# 1887–88 FA Cup

The 1887–88 Football Association Challenge Cup was the 17th staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. One hundred and forty-nine teams entered, twenty-one more than the previous season, although four of the one hundred and forty-nine never played a match.
This was the last season in which there were no qualifying rounds, so all entering clubs were placed in the first round. After the formation of the Football League, a set of qualifying rounds was introduced, with League clubs given the right to request automatic exemption to the first round proper.

## First round proper

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Chester | 2–3 | Davenham | 15 October 1887 |
| Burnley | 4–0 Match void | Darwen Old Wanderers | 15 October 1887 |
| Grantham | 4–0 | Lincoln Lindum | 15 October 1887 |
| Preston North End | 26–0 | Hyde | 15 October 1887 |
| South Bank | 3–2 | Newcastle East End | 15 October 1887 |
| Stoke | 1–0 | Burslem Port Vale | 15 October 1887 |
| Matlock | 2–3 | Rotherham Town | 15 October 1887 |
| Reading | 0–2 Match void | Dulwich | 15 October 1887 |
| Sheffield | 1–3 | Lockwood Brothers | 15 October 1887 |
| Hitchin | 2–5 | Old Wykehamists | 8 October 1887 |
| Royal Engineers | 3–0 Match void | Rochester | 15 October 1887 |
| Marlow | 4–1 | South Reading | 8 October 1887 |
| Old Etonians | 4–2 | Lancing Old Boys | 8 October 1887 |
| Swifts | 3–1 | Maidenhead | 15 October 1887 |
| Notts County | 9–0 | Lincoln Ramblers | 15 October 1887 |
| Hendon | 2–4 | Old Harrovians | 15 October 1887 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Notts Swifts | 15 October 1887 |
| Blackburn Rovers | Walkover | Bury | |
| Hotspur | Bye | | |
| Stafford Road | 2–1 Match void | Great Bridge Unity | 15 October 1887 |
| Old Carthusians | 5–0 | Hanover United | 15 October 1887 |
| Blackburn Olympic | Bye | | |
| Staveley | 1–2 | Derby County | 15 October 1887 |
| Small Heath Alliance | 6–1 | Aston Unity | 15 October 1887 |
| Sheffield Heeley | 9–0 | Attercliffe | 15 October 1887 |
| Bootle | 6–0 | Workington | 15 October 1887 |
| Blackburn Park Road | 2–1 Match void | Distillery | 8 October 1887 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 Match void | Everton | 15 October 1887 |
| Accrington | 11–0 | Rossendale | 15 October 1887 |
| Chatham | 5–1 | Luton Town | 15 October 1887 |
| Walsall Town | 1–2 | Mitchell St George's | 15 October 1887 |
| South Shore | Walkover | Denton | |
| Church | Walkover | Cliftonville | |
| Macclesfield Town | 1–3 | Shrewsbury Town | 15 October 1887 |
| Walsall Swifts | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 15 October 1887 |
| Old Westminsters | 4–1 | Clapton | 15 October 1887 |
| Wrexham Olympic | Bye | | |
| Hurst | 5–3 Match void | Astley Bridge | 15 October 1887 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 5–0 | Druids | 15 October 1887 |
| Long Eaton Rangers | 6–3 | Park Grange | 15 October 1887 |
| Middlesbrough | 4–0 | Whitburn | 15 October 1887 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 7–1 | Wednesbury Old Athletic | 15 October 1887 |
| Birmingham Excelsior | 4–1 Match void | Warwick County | 15 October 1887 |
| Leek | 2–2 | Northwich Victoria | 15 October 1887 |
| Sunderland | 4–2 Match void | Morpeth Harriers | 15 October 1887 |
| Old Brightonians | 1–0 | Swindon Town | 8 October 1887 |
| Derby Junction | 3–2 | Derby St Luke's | 15 October 1887 |
| Rawtenstall | 1–3 | Darwen | 15 October 1887 |
| Notts Rangers | 10–1 | Jardines | 15 October 1887 |
| Notts Olympic | 3–6 Match void | Notts Mellors | 15 October 1887 |
| Lincoln City | 4–1 | Horncastle Town | 15 October 1887 |
| Chirk | 4–1 | Chester St Oswalds | 15 October 1887 |
| Oswaldtwistle Rovers | 3–4 | Witton | 15 October 1887 |
| Higher Walton | Walkover | Heywood Central | 15 October 1887 |
| Burton Swifts | 7–0 | Southfield | 15 October 1887 |
| Chesham | 4–2 Match void | Watford Rovers | 15 October 1887 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 7–0 | Boston | 15 October 1887 |
| Basford Rovers | 3–2 | Lincoln Albion | 15 October 1887 |
| Crusaders | 9–0 | Lyndhurst | 15 October 1887 |
| Fleetwood Rangers | 4–1 | West Manchester | 15 October 1887 |
| Cleethorpes Town | 0–4 | Grimsby Town | 15 October 1887 |
| Newcastle West End | 5–1 | Redcar | 15 October 1887 |
| London Caledonians | 1–6 | Old Foresters | 15 October 1887 |
| Old St Mark's | 7–2 | East Sheen | 15 October 1887 |
| Owlerton | 2–1 | Eckington Works | 15 October 1887 |
| Millwall Rovers | Walkover | Casuals | |
| Over Wanderers | 3–1 | Wellington St George's | 15 October 1887 |
| Ecclesfield | 4–1 | Derby Midland | 15 October 1887 |
| Scarborough | 3–5 | Shankhouse | 15 October 1887 |
| Belper Town | 2–3 | The Wednesday | 15 October 1887 |
| Vale of Llangollen | 1–3 Match void | Oswestry Town | 8 October 1887 |
| Aston Shakespeare | 2–3 Match void | Burton Wanderers | 15 October 1887 |
| Darlington | 3–0 | Gateshead Association | 15 October 1887 |
| Liverpool Stanley | 1–5 | Halliwell | 15 October 1887 |
| Oldbury Town | 0–4 | Aston Villa | 15 October 1887 |
| Elswick Rangers | 3–3 | Bishop Auckland Church Institute | 15 October 1887 |

