# 1933–34 FA Cup

The 1933–34 FA Cup was the 59th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Manchester City won the competition for the second time, beating Portsmouth 2–1 in the final at Wembley, winning through two late goals from Fred Tilson.
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. The 1933-34 competition was notable in that no second replays were required throughout the competition proper.

## Calendar

| Round | Date |
| Extra preliminary round | Saturday 2 September 1933 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 16 September 1933 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 30 September 1933 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 14 October 1933 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 28 October 1933 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 11 November 1933 |
| First round proper | Saturday 25 November 1933 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 9 December 1933 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 13 January 1934 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 27 January 1934 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 17 February 1934 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 3 March 1934 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 17 March 1934 |
| Final | Saturday 28 April 1934 |

## 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 Spennymoor United, North Shields, South Bank St Peters, Scarborough, Darwen, Workington, Altrincham, Lancaster Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Gainsborough Trinity, Newark Town, Sutton Town, Kettering Town, Oxford City, Ilford, Barnet, Margate, Dulwich Hamlet, Northfleet United, Hayes, Epsom Town, Dartford, London Paper Mills, Bath City and Cheltenham Town.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were North Shields, South Bank St Peters, Altrincham, Sutton Town, Epsom Town, London Paper Mills and Cheltenham Town, while Oxford City had not featured in the first round since 1906-07.
Cheltenham Town emulated Brighton & Hove Albion's achievement from the previous season of competing in nine consecutive rounds of the tournament. Entering in the extra preliminary round, Cheltenham defeated Mount Hill Enterprise, St Philip's Athletic, Street and Merthyr Town before losing to Llanelli in a third qualifying round replay at Whaddon Road. However, Llanelli was later disqualified for fielding ineligible imported players in the initial match at Stebonheath Park, resulting in Cheltenham being re-instated and overcoming Calne & Harris United, Barnet and Carlisle United before going out to Blackpool in front of a record home attendance at the Athletic Ground in the third round.
London Paper Mills also progressed from the extra preliminary round to the main draw, defeating Bostall Heath, Bexleyheath & Welling, Erith & Belvedere, Sheppey United, Aylesford Paper Mills and Ryde Sports before losing to Southend United in the first round.

## First round proper

At this stage 41 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 25 non-league sides that came through the qualifying rounds. Chesterfield, Brighton & Hove Albion and Luton Town were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league clubs Folkestone and Kingstonian were given byes to this round, with Kingstonian having won the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 25 November 1933. Seven were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 6–1 | Darlington | 25 November 1933 |
| 2 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 3–0 | Hayes | 25 November 1933 |
| 3 | Barrow | 4–2 | Doncaster Rovers | 25 November 1933 |
| 4 | Bath City | 0–0 | Charlton Athletic | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Charlton Athletic | 3–1 | Bath City | 29 November 1933 |
| 5 | Watford | 0–3 | Reading | 25 November 1933 |
| 6 | Walsall | 4–0 | Spennymoor United | 25 November 1933 |
| 7 | Folkestone | 0–0 | Bristol Rovers | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Bristol Rovers | 3–1 | Folkestone | 29 November 1933 |
| 8 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1–0 | Altrincham | 25 November 1933 |
| 9 | Ilford | 2–4 | Swindon Town | 25 November 1933 |
| 10 | Tranmere Rovers | 7–0 | Newark Town | 25 November 1933 |
| 11 | Sutton Town | 2–1 | Rochdale | 25 November 1933 |
| 12 | Oxford City | 1–5 | Gillingham | 25 November 1933 |
| 13 | Queens Park Rangers | 6–0 | Kettering Town | 25 November 1933 |
| 14 | Northampton Town | 2–0 | Exeter City | 25 November 1933 |
| 15 | Coventry City | 3–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 25 November 1933 |
| 16 | Northfleet United | 0–2 | Dartford | 25 November 1933 |
| 17 | Carlisle United | 2–1 | Wrexham | 25 November 1933 |
| 18 | Clapton Orient | 4–2 | Epsom Town | 25 November 1933 |
| 19 | Crystal Palace | 3–0 | Norwich City | 25 November 1933 |
| 20 | Lancaster Town | 0–1 | Stockport County | 25 November 1933 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 1–1 | Accrington Stanley | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Accrington Stanley | 3–0 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | 29 November 1933 |
| 22 | Cardiff City | 0–0 | Aldershot | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Aldershot | 3–1 | Cardiff City | 29 November 1933 |
| 23 | Halifax Town | 3–2 | Barnsley | 25 November 1933 |
| 24 | Cheltenham Town | 5–1 | Barnet | 25 November 1933 |
| 25 | Kingstonian | 1–7 | Bristol City | 25 November 1933 |
| 26 | Dulwich Hamlet | 2–2 | Newport County | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Newport County | 6–2 | Dulwich Hamlet | 30 November 1933 |
| 27 | New Brighton | 0–0 | Mansfield Town | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Mansfield Town | 3–4 | New Brighton | 29 November 1933 |
| 28 | Torquay United | 1–1 | Margate | 25 November 1933 |
| Replay | Margate | 0–2 | Torquay United | 30 November 1933 |
| 29 | Workington | 1–0 | Southport | 25 November 1933 |
| 30 | York City | 2–3 | Hartlepools United | 25 November 1933 |
| 31 | Rotherham United | 3–2 | South Bank St Peters | 25 November 1933 |
| 32 | Gateshead | 5–2 | Darwen | 25 November 1933 |
| 33 | North Shields | 3–0 | Scarborough | 25 November 1933 |
| 34 | London Paper Mills | 0–1 | Southend United | 25 November 1933 |

## Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 9 December 1933. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 2–4 | Tranmere Rovers | 9 December 1933 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 2–1 | Barrow | 9 December 1933 |
| 3 | Walsall | 0–0 | Clapton Orient | 9 December 1933 |
| Replay | Clapton Orient | 2–0 | Walsall | 14 December 1933 |
| 4 | Gainsborough Trinity | 0–2 | Aldershot | 9 December 1933 |
| 5 | Swindon Town | 1–0 | Dartford | 9 December 1933 |
| 6 | Sutton Town | 1–2 | Reading | 9 December 1933 |
| 7 | Stockport County | 1–2 | Crystal Palace | 9 December 1933 |
| 8 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–1 | New Brighton | 9 December 1933 |
| Replay | New Brighton | 0–4 | Queens Park Rangers | 13 December 1933 |
| 9 | Accrington Stanley | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers | 9 December 1933 |
| 10 | Northampton Town | 3–0 | Torquay United | 9 December 1933 |
| 11 | Carlisle United | 1–2 | Cheltenham Town | 9 December 1933 |
| 12 | Southend United | 2–1 | Chester | 9 December 1933 |
| 13 | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Hartlepools United | 9 December 1933 |
| Replay | Hartlepools United | 1–2 | Halifax Town | 13 December 1933 |
| 14 | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | Gillingham | 9 December 1933 |
| 15 | Workington | 3–1 | Newport County | 9 December 1933 |
| 16 | Rotherham United | 2–1 | Coventry City | 9 December 1933 |
| 17 | Gateshead | 1–0 | North Shields | 9 December 1933 |

## Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage, along with Chesterfield, Brighton & Hove Albion and Luton Town. Cheltenham Town was the first non-league club to reach this stage (or its pre-1925 equivalent) from the extra preliminary round since Hednesford Town and Thornycrofts (Woolston) in 1919–20.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 13 January 1934. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Birmingham | 2–1 | Sheffield United | 13 January 1934 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 2–2 | Aston Villa | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 2–0 | Chesterfield | 17 January 1934 |
| 3 | Bristol City | 1–1 | Derby County | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Derby County | 1–0 | Bristol City | 17 January 1934 |
| 4 | Burnley | 0–0 | Bury | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Bury | 3–2 | Burnley | 17 January 1934 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 1–1 | Fulham | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Fulham | 2–3 | Liverpool | 17 January 1934 |
| 6 | Southampton | 1–1 | Northampton Town | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Northampton Town | 1–0 | Southampton | 18 January 1934 |
| 7 | Reading | 1–2 | Oldham Athletic | 13 January 1934 |
| 8 | Leicester City | 3–0 | Lincoln City | 13 January 1934 |
| 9 | Nottingham Forest | 4–0 | Queens Park Rangers | 13 January 1934 |
| 10 | Bolton Wanderers | 3–1 | Halifax Town | 13 January 1934 |
| 11 | Grimsby Town | 1–0 | Clapton Orient | 13 January 1934 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Newcastle United | 13 January 1934 |
| 13 | Sunderland | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 1–2 | Sunderland | 17 January 1934 |
| 14 | Luton Town | 0–1 | Arsenal | 13 January 1934 |
| 15 | Tranmere Rovers | 3–0 | Southend United | 13 January 1934 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–0 | Everton | 13 January 1934 |
| 17 | Manchester City | 3–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 13 January 1934 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 3–2 | Bradford City | 13 January 1934 |
| 19 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3–1 | Swindon Town | 13 January 1934 |
| 20 | Manchester United | 1–1 | Portsmouth | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Portsmouth | 4–1 | Manchester United | 17 January 1934 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 1–1 | Huddersfield Town | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | Huddersfield Town | 6–2 | Plymouth Argyle | 17 January 1934 |
| 22 | Millwall | 3–0 | Accrington Stanley | 13 January 1934 |
| 23 | Hull City | 1–0 | Brentford | 13 January 1934 |
| 24 | Crystal Palace | 1–0 | Aldershot | 13 January 1934 |
| 25 | Chelsea | 1–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 13 January 1934 |
| Replay | West Bromwich Albion | 0–1 | Chelsea | 17 January 1934 |
| 26 | Swansea Town | 1–0 | Notts County | 13 January 1934 |
| 27 | Charlton Athletic | 2–0 | Port Vale | 13 January 1934 |
| 28 | Cheltenham Town | 1–3 | Blackpool | 13 January 1934 |
| 29 | Leeds United | 0–1 | Preston North End | 13 January 1934 |
| 30 | Workington | 4–1 | Gateshead | 13 January 1934 |
| 31 | Stoke City | 3–0 | Bradford Park Avenue | 13 January 1934 |
| 32 | Rotherham United | 0–3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 13 January 1934 |

## Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 27 January 1934. Five games were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture. Workington was the last non-league club left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Birmingham | 1–0 | Charlton Athletic | 27 January 1934 |
| 2 | Bury | 1–1 | Swansea Town | 27 January 1934 |
| Replay | Swansea Town | 3–0 | Bury | 1 February 1934 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 3–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 27 January 1934 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 7–2 | Sunderland | 27 January 1934 |
| 5 | Derby County | 3–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 27 January 1934 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4–1 | West Ham United | 27 January 1934 |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 2–0 | Grimsby Town | 27 January 1934 |
| 8 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 27 January 1934 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 6–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 31 January 1934 |
| 9 | Millwall | 3–6 | Leicester City | 27 January 1934 |
| 10 | Hull City | 2–2 | Manchester City | 27 January 1934 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 4–1 | Hull City | 31 January 1934 |
| 11 | Oldham Athletic | 1–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 27 January 1934 |
| Replay | Sheffield Wednesday | 6–1 | Oldham Athletic | 31 January 1934 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | 27 January 1934 |
| Replay | Nottingham Forest | 0–3 | Chelsea | 31 January 1934 |
| 13 | Huddersfield Town | 0–2 | Northampton Town | 27 January 1934 |
| 14 | Arsenal | 7–0 | Crystal Palace | 27 January 1934 |
| 15 | Workington | 1–2 | Preston North End | 27 January 1934 |
| 16 | Stoke City | 3–0 | Blackpool | 27 January 1934 |

## Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 17 February 1934. There was one replay, in the Sheffield Wednesday–Manchester City match, played in the next midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Birmingham | 1–2 | Leicester City | 17 February 1934 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 0–3 | Bolton Wanderers | 17 February 1934 |
| 3 | Preston North End | 4–0 | Northampton Town | 17 February 1934 |
| 4 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 | Manchester City | 17 February 1934 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 2–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 21 February 1934 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–1 | Aston Villa | 17 February 1934 |
| 6 | Swansea Town | 0–1 | Portsmouth | 17 February 1934 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Derby County | 17 February 1934 |
| 8 | Stoke City | 3–1 | Chelsea | 17 February 1934 |

## Sixth round proper

The four Sixth Round ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 3 March 1934. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Preston North End | 0–1 | Leicester City | 3 March 1934 |
| 2 | Bolton Wanderers | 0–3 | Portsmouth | 3 March 1934 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 1–0 | Stoke City | 3 March 1934 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 1–2 | Aston Villa | 3 March 1934 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 17 March 1934. Manchester City and Portsmouth won their matches to meet in the final at Wembley

## Final

The 1934 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester City and Portsmouth at Wembley. Manchester City won the game through two late goals from Fred Tilson, after Septimus Rutherford had put Portsmouth ahead midway through the first half.

### Match details

| Manchester City | Portsmouth |