 34 | Colchester United | 2–4 | Reading | 4 December 1948 |

## Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 11 December 1948. Four matches were drawn, with replays taking place the following Saturday.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Darlington | 1–0 | Leyton Orient | 11 December 1948 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 3–1 | Swansea Town | 11 December 1948 |
| 3 | Weymouth | 0–4 | Yeovil Town | 11 December 1948 |
| 4 | Walsall | 4–3 | Gainsborough Trinity | 11 December 1948 |
| 5 | Notts County | 3–2 | Barrow | 11 December 1948 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 3–2 | Millwall | 11 December 1948 |
| 7 | Leytonstone | 3–4 | Newport County | 11 December 1948 |
| 8 | Bradford City | 0–0 | New Brighton | 11 December 1948 |
| Replay | New Brighton | 1–0 | Bradford City | 18 December 1948 |
| 9 | Hull City | 0–0 | Reading | 11 December 1948 |
| Replay | Reading | 1–2 | Hull City | 18 December 1948 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 2–1 | Hereford United | 11 December 1948 |
| 11 | Scunthorpe United | 0–1 | Stockport County | 11 December 1948 |
| 12 | Mansfield Town | 2–1 | Northampton Town | 11 December 1948 |
| 13 | Southport | 2–2 | York City | 11 December 1948 |
| Replay | York City | 0–2 | Southport | 18 December 1948 |
| 14 | Torquay United | 3–1 | Norwich City | 11 December 1948 |
| 15 | Walthamstow Avenue | 2–2 | Oldham Athletic | 11 December 1948 |
| Replay | Oldham Athletic | 3–1 | Walthamstow Avenue | 18 December 1948 |
| 16 | Aldershot | 1–0 | Chester | 11 December 1948 |
| 17 | Gateshead | 3–0 | Scarborough | 11 December 1948 |

## Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Rotherham United and Swindon Town.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 January 1949. Four matches were drawn and went to replays on the following Saturday, with two of these going to a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bristol City | 1–3 | Chelsea | 8 January 1949 |
| 2 | Burnley | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | 8 January 1949 |
| 3 | Preston North End | 2–1 | Mansfield Town | 8 January 1949 |
| 4 | Yeovil Town | 3–1 | Bury | 8 January 1949 |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 2–2 | Liverpool | 8 January 1949 |
| Replay | Liverpool | 4–0 | Nottingham Forest | 15 January 1949 |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–2 | Hull City | 8 January 1949 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 8 January 1949 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 0–0 | Aston Villa | 15 January 1949 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 2–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 17 January 1949 |
| 8 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–1 | Southampton | 8 January 1949 |
| 9 | Grimsby Town | 2–1 | Exeter City | 8 January 1949 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 6–0 | Chesterfield | 8 January 1949 |
| 11 | Crewe Alexandra | 0–2 | Sunderland | 8 January 1949 |
| 12 | Derby County | 4–1 | Southport | 8 January 1949 |
| 13 | Lincoln City | 0–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 8 January 1949 |
| 14 | Luton Town | 3–1 | West Ham United | 8 January 1949 |
| 15 | Everton | 1–0 | Manchester City | 8 January 1949 |
| 16 | Swindon Town | 1–3 | Stoke City | 8 January 1949 |
| 17 | Sheffield United | 5–2 | New Brighton | 8 January 1949 |
| 18 | Newcastle United | 0–2 | Bradford Park Avenue | 8 January 1949 |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | Huddersfield Town | 8 January 1949 |
| Replay | Huddersfield Town | 5–0 | Queens Park Rangers | 15 January 1949 |
| 20 | Fulham | 0–1 | Walsall | 8 January 1949 |
| 21 | Barnsley | 0–1 | Blackpool | 8 January 1949 |
| 22 | Brentford | 3–2 | Middlesbrough | 8 January 1949 |
| 23 | Portsmouth | 7–0 | Stockport County | 8 January 1949 |
| 24 | Manchester United | 6–0 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 8 January 1949 |
| 25 | Plymouth Argyle | 0–1 | Notts County | 8 January 1949 |
| 26 | Oldham Athletic | 2–3 | Cardiff City | 8 January 1949 |
| 27 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 January 1949 |
| 28 | Leeds United | 1–3 | Newport County | 8 January 1949 |
| 29 | Torquay United | 1–0 | Coventry City | 8 January 1949 |
| 30 | Rotherham United | 4–2 | Darlington | 8 January 1949 |
| 31 | Gateshead | 3–1 | Aldershot | 8 January 1949 |
| 32 | Birmingham City | 1–1 | Leicester City | 8 January 1949 |
| Replay | Leicester City | 1–1 | Birmingham City | 15 January 1949 |
| Replay | Birmingham City | 1–2 | Leicester City | 17 January 1949 |

## Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 29 January 1949. Three games were drawn and went to replays, which were all played on the following Saturday. Manchester United and Bradford Park Avenue went to a second replay on the following Monday, with Manchester United easily winning the tie to go through.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 1–0 | Notts County | 29 January 1949 |
| 2 | Yeovil Town | 2–1 | Sunderland | 29 January 1949 |
| 3 | Leicester City | 2–0 | Preston North End | 29 January 1949 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Cardiff City | 29 January 1949 |
| 5 | Grimsby Town | 2–3 | Hull City | 29 January 1949 |
| 6 | Derby County | 1–0 | Arsenal | 29 January 1949 |
| 7 | Luton Town | 4–0 | Walsall | 29 January 1949 |
| 8 | Sheffield United | 0–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 29 January 1949 |
| 9 | Brentford | 1–0 | Torquay United | 29 January 1949 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 2–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 29 January 1949 |
| 11 | Manchester United | 1–1 | Bradford Park Avenue | 29 January 1949 |
| Replay | Bradford Park Avenue | 1–1 | Manchester United | 5 February 1949 |
| Replay | Manchester United | 5–0 | Bradford Park Avenue | 7 February 1949 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Everton | 29 January 1949 |
| 13 | Newport County | 3–3 | Huddersfield Town | 29 January 1949 |
| Replay | Huddersfield Town | 1–3 | Newport County | 5 February 1949 |
| 14 | Stoke City | 1–1 | Blackpool | 29 January 1949 |
| Replay | Blackpool | 0–1 | Stoke City | 5 February 1949 |
| 15 | Rotherham United | 0–1 | Burnley | 29 January 1949 |
| 16 | Gateshead | 1–3 | West Bromwich Albion | 29 January 1949 |

## Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 12 February 1949. There was one replay, taking place the following Saturday. Yeovil Town was the last non-league club left in the competition, emulating the achievement of Colchester United from the previous season in reaching this stage.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Liverpool | 12 February 1949 |
| 2 | West Bromwich Albion | 3–0 | Chelsea | 12 February 1949 |
| 3 | Derby County | 2–1 | Cardiff City | 12 February 1949 |
| 4 | Luton Town | 5–5 | Leicester City | 12 February 1949 |
| Replay | Leicester City | 5–3 | Luton Town | 19 February 1949 |
| 5 | Brentford | 4–2 | Burnley | 12 February 1949 |
| 6 | Portsmouth | 3–2 | Newport County | 12 February 1949 |
| 7 | Manchester United | 8–0 | Yeovil Town | 12 February 1949 |
| 8 | Stoke City | 0–2 | Hull City | 12 February 1949 |

## Sixth round proper

The draw for the sixth round was made on Monday, 14 February 1949. All matches were played on Saturday, 26 February 1949.

## Semifinals

The draw for the semi-finals was made on Monday, 28 February 1949. Both original matches were played on Saturday, 26 March 1949.