# 1901–02 FA Cup

The 1901–02 FA Cup was the 31st staging of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). Sheffield United won the competition for the second time, beating Southampton 2–1 in the replay of the final at Crystal Palace. The first match had finished 1–1.
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.

## Calendar

The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, an intermediate round, three proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final.
| Round | Date |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 21 September 1901 |
| First qualifying round | Saturday 5 October 1901 |
| Second qualifying round | Saturday 19 October 1901 |
| Third qualifying round | Saturday 2 November 1901 |
| Fourth qualifying round | Saturday 16 November 1901 |
| Fifth qualifying round | Saturday 30 November 1901 |
| Intermediate Round | Saturday 14 December 1901 |
| First round proper | Saturday 25 January 1902 |
| Second round | Saturday 8 February 1902 |
| Third round | Saturday 22 February 1902 |
| Semifinals | Saturday 15 March 1902 |
| Final | Saturday 19 April 1902 |

## Intermediate round

The Intermediate Round featured ten ties, played between the winners from the fifth qualifying round and ten teams exempt to this stage. First Division side Small Heath received a bye to this round, as did Chesterfield, Newton Heath, Woolwich Arsenal, Burnley and Leicester Fosse from the Second Division and Reading, Portsmouth and Millwall Athletic from the Southern League. New Brighton Tower had also been allocated an exemption to this round, but, after the club withdrew from the Football League and disbanded during the summer of 1901, the Football Association ruled that the team drawn to oppose them would be granted a walkover to the first round.
The remaining Second Division sides had to gain entry to this round through the qualifying rounds. Barnsley, Blackpool, Bristol City, Burton United, Burslem Port Vale, Doncaster Rovers, Gainsborough Trinity, Glossop, Lincoln City and Stockport County were all entered in the third qualifying round. Of these, Glossop and Lincoln City reached the Intermediate Round along with non-league sides Bishop Auckland, Darwen, Walsall, Northampton Town, Bristol Rovers, Oxford City, Luton Town and New Brompton. Bishop Auckland, Northampton Town and Oxford City qualified for the competition proper for the first time.
The nine matches were played on 14 December 1901. Two matches went to replays which were played during the following midweek. Oxford City was the recipient of the walkover caused by the withdrawal of New Brighton Tower.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Reading | 2–1 | Chesterfield | 14 December 1901 |
| 2 | Walsall | 2–0 | New Brompton | 14 December 1901 |
| 3 | Newton Heath | 1–2 | Lincoln City | 14 December 1901 |
| 4 | Bishop Auckland | 2–3 | Burnley | 14 December 1901 |
| 5 | Millwall Athletic | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | 14 December 1901 |
| Replay | Bristol Rovers | 1–0 | Millwall Athletic | 18 December 1901 |
| 6 | Leicester Fosse | 0–1 | Glossop | 14 December 1901 |
| 7 | Woolwich Arsenal | 1–1 | Luton Town | 14 December 1901 |
| Replay | Luton Town | 0–2 | Woolwich Arsenal | 18 December 1901 |
| 8 | Oxford City | Walkover | New Brighton Tower | N/A |
| 9 | Northampton Town | 4–1 | Darwen | 14 December 1901 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 2–1 | Small Heath | 14 December 1901 |

## First round proper

The first round proper contained sixteen ties between 32 teams. 17 of the 18 First Division sides were exempt to this round, as were West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough and Preston North End from the Second Division, and Southern League sides Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, finalists in the two previous seasons. They joined the ten teams who won in the intermediate round.
The matches were played on Saturday 25 January 1902. Seven matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. Two of these then went to a second replay the following week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bury | 5–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 January 1902 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 2–2 | Everton | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Everton | 0–2 | Liverpool | 29 January 1902 |
| 3 | Stoke | 2–2 | Aston Villa | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Stoke | 29 January 1902 |
| 4 | Walsall | 1–0 | Burnley | 25 January 1902 |
| 5 | Notts County | 1–2 | Reading | 25 January 1902 |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–2 | Derby County | 1 February 1902 |
| 7 | The Wednesday | 0–1 | Sunderland | 25 January 1902 |
| 8 | Grimsby Town | 1–1 | Portsmouth | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Portsmouth | 2–0 | Grimsby Town | 29 January 1902 |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 25 January 1902 |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Bristol Rovers | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | 29 January 1902 |
| 11 | Woolwich Arsenal | 0–2 | Newcastle United | 25 January 1902 |
| 12 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–1 | Southampton | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Southampton | 2–2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 29 January 1902 |
| 2nd Replay | Southampton | 2–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 February 1902 |
| 13 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Preston North End | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 0–0 | Manchester City | 29 January 1902 |
| 2nd Replay | Preston North End | 2–4 | Manchester City | 3 February 1902 |
| 14 | Oxford City | 0–0 | Lincoln City | 25 January 1902 |
| Replay | Lincoln City | 4–0 | Oxford City | 30 January 1902 |
| 15 | Northampton Town | 0–2 | Sheffield United | 25 January 1902 |
| 16 | Glossop | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | 25 January 1902 |

## Second round proper

The eight second-round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 February 1902. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Southampton | 4–1 | Liverpool | 8 February 1902 |
| 2 | Reading | 0–1 | Portsmouth | 8 February 1902 |
| 3 | Walsall | 0–5 | Bury | 8 February 1902 |
| 4 | Lincoln City | 1–3 | Derby County | 8 February 1902 |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 2–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 8 February 1902 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 1–0 | Sunderland | 12 February 1902 |
| 7 | Manchester City | 0–2 | Nottingham Forest | 8 February 1902 |
| 8 | Bristol Rovers | 0–1 | Stoke | 8 February 1902 |

## Third round proper

The four quarter final matches were scheduled for Saturday 22 February 1902. There were two replays, played in the following midweek.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bury | 2–3 | Southampton | 22 February 1902 |
| 2 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Stoke | 22 February 1902 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Sheffield United | 22 February 1902 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 2–1 | Newcastle United | 27 February 1902 |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 0–0 | Derby County | 22 February 1902 |
| Replay | Derby County | 6–3 | Portsmouth | 27 February 1902 |

## Semifinals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday 15 March 1902. Sheffield United and Derby County drew their tie and had to replay it; this next match also finished in a draw, and so a second replay was played a week later. Sheffield United eventually won and went on to meet Southampton in the final.

### Second Replay
## Final

The final was contested by Sheffield United and Southampton at Crystal Palace. The match finished 1–1 after extra time, with the goals scored by Alf Common for Sheffield United and Harry Wood for Southampton.
In the replay, which also took place at Crystal Palace, Sheffield United won 2–1, with goals from George Hedley and Billy Barnes. Albert Brown scored Southampton's goal.

### Match details

| Sheffield United | Southampton |