1872–73 FA Cup

1872–73 FA Cup
Tournament details
Country	England; Scotland
Dates	19 October 1872 –; 29 March 1873
Teams	16
Defending champions	Wanderers
Final positions
Champions	Wanderers (2nd title)
Runner-up	Oxford University
Tournament statistics
Matches played	13
Goals scored	35 (2.69 per match)
	← 1871–72 1873–74 →

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The 1872–73 Football Association Challenge Cup was the second edition of the annual FA Cup, the oldest national football tournament in the world. Sixteen teams entered, one more than the previous season, although two teams never contested a match. It began on 19–26 October 1872 and ended at the final on 29 March 1873.

Wanderers successfully pursued its second Cup title, on 29 March 1873 in Lillie Bridge^[1] having been accorded a bye to the final in keeping with the tournament being a "challenge" cup. They were also for the first and only time in Cup history accorded choice of venue.

Oxford University pursued the Cup defeating in the [#Fourth round|Fourth round]] Maidenhead, 4–0. They were to contest Queen's Park, who had been accorded a bye to the Semi-final in consideration of reducing traveling costs for the team. Queen's Park withdrew giving Oxford University a walkover to the final that they lost, 2–0. Either 3,000 or 150 attended.^[2]

The final had the only morning kick off in Cup history and the low attendance was attributed to attendees not staying the entire match as the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race was occurring later the same day.

Format

First round: Fourteen teams (all except Queen's Park and defending champions Wanderers) played and the seven winners advance.
Second round: Six teams played, the winners advancing. One team would get a bye.
Third round: The four second-round winners played. The winners advanced.
Fourth round: The two third-round winners played. The winners advanced.
Semi-final: The winning team from the fourth round would face Queen's Park. (However, this match was not needed as Queen's Park withdrew.)
Final: The semi-final winners faced Wanderers, the defending champions.

Calendar

Round	Date	Fixtures				Clubs	New entries this round
Round	Date	Original	Replays	Walkovers	Byes	Clubs	New entries this round
First round	19–26 October 1872	7	0	1	2	16 → 9	14
Second round	23 November – 7 December 1872	3	0	0	3	9 → 6	none
Third round	9–21 December 1872	2	0	0	2	6 → 4	none
Fourth round	3 February 1873	1	0	0	2	4 → 3	none
Semi-final	none	1	0	1	1	3 → 2	1
Final	29 March 1873	1	0	0	0	2 → 1	1

First round

19 October 1872

Barnes

0–1

South Norwood

26 October 1872

Civil Service

0–3

Royal Engineers

26 October 1872

Maidenhead

1–0

Marlow

26 October 1872

Reigate Priory

2–4

Windsor Home Park

26 October 1872

1st Surrey Rifles

2–0

Upton Park

26 October 1872

Crystal Palace

2–3

Oxford University

Clapham Rovers

Walkover

Hitchin

Second round

23 November 1872

Clapham Rovers

0–3

Oxford University

7 December 1872

1st Surrey Rifles

0–3

Maidenhead

7 December 1872

Windsor Home Park

3–0^{[nb 1]}

South Norwood

Royal Engineers

Bye

Notes

^ Originally played 23 November 1872 at South Norwood's ground, South