# 1910–11 FA Cup

The 1910–11 FA Cup was the 40th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). Bradford City won the competition for the first and (as of 2024) only time, beating holders Newcastle United 1–0 in the replay of the final at Old Trafford in Manchester, through a goal from Jimmy Speirs. The first match, held at Crystal Palace, London, was a 0–0 draw.
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. 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.
1911 was the first year that the current trophy design was used. The FA commissioned Fattorini's of Bradford to design and manufacture a new, larger trophy. Coincidentally, it was won by Bradford City in its first outing. This trophy still exists but is now too fragile to be used, so an exact replica was made by Toye, Kenning and Spencer and has been in use since the 1992 final. The replica of the original, last used in 1910, was presented to the FA's long-serving president Lord Kinnaird. It was sold at Christie's in 2005 to David Gold. Gold has loaned this trophy to the National Football Museum in Manchester where it is on permanent display.

## Calendar

The format of the FA Cup for the season had two preliminary rounds, five qualifying rounds, four proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final.
| Round | Date |
| Extra preliminary round | Saturday 10 September 1910 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 17 September 1910 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 1 October 1910 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 15 October 1910 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 5 November 1910 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 19 November 1910 |
| Fifth round qualifying | Saturday 3 December 1910 |
| First round proper | Saturday 14 January 1911 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 4 February 1911 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 25 February 1911 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 11 March 1911 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 25 March 1911 |
| Final | Saturday 22 April 1911 |

## Qualifying rounds

The 12 clubs winning through to the main draw from the fifth qualifying round were Football League Second Division outfit Gainsborough Trinity along with non-league sides Luton Town, Stoke, Crewe Alexandra, Watford, Accrington Stanley, Southend United, Croydon Common, Chesterfield, Exeter City, Darlington and New Brompton. For the first time, all qualifying teams had appeared in the first round before, although Darlington had not featured at this stage since 1887-88.
Ironically, Gainsborough Trinity would be voted out of the Football League in 1912, while, of the others, only Croydon Common would not have become a member of the League by 1921.
At the other end of the qualifying stages, 28 clubs were entered in the extra preliminary round, with most of those being from the West Midlands. However, none of the clubs from this stage progressed past the first qualifying round.

## First round proper

36 of the 40 clubs from the First and Second divisions joined the 12 clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. The remaining sides, Stockport County, Lincoln City, Huddersfield Town and Gainsborough Trinity were entered in the fourth qualifying round. Huddersfield lost to Lincoln City and Stockport County lost to Rochdale in that round, while Lincoln City then lost to Stoke in the fifth qualifying round.
Sixteen non-league sides were given byes to the first round to bring the total number of teams up to 64. These were:
* Southampton
* Millwall Athletic
* Queens Park Rangers
* Crystal Palace
* Swindon Town
* Plymouth Argyle
* Leyton
* Portsmouth
* Northampton Town
* Bristol Rovers
* Norwich City
* Grimsby Town
* West Ham United
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Coventry City
* Brentford
Grimsby Town had been voted out of the Football League during the 1910 close-season and were competing in the Midland League, while the others were all from the Southern League First Division.
32 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 14 January 1911. Four matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Birmingham | 1–1 | Oldham Athletic | 14 January 1911 |
| Replay | Oldham Athletic | 2–0 | Birmingham | 17 January 1911 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 0–3 | Crewe Alexandra | 14 January 1911 |
| 3 | Burnley | 2–0 | Exeter City | 14 January 1911 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 3–2 | Gainsborough Trinity | 14 January 1911 |
| 5 | Stoke | 1–2 | Manchester City | 14 January 1911 |
| 6 | Watford | 0–2 | Barnsley | 14 January 1911 |
| 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 5–1 | Southend United | 14 January 1911 |
| 8 | The Wednesday | 1–2 | Coventry City | 14 January 1911 |
| 9 | Bolton Wanderers | 0–2 | Chesterfield | 14 January 1911 |
| 10 | Grimsby Town | 3–0 Match void | Croydon Common | 14 January 1911 |
| Replay | Grimsby Town | 8–1 | Croydon Common | 18 January 1911 |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Accrington Stanley | 14 January 1911 |
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Glossop | 14 January 1911 |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 4–1 | Fulham | 14 January 1911 |
| 14 | Derby County | 2–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 14 January 1911 |
| 15 | Swindon Town | 3–1 | Notts County | 14 January 1911 |
| 16 | Sheffield United | 0–1 | Darlington | 14 January 1911 |
| 17 | Leicester Fosse | 3–1 | Southampton | 14 January 1911 |
| 18 | Newcastle United | 6–1 | Bury | 14 January 1911 |
| 19 | New Brompton | 0–1 | Bradford City | 14 January 1911 |
| 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–1 | Millwall Athletic | 14 January 1911 |
| 21 | Brentford | 0–1 | Preston North End | 14 January 1911 |
| 22 | Bristol Rovers | 0–0 | Hull City | 14 January 1911 |
| Replay | Hull City | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers | 17 January 1911 |
| 23 | Northampton Town | 5–1 | Luton Town | 14 January 1911 |
| 24 | Portsmouth | 1–4 | Aston Villa | 14 January 1911 |
| 25 | West Ham United | 2–1 | Nottingham Forest | 14 January 1911 |
| 26 | Manchester United | 2–1 | Blackpool | 14 January 1911 |
| 27 | Norwich City | 3–1 | Sunderland | 14 January 1911 |
| 28 | Leeds City | 1–3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 14 January 1911 |
| 29 | Clapton Orient | 1–2 | Woolwich Arsenal | 16 January 1911 |
| 30 | Crystal Palace | 0–4 | Everton | 14 January 1911 |
| 31 | Chelsea | 0–0 | Leyton | 14 January 1911 |
| Replay | Leyton | 0–2 | Chelsea | 18 January 1911 |
| 32 | Bradford Park Avenue | 5–3 | Queens Park Rangers | 14 January 1911 |

