# 1970–71 FA Cup

The 1970–71 FA Cup was the 90th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. First Division champions Arsenal won the competition for the fourth time, beating Liverpool 2–1 in the at Wembley. In doing so, Arsenal were the fourth team to complete a double of League and Cup victories, following Preston North End, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
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 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 5 September 1970 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 19 September 1970 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 10 October 1970 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 24 October 1970 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 7 November 1970 |
| First round proper | Saturday 21 November 1970 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 12 December 1970 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 2 January 1971 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 23 January 1971 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 13 February 1971 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 6 March 1971 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 27 March 1971 |
| Final | Saturday 8 May 1971 |

## Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 28 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were South Shields, Bradford Park Avenue, Scarborough, Rhyl, Bangor City, Great Harwood, Wigan Athletic, Hereford United, Tamworth, Grantham, Boston United, Chelmsford City, Barnet, Oxford City, Wycombe Wanderers, Cheltenham Town, Slough Town, Aveley, Bishop's Stortford, Hendon, Ringmer, Crawley Town, Walton & Hersham, Margate, Wimbledon, Yeovil Town, Minehead and Weymouth.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Great Harwood, Aveley, Bishop's Stortford, Ringmer and Minehead. Of the others, Rhyl had last featured at this stage in 1962–63 and Slough Town had last done so in 1945-46 (during their short-lived Slough United amalgamation).
The once-mighty Rhyl had qualified for the first round of the FA Cup in a competition-record 15 consecutive seasons up to and including 1962-63. This season the club played in 12 matches across seven rounds of the tournament, defeating Pwllheli & District, Porthmadog, Oswestry Town (after a replay), South Liverpool (after a second replay), Hartlepool and Barnsley (after another second replay) before going out to Swansea City at Vetch Field in the third round. However, as if to emphasize their recent decline, this season also saw Rhyl's consecutive qualification record finally broken by Hereford United in that club's penultimate non-league season before being voted into the Football League.

## Results
### First round proper

At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined the non-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round, four additional non-league clubs were given byes. Macclesfield Town and Telford United were the finalists from the inaugural FA Trophy competition held during the previous season, while Enfield and Dagenham were the finalists from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 21 November 1970, with the exception of the Great Harwood–Rotherham United match which was played the following Tuesday. Nine matches were drawn, with Scunthorpe United and Tranmere Rovers needing a second replay at Goodison Park to settle their tie (in Scunthorpe's favour).
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Enfield | 0–1 | Cambridge United | 21 November 1970 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 2–0 | Halifax Town | 21 November 1970 |
| 3 | Darlington | 5–1 | Bangor City | 21 November 1970 |
| 4 | Barnet | 6–1 | Newport County | 21 November 1970 |
| 5 | Grantham | 2–1 | Stockport County | 21 November 1970 |
| 6 | Preston North End | 1–1 | Chester | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Chester | 1–0 | Preston North End | 25 November 1970 |
| 7 | Rochdale | 2–0 | Oldham Athletic | 21 November 1970 |
| 8 | Yeovil Town | 1–0 | Aveley | 21 November 1970 |
| 9 | Reading | 6–1 | Bishop's Stortford | 21 November 1970 |
| 10 | Walsall | 3–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 21 November 1970 |
| 11 | Notts County | 1–0 | Port Vale | 21 November 1970 |
| 12 | Grimsby Town | 0–1 | Bury | 21 November 1970 |
| 13 | Crewe Alexandra | 0–0 | Doncaster Rovers | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Doncaster Rovers | 1–3 | Crewe Alexandra | 24 November 1970 |
| 14 | Lincoln City | 2–1 | Barrow | 21 November 1970 |
| 15 | Scarborough | 2–3 | Workington | 21 November 1970 |
| 16 | Tranmere Rovers | 1–1 | Scunthorpe United | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Scunthorpe United | 0–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 24 November 1970 |
| Replay | Tranmere Rovers | 0–1 | Scunthorpe United | 30 November 1970 |
| 17 | Wycombe Wanderers | 1–1 | Slough Town | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Slough Town | 1–0 | Wycombe Wanderers | 25 November 1970 |
| 18 | Oxford City | 1–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 8–1 | Oxford City | 25 November 1970 |
| 19 | Fulham | 1–2 | Bristol Rovers | 21 November 1970 |
| 20 | Barnsley | 1–0 | Bradford Park Avenue | 21 November 1970 |
| 21 | Brentford | 2–1 | Gillingham | 21 November 1970 |
| 22 | Great Harwood | 2–6 | Rotherham United | 24 November 1970 |
| 23 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4–0 | Cheltenham Town | 21 November 1970 |
| 24 | Rhyl | 1–0 | Hartlepool | 21 November 1970 |
| 25 | Bradford City | 3–2 | Macclesfield Town | 21 November 1970 |
| 26 | Southend United | 7–0 | Weymouth | 21 November 1970 |
| 27 | Mansfield Town | 2–0 | Wrexham | 21 November 1970 |
| 28 | Minehead | 1–2 | Shrewsbury Town | 21 November 1970 |
| 29 | Southport | 0–2 | Boston United | 21 November 1970 |
| 30 | Torquay United | 3–1 | Aston Villa | 21 November 1970 |
| 31 | Hereford United | 2–2 | Northampton Town | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Northampton Town | 1–2 | Hereford United | 24 November 1970 |
| 32 | Tamworth | 0–0 | York City | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | York City | 5–0 | Tamworth | 23 November 1970 |
| 33 | Peterborough United | 3–1 | Wimbledon | 21 November 1970 |
| 34 | South Shields | 1–1 | Wigan Athletic | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Wigan Athletic | 2–0 | South Shields | 23 November 1970 |
| 35 | Colchester United | 3–0 | Ringmer | 21 November 1970 |
| 36 | Walton & Hersham | 2–5 | Telford United | 21 November 1970 |
| 37 | Hendon | 0–2 | Aldershot | 21 November 1970 |
| 38 | Dagenham | 2–0 | Margate | 21 November 1970 |
| 39 | Crawley Town | 1–1 | Chelmsford City | 21 November 1970 |
| Replay | Chelmsford City | 6–1 | Crawley Town | 23 November 1970 |
| 40 | Swansea City | 4–1 | Exeter City | 21 November 1970 |

### Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 12 December 1970. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week or the week after. The Lincoln City–Bradford City match required a second replay, which was played on the 21 December.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 1–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 12 December 1970 |
| 2 | Chesterfield | 0–0 | Workington | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Workington | 3–2 | Chesterfield | 16 December 1970 |
| 3 | Darlington | 0–2 | Rochdale | 12 December 1970 |
| 4 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 0–1 | Yeovil Town | 12 December 1970 |
| 5 | Bury | 1–1 | Notts County | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Notts County | 3–0 | Bury | 21 December 1970 |
| 6 | Grantham | 1–4 | Rotherham United | 12 December 1970 |
| 7 | Lincoln City | 2–2 | Bradford City | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Bradford City | 2–2 | Lincoln City | 16 December 1970 |
| Replay | Lincoln City | 4–1 | Bradford City | 21 December 1970 |
| 8 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–2 | Reading | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Reading | 1–0 | Shrewsbury Town | 21 December 1970 |
| 9 | Brentford | 1–0 | Walsall | 12 December 1970 |
| 10 | Rhyl | 0–0 | Barnsley | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Barnsley | 1–1 | Rhyl | 15 December 1970 |
| Replay | Rhyl | 2–0 | Barnsley | 21 December 1970 |
| 11 | Southend United | 1–0 | Dagenham | 12 December 1970 |
| 12 | Scunthorpe United | 3–0 | Mansfield Town | 12 December 1970 |
| 13 | Hereford United | 1–2 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 12 December 1970 |
| 14 | Aldershot | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | 12 December 1970 |
| Replay | Bristol Rovers | 1–3 | Aldershot | 15 December 1970 |
| 15 | Wigan Athletic | 2–1 | Peterborough United | 12 December 1970 |
| 16 | Boston United | 1–2 | York City | 12 December 1970 |
| 17 | Colchester United | 3–0 | Cambridge United | 12 December 1970 |
| 18 | Chelmsford City | 0–1 | Torquay United | 12 December 1970 |
| 19 | Slough Town | 0–1 | Barnet | 12 December 1970 |
| 20 | Swansea City | 6–2 | Telford United | 12 December 1970 |

### Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 2 January 1971, but ten were played at later dates. Seven matches were drawn and went to replays. Yeovil Town, Rhyl, Wigan Athletic and Barnet were the last non-league clubs left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Blackpool | 4–0 | West Ham United | 2 January 1971 |
| 2 | Chester | 1–2 | Derby County | 2 January 1971 |
| 3 | Barnet | 0–1 | Colchester United | 5 January 1971 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 1–0 | Aldershot | 2 January 1971 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Coventry City | 11 January 1971 |
| 6 | Southampton | 3–0 | Bristol City | 11 January 1971 |
| 7 | Watford | 5–0 | Reading | 6 January 1971 |
| 8 | Yeovil Town | 0–3 | Arsenal | 6 January 1971 |
| 9 | Leicester City | 2–0 | Notts County | 2 January 1971 |
| 10 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Luton Town | 2 January 1971 |
| Replay | Luton Town | 3–4 | Nottingham Forest | 11 January 1971 |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–1 | Norwich City | 2 January 1971 |
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 0–0 | Scunthorpe United | 2 January 1971 |
| Replay | Scunthorpe United | 1–3 | West Bromwich Albion | 11 January 1971 |
| 13 | Sunderland | 0–3 | Orient | 11 January 1971 |
| 14 | Everton | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 2 January 1971 |
| 15 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Ipswich Town | 11 January 1971 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 2–1 | Newcastle United | 13 January 1971 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2 January 1971 |
| 17 | Manchester City | 1–0 | Wigan Athletic | 2 January 1971 |
| 18 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–2 | Swindon Town | 2 January 1971 |
| 19 | Portsmouth | 2–0 | Sheffield United | 2 January 1971 |
| 20 | Manchester United | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | 2 January 1971 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Manchester United | 5 January 1971 |
| 21 | Hull City | 3–0 | Charlton Athletic | 2 January 1971 |
| 22 | Crystal Palace | 2–2 | Chelsea | 2 January 1971 |
| Replay | Chelsea | 2–0 | Crystal Palace | 6 January 1971 |
| 23 | Southend United | 0–3 | Carlisle United | 11 January 1971 |
| 24 | Huddersfield Town | 1–1 | Birmingham City | 2 January 1971 |
| Replay | Birmingham City | 0–2 | Huddersfield Town | 5 January 1971 |
| 25 | Cardiff City | 1–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 January 1971 |
| 26 | Torquay United | 4–3 | Lincoln City | 2 January 1971 |
| 27 | Workington | 0–1 | Brentford | 2 January 1971 |
| 28 | York City | 2–0 | Bolton Wanderers | 2 January 1971 |
| 29 | Stoke City | 2–1 | Millwall | 2 January 1971 |
| 30 | Rotherham United | 0–0 | Leeds United | 11 January 1971 |
| Replay | Leeds United | 3–2 | Rotherham United | 18 January 1971 |
| 31 | Oxford United | 3–0 | Burnley | 11 January 1971 |
| 32 | Swansea City | 6–1 | Rhyl | 2 January 1971 |

### Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 23 January 1971. Seven matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 3–0 | Swansea City | 23 January 1971 |
| 2 | Rochdale | 3–3 | Colchester United | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Colchester United | 5–0 | Rochdale | 25 January 1971 |
| 3 | Leicester City | 3–0 | Torquay United | 25 January 1971 |
| 4 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Orient | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Orient | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | 1 February 1971 |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | Ipswich Town | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 3–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 26 January 1971 |
| 6 | Derby County | 2–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 23 January 1971 |
| 7 | Everton | 3–0 | Middlesbrough | 23 January 1971 |
| 8 | Portsmouth | 1–1 | Arsenal | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 3–2 | Portsmouth | 1 February 1971 |
| 9 | Hull City | 2–0 | Blackpool | 23 January 1971 |
| 10 | Carlisle United | 2–3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 January 1971 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 0–3 | Manchester City | 23 January 1971 |
| 12 | Cardiff City | 0–2 | Brentford | 23 January 1971 |
| 13 | Leeds United | 4–0 | Swindon Town | 23 January 1971 |
| 14 | York City | 3–3 | Southampton | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Southampton | 3–2 | York City | 1 February 1971 |
| 15 | Stoke City | 3–3 | Huddersfield Town | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Huddersfield Town | 0–0 | Stoke City | 26 January 1971 |
| Replay | Stoke City | 1–0 | Huddersfield Town | 8 February 1971 |
| 16 | Oxford United | 1–1 | Watford | 23 January 1971 |
| Replay | Watford | 1–2 | Oxford United | 27 January 1971 |

### Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 13 February 1971 with one fixture and two replays played three or four days later.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 1–0 | Southampton | 13 February 1971 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 1–1 | Oxford United | 13 February 1971 |
| Replay | Oxford United | 1–3 | Leicester City | 17 February 1971 |
| 3 | Everton | 1–0 | Derby County | 13 February 1971 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–1 | Nottingham Forest | 13 February 1971 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 1–2 | Arsenal | 13 February 1971 |
| 6 | Hull City | 2–1 | Brentford | 13 February 1971 |
| 7 | Stoke City | 0–0 | Ipswich Town | 13 February 1971 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 0–1 | Stoke City | 16 February 1971 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 3–2 | Leeds United | 13 February 1971 |

### Sixth round proper

The four sixth round ties were played on the 6 March 1971. There were two replays in the midweek fixtures of the following week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 0–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 6 March 1971 |
| Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–1 | Liverpool | 16 March 1971 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 0–0 | Arsenal | 6 March 1971 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 1–0 | Leicester City | 15 March 1971 |
| 3 | Everton | 5–0 | Colchester United | 6 March 1971 |
| 4 | Hull City | 2–3 | Stoke City | 6 March 1971 |

### Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 27 March 1971 with the Arsenal–Stoke match needing a replay. Liverpool and Arsenal came through the semi-final round to meet at Wembley.

#### Replay
### Third place playoff

Between 1970 and 1974, a third place playoff between the two losing semi-finalists was held.

### Final

The 1971 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley on the 8 May 1971. Arsenal won 2–1 after extra time, with all three goals coming in the added half-hour. Steve Heighway scored for Liverpool first, before Arsenal equalised with a scrambled goal from substitute Eddie Kelly - the first time a substitute had ever scored in an FA Cup final. Charlie George scored the winner six minutes into the second period.
| Liverpool | Arsenal |

## TV Coverage

The rights to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. All games were shown in a highlights format, except the Final, which was shown live both on BBC1 and ITV. The BBC football highlights programme Match Of The Day would show up to three games and the various ITV regional network stations would cover up to one game and show highlights from other games covered elsewhere on the ITV network. The ITV region Anglia showed highlights of the second round tie between Colchester United and Cambridge United, it would be the last game from outside the third round covered by ITV until 1982. Highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV.
| Round | BBC | ITV |
| Second round proper | | Colchester United v Cambridge United (Anglia only) |
| Third round proper | Blackpool v West Ham United Manchester City v Wigan Athletic Nottingham Forest v Luton Town Yeovil Town v Arsenal Chelsea v Crystal Palace (Replay) Leeds United v Rotherham United (Replay) | Crystal Palace v Chelsea (LWT) Wolverhampton Wanderers v Norwich City (ATV) Hull City v Charlton Athletic (Anglia) Manchester United v Middlesbrough (Granada) Huddersfield Town v Birmingham City (Yorkshire) |
| Fourth round proper | Derby County v Wolverhampton Wanderers Portsmouth v Arsenal Everton v Middlesbrough | Chelsea v Manchester City (LWT) West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town (ATV) York City v Southampton (Yorkshire) Hull City v Blackpool (Anglia) Watford v Oxford United (All Regions) |
| Fifth round proper | Colchester United v Leeds United Liverpool v Southampton Leicester City v Oxford United Manchester City v Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest (LWT) Everton v Derby County (Granada) Hull City v Brentford (Anglia and Yorkshire) Stoke City v Ipswich Town (ATV) |
| Sixth round proper | Everton v Colchester United Leicester City v Arsenal Arsenal v Leicester City (Replay) | Hull City v Stoke City Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur (All regions) |
| Semi-finals | Everton v Liverpool Arsenal v Stoke City (Replay) | Stoke City v Arsenal (All regions) |
| Final | Arsenal v Liverpool | Arsenal v Liverpool |