# 1959–60 FA Cup

The 1959–60 FA Cup was the 79th 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 fourth time, beating Blackburn Rovers 3–0 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 |
| Preliminary round | 5 September 1959 |
| First qualifying round | 19 September 1959 |
| Second qualifying round | 3 October 1959 |
| Third qualifying round | 17 October 1959 |
| Fourth qualifying round | 31 October 1959 |
| First round proper | 14 November 1959 |
| Second round proper | 5 December 1959 |
| Third round proper | 9 January 1960 |
| Fourth round proper | 30 January 1960 |
| Fifth round proper | 20 February 1960 |
| Sixth round proper | 12 March 1960 |
| Semi-finals | 26 March 1960 |
| Final | 7 May 1960 |

## Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 30 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Scarborough, West Auckland Town, South Shields, Blyth Spartans, Shildon, Rhyl, Prescot Cables, Burscough, Hereford United, Oswestry Town, Matlock Town, Gainsborough Trinity, Kettering Town, Wisbech Town, Peterborough United, King's Lynn, Chelmsford City, Bedford Town, Enfield, Walthamstow Avenue, Headington United, Wycombe Wanderers, Margate, Hastings United, Ashford Town (Kent), Salisbury, Barnstaple Town, Dorchester Town, Cheltenham Town and Bath City.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were West Auckland Town and Burscough, while Enfield had last featured at this stage in 1937-38 and Matlock Town had last done so in 1887-88.

## First round proper

At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined the 30 non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. The final two non-league sides in the main draw, Crook Town and Barnet were given byes to this round as the champions and runners-up from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 14 November 1959. Ten were drawn and went to replays, played on 17–19 November.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
| 1 | Enfield | 4–3 | Headington United |
| 2 | Darlington | 4–0 | Prescot Cables |
| 3 | Hastings United | 1–2 | Notts County |
| 4 | Bath City | 3–1 | Millwall |
| 5 | Bury | 5–0 | Hartlepools United |
| 6 | Dorchester Town | 1–2 | Port Vale |
| 7 | Rochdale | 2–2 | Carlisle United |
| Replay | Carlisle United | 1–3 | Rochdale |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 2–3 | Walsall |
| 9 | Doncaster Rovers | 3–3 | Gainsborough Trinity |
| Replay | Gainsborough Trinity | 0–1 | Doncaster Rovers |
| 10 | Wrexham | 2–1 | Blyth Spartans |
| 11 | Tranmere Rovers | 0–1 | Chester |
| 12 | Wycombe Wanderers | 4–2 | Wisbech Town |
| 13 | Accrington Stanley | 1–2 | Mansfield Town |
| 14 | Barnsley | 3–3 | Bradford City |
| Replay | Bradford City | 2–1 | Barnsley |
| 15 | Brentford | 5–0 | Ashford Town (Kent) |
| 16 | Crook Town | 2–2 | Matlock Town |
| Replay | Matlock Town | 0–1 | Crook Town |
| 17 | Coventry City | 1–1 | Southampton |
| Replay | Southampton | 5–1 | Coventry City |
| 18 | King's Lynn | 3–1 | Aldershot |
| 19 | Rhyl | 1–2 | Grimsby Town |
| 20 | Norwich City | 1–1 | Reading |
| Replay | Reading | 2–1 | Norwich City |
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 21 | Shildon | 1–1 | Oldham Athletic | |
| Replay | Oldham Athletic | 3–0 | Shildon | |
| 22 | West Auckland Town | 2–6 | Stockport County | |
| 23 | Crystal Palace | 5–1 | Chelmsford City | |
| 24 | Southend United | 6–0 | Oswestry Town | |
| 25 | Bradford Park Avenue | 6–1 | Scarborough | |
| 26 | Exeter City | 4–0 | Barnstaple Town | |
| 27 | Bedford Town | 0–4 | Gillingham | |
| 28 | Newport County | 4–2 | Hereford United | 10,391 |
| 29 | Cheltenham Town | 0–0 | Watford | |
| Replay | Watford | 3–0 | Cheltenham Town | |
| 30 | Southport | 2–2 | Workington | |
| Replay | Workington | 3–0 | Southport | |
| 31 | Torquay United | 7–1 | Northampton Town | |
| 32 | Walthamstow Avenue | 2–3 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | |
| 33 | York City | 3–1 | Barrow | |
| 34 | Kettering Town | 1–1 | Margate | |
| Replay | Margate | 3–2 | Kettering Town | |
| 35 | Gateshead | 3–4 | Halifax Town | |
| 36 | Peterborough United | 4–3 | Shrewsbury Town | |
| 37 | South Shields | 2–1 | Chesterfield | |
| 38 | Colchester United | 2–3 | Queens Park Rangers | |
| 39 | Salisbury | 1–0 | Barnet | |
| 40 | Burscough | 1–3 | Crewe Alexandra | |

## Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 5 December 1959, with three matches taking place later. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Enfield | 1–5 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 5 December 1959 |
| 2 | Bury | 2–1 | Oldham Athletic | 5 December 1959 |
| 3 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Bradford City | 5 December 1959 |
| Replay | Bradford City | 2–1 | Rochdale | 9 December 1959 |
| 4 | Southampton | 3–0 | Southend United | 5 December 1959 |
| 5 | Watford | 5–1 | Wycombe Wanderers | 5 December 1959 |
| 6 | Reading | 4–2 | King's Lynn | 5 December 1959 |
| 7 | Walsall | 2–3 | Peterborough United | 5 December 1959 |
| 8 | Gillingham | 2–2 | Torquay United | 5 December 1959 |
| Replay | Torquay United | 1–2 | Gillingham | 9 December 1959 |
| 9 | Notts County | 0–1 | Bath City | 5 December 1959 |
| 10 | Grimsby Town | 2–3 | Wrexham | 5 December 1959 |
| 11 | Doncaster Rovers | 3–2 | Darlington | 5 December 1959 |
| 12 | Stockport County | 0–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 5 December 1959 |
| Replay | Crewe Alexandra | 2–0 | Stockport County | 9 December 1959 |
| 13 | Queens Park Rangers | 3–3 | Port Vale | 5 December 1959 |
| Replay | Port Vale | 2–1 | Queens Park Rangers | 7 December 1959 |
| 14 | Crook Town | 0–1 | York City | 5 December 1959 |
| 15 | Exeter City | 3–1 | Brentford | 5 December 1959 |
| 16 | Mansfield Town | 2–0 | Chester | 5 December 1959 |
| 17 | Margate | 0–0 | Crystal Palace | 5 December 1959 |
| Replay | Crystal Palace | 3–0 | Margate | 9 December 1959 |
| 18 | Workington | 1–0 | Halifax Town | 5 December 1959 |
| 19 | South Shields | 1–5 | Bradford Park Avenue | 5 December 1959 |
| 20 | Salisbury | 0–1 | Newport County | 5 December 1959 |

## Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 9 January 1960. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays, with the Rotherham United–Arsenal match requiring a second replay. Watford's win over Birmingham City was the first in the Cup by a club from the new Fourth Division over First Division opponents.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Blackpool | 3–0 | Mansfield Town | 9 January 1960 |
| 2 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 1–0 | York City | 9 January 1960 |
| 3 | Bath City | 0–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 9 January 1960 |
| 4 | Bristol City | 2–3 | Charlton Athletic | 9 January 1960 |
| 5 | Bury | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 4–2 | Bury | 13 January 1960 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Leyton Orient | 9 January 1960 |
| 7 | Watford | 2–1 | Birmingham City | 9 January 1960 |
| 8 | Gillingham | 1–4 | Swansea Town | 9 January 1960 |
| 9 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Reading | 9 January 1960 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 2–1 | Leeds United | 9 January 1960 |
| 11 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–1 | Middlesbrough | 9 January 1960 |
| 12 | Crewe Alexandra | 2–0 | Workington | 9 January 1960 |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 3–2 | Plymouth Argyle | 9 January 1960 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 1–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Blackburn Rovers | 4–1 | Sunderland | 13 January 1960 |
| 15 | Derby County | 2–4 | Manchester United | 9 January 1960 |
| 16 | Lincoln City | 1–1 | Burnley | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Burnley | 2–0 | Lincoln City | 12 January 1960 |
| 17 | Wrexham | 1–2 | Leicester City | 9 January 1960 |
| 18 | Sheffield United | 3–0 | Portsmouth | 9 January 1960 |
| 19 | Ipswich Town | 2–3 | Peterborough United | 9 January 1960 |
| 20 | Newcastle United | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–2 | Newcastle United | 13 January 1960 |
| 21 | Manchester City | 1–5 | Southampton | 9 January 1960 |
| 22 | Fulham | 5–0 | Hull City | 9 January 1960 |
| 23 | Bristol Rovers | 0–0 | Doncaster Rovers | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Doncaster Rovers | 1–2 | Bristol Rovers | 12 January 1960 |
| 24 | Bradford City | 3–0 | Everton | 9 January 1960 |
| 25 | Chelsea | 5–1 | Bradford Park Avenue | 9 January 1960 |
| 26 | Exeter City | 1–2 | Luton Town | 9 January 1960 |
| 27 | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | Crystal Palace | 9 January 1960 |
| 28 | Huddersfield Town | 1–1 | West Ham United | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | West Ham United | 1–5 | Huddersfield Town | 13 January 1960 |
| 29 | Cardiff City | 0–2 | Port Vale | 9 January 1960 |
| 30 | Newport County | 0–4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 January 1960 |
| 31 | Stoke City | 1–1 | Preston North End | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 3–1 | Stoke City | 12 January 1960 |
| 32 | Rotherham United | 2–2 | Arsenal | 9 January 1960 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 1–1 | Rotherham United | 13 January 1960 |
| Replay | Rotherham United | 2–0 | Arsenal | 18 January 1960 |

## Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 30 January 1960. Six matches were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match. For the second round in a row, Rotherham United were taken to a second replay, this time by Brighton & Hove Albion. Peterborough United celebrated their final season in non-league football by reaching this stage and being the last team from the qualifying rounds left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 1–3 | Manchester United | 30 January 1960 |
| 2 | Southampton | 2–2 | Watford | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Watford | 1–0 | Southampton | 2 February 1960 |
| 3 | Leicester City | 2–1 | Fulham | 30 January 1960 |
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Blackpool | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Blackpool | 0–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 February 1960 |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–0 | Peterborough United | 30 January 1960 |
| 6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | 30 January 1960 |
| 7 | Crewe Alexandra | 2–2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | 13–2 | Crewe Alexandra | 3 February 1960 |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 2–0 | Bolton Wanderers | 30 January 1960 |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 3–0 | Nottingham Forest | 30 January 1960 |
| 10 | Bristol Rovers | 3–3 | Preston North End | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 5–1 | Bristol Rovers | 2 February 1960 |
| 11 | Bradford City | 3–1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 30 January 1960 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 1–2 | Aston Villa | 30 January 1960 |
| 13 | Scunthorpe United | 0–1 | Port Vale | 30 January 1960 |
| 14 | Huddersfield Town | 0–1 | Luton Town | 30 January 1960 |
| 15 | Swansea Town | 0–0 | Burnley | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Burnley | 2–1 | Swansea Town | 2 February 1960 |
| 16 | Rotherham United | 1–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 January 1960 |
| Replay | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–1 | Rotherham United | 3 February 1960 |
| Replay | Rotherham United | 0–6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 8 February 1960 |

## Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 20 February 1960. One match went to a replay in the following mid-week fixture.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Preston North End | 2–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 20 February 1960 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 2–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 February 1960 |
| 3 | Luton Town | 1–4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 20 February 1960 |
| 4 | Sheffield United | 3–2 | Watford | 20 February 1960 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 20 February 1960 |
| 6 | Manchester United | 0–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 20 February 1960 |
| 7 | Bradford City | 2–2 | Burnley | 20 February 1960 |
| Replay | Burnley | 5–0 | Bradford City | 23 February 1960 |
| 8 | Port Vale | 1–2 | Aston Villa | 20 February 1960 |

## Sixth round proper

The draw for the semi-finals was made on Monday, 22 February 1960. All the original matches were played on Saturday, 12 March 1960.

### Replay
## Semi-finals

The draw for the semi-finals was made on Monday, 14 March 1960. Both matches were played on Saturday, 26 March 1960.