### Replays

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Burnley | Walkover | Darwen Old Wanderers | |
| Dulwich | Walkover | Reading | |
| Royal Engineers | Walkover | Rochester | |
| Great Bridge Unity | 1–1 | Stafford Road | 22 October 1887 |
| Great Bridge Unity | Walkover | Stafford Road | |
| Everton | 2–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 29 October 1887 |
| Everton | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 12 November 1887 |
| Everton | Match void | Bolton Wanderers | 19 November 1887 |
| Astley Bridge | Walkover | Hurst | |
| Warwick County | 0–5 | Birmingham Excelsior | 22 October 1887 |
| Northwich Victoria | 4–2 | Leek | 22 October 1887 |
| Morpeth Harriers | 2–3 | Sunderland | 22 October 1887 |
| Notts Olympic | 1–2 | Notts Mellors | 22 October 1887 |
| Watford Rovers | 3–1 | Chesham | 22 October 1887 |
| Vale of Llangollen | 0–2 | Oswestry Town | 22 October 1887 |
| Aston Shakespeare | Walkover | Burton Wanderers | 22 October 1887 |
| Bishop Auckland Church Institute | 0–2 | Elswick Rangers | 22 October 1887 |

## Second round proper

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Darlington | 4–3 | Elswick Rangers | 5 November 1887 |
| Darwen | 2–0 | Church | 5 November 1887 |
| Dulwich | 2–1 | Hotspur | 5 November 1887 |
| Preston North End | 9–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 17 December 1887 |
| Shankhouse | Bye | | |
| Marlow | 2–3 | Old Foresters | 5 November 1887 |
| Old Etonians | 3–2 | Old St Mark's | 5 November 1887 |
| Swifts | Bye | | |
| Old Harrovians | 0–4 | Old Brightonians | 5 November 1887 |
| Notts County | Walkover | Basford Rovers | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Notts Mellors | 5 November 1887 |
| Blackburn Olympic | 1–5 | Blackburn Rovers | 5 November 1887 |
| Astley Bridge | 0–4 | Halliwell | 5 November 1887 |
| Mitchell St George's | 0–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 5 November 1887 |
| Small Heath Alliance | 0–4 | Aston Villa | 5 November 1887 |
| Bootle | 1–1 | South Shore | 5 November 1887 |
| Accrington | 3–2 | Burnley | 5 November 1887 |
| Lockwood Brothers | Bye | | |
| Chatham | 3–1 | Royal Engineers | 5 November 1887 |
| Grimsby Town | Bye | | |
| Northwich Victoria | 0–1 | Crewe Alexandra | 5 November 1887 |
| Oswestry | Bye | | |
| Old Westminsters | 8–1 | Millwall Rovers | 5 November 1887 |
| Wrexham Olympic | 1–2 | Davenham | 5 November 1887 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–0 | Aston Shakespeare | 5 November 1887 |
| Long Eaton Rangers | 1–2 | The Wednesday | 5 November 1887 |
| Middlesbrough | 4–1 | South Bank | 5 November 1887 |
| Birmingham Excelsior | Bye | | |
| Sunderland | 3–1 | Newcastle West End | 5 November 1887 |
| Derby County | 6–0 | Ecclesfield | 5 November 1887 |
| Derby Junction | 3–2 | Rotherham Town | 5 November 1887 |
| Notts Rangers | 4–0 | Grantham | 5 November 1887 |
| Lincoln City | 2–1 | Gainsborough Trinity | 5 November 1887 |
| Chirk | 10–2 | Shrewsbury Town | 5 November 1887 |
| Burton Swifts | 2–5 | Great Bridge Unity | 5 November 1887 |
| Crusaders | 3–2 | Old Wykehamists | 29 October 1887 |
| Fleetwood Rangers | 1–3 | Higher Walton | 5 November 1887 |
| Watford Rovers | 1–3 | Old Carthusians | 5 November 1887 |
| Owlerton | 1–0 | Sheffield Heeley | 5 November 1887 |
| Distillery | 2–4 | Witton | 5 November 1887 |
| Over Wanderers | 0–2 | Stoke | 5 November 1887 |