## Second round proper

The sixteen second-round matches were played on Saturday, 4 February 1911. Four matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Darlington | 2–1 | Bradford Park Avenue | 4 February 1911 |
| 2 | Burnley | 2–0 | Barnsley | 4 February 1911 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 February 1911 |
| Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–2 | Blackburn Rovers | 8 February 1911 |
| 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Manchester City | 4 February 1911 |
| 5 | Crewe Alexandra | 1–5 | Grimsby Town | 4 February 1911 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Leicester Fosse | 4 February 1911 |
| Replay | Leicester Fosse | 1–2 | Middlesbrough | 8 February 1911 |
| 7 | Derby County | 2–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 4 February 1911 |
| 8 | Everton | 2–1 | Liverpool | 4 February 1911 |
| 9 | Swindon Town | 1–0 | Woolwich Arsenal | 4 February 1911 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Northampton Town | 4 February 1911 |
| Replay | Newcastle United | 1–0 | Northampton Town | 8 February 1911 |
| 11 | West Ham United | 3–0 | Preston North End | 4 February 1911 |
| 12 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0–0 | Coventry City | 4 February 1911 |
| Replay | Coventry City | 2–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 8 February 1911 |
| 13 | Manchester United | 2–1 | Aston Villa | 4 February 1911 |
| 14 | Bradford City | 2–1 | Norwich City | 4 February 1911 |
| 15 | Hull City | 1–0 | Oldham Athletic | 4 February 1911 |
| 16 | Chelsea | 4–1 | Chesterfield | 4 February 1911 |

## Third round proper

The eight third-round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 February 1911. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Darlington | 0–3 | Swindon Town | 25 February 1911 |
| 2 | Burnley | 5–0 | Coventry City | 25 February 1911 |
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–2 | Chelsea | 25 February 1911 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 0–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 25 February 1911 |
| 5 | Derby County | 5–0 | Everton | 25 February 1911 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 3–2 | Hull City | 25 February 1911 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 2–1 | Manchester United | 25 February 1911 |
| 8 | Bradford City | 1–0 | Grimsby Town | 25 February 1911 |

## Fourth round proper

The four fourth-round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 March 1911. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Newcastle United | 4–0 | Derby County | 11 March 1911 |
| 2 | West Ham United | 2–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 March 1911 |
| 3 | Bradford City | 1–0 | Burnley | 11 March 1911 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 3–1 | Swindon Town | 11 March 1911 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 25 March 1911. Both matches were 3–0 wins, to Newcastle United and Bradford City won, going on to meet each other in the final.

## Final

The Final was the 40th FA Cup final. It was contested by Bradford City and Newcastle United. The first game resulted in a goalless draw at Crystal Palace. A single goal scored by Jimmy Speirs for Bradford won the replay at Old Trafford.

### Match details

| Bradford City | Newcastle United |

#### Replay

| Bradford City | Newcastle United |