### Replay

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| South Shore | 0–3 | Bootle | 12 November 1887 |

## Third round proper

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Darlington | 0–2 | Shankhouse | 26 November 1887 |
| Darwen | 1–1 | Witton | 26 November 1887 |
| Dulwich | 1–3 | Swifts | 26 November 1887 |
| Preston North End | 4–0 | Halliwell | 3 December 1887 |
| Stoke | 3–0 | Oswestry | 26 November 1887 |
| Old Etonians | 7–2 | Old Westminsters | 26 November 1887 |
| Old Foresters | Bye | | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Notts County | 26 November 1887 |
| Aston Villa | Bye | | |
| Old Carthusians | 5–0 | Old Brightonians | 24 November 1887 |
| The Wednesday | Bye | | |
| Accrington | 1–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 26 November 1887 |
| Grimsby Town | 2–0 | Lincoln City | 26 November 1887 |
| Davenham | 2–2 | Chirk | 19 November 1887 |
| Crewe Alexandra | Bye | | |
| Middlesbrough | 2–2 | Sunderland | 26 November 1887 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 2–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 26 November 1887 |
| Derby County | 6–2 | Owlerton | 26 November 1887 |
| Derby Junction | 2–1 | Lockwood Brothers | 19 November 1887 |
| Notts Rangers | Bye | | |
| Higher Walton | 1–6 | Bootle | 26 November 1887 |
| Crusaders | 4–0 | Chatham | 26 November 1887 |
| Great Bridge Unity | 2–1 | Birmingham Excelsior | 26 November 1887 |

### Replays

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Witton | 0–2 | Darwen | 3 December 1887 |
| Chirk | 6–1 | Davenham | 26 November 1887 |
| Sunderland | 4–2 Sunderland disqualified | Middlesbrough | 3 December 1887 |

## Fourth round proper

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Darwen | 3–1 | Notts Rangers | 17 December 1887 |
| Preston North End | Bye | | |
| Stoke | Bye | | |
| Shankhouse | 0–9 | Aston Villa | 17 December 1887 |
| Old Foresters | 4–2 | Grimsby Town | 17 December 1887 |
| Nottingham Forest | 6–0 | Old Etonians | 17 December 1887 |
| Blackburn Rovers | Bye | | |
| Old Carthusians | Bye | | |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2–2 | Swifts | 10 December 1887 |
| Middlesbrough | Bye | | |
| West Bromwich Albion | Bye | | |
| Derby County | Bye | | |
| Derby Junction | Bye | | |
| Chirk | Bye | | |
| Crusaders | 0–1 | The Wednesday | 17 December 1887 |
| Great Bridge Unity | 1–2 | Bootle | 17 December 1887 |

### Replays

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Swifts | 3–2 Match void | Crewe Alexandra | 17 December 1887 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2–1 | Swifts | 31 December 1887 |

## Fifth round proper

| Home club | Score | Away club | Date |
| Darwen | 0–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 7 January 1888 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–4 | The Wednesday | 7 January 1888 |
| Aston Villa | 1–3 | Preston North End | 7 January 1888 |
| Old Carthusians | 2–0 | Bootle | 7 January 1888 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 1–0 | Derby County | 7 January 1888 |
| Middlesbrough | 4–0 | Old Foresters | 7 January 1888 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 4–1 | Stoke | 7 January 1888 |
| Chirk | 0–1 | Derby Junction | 31 December 1887 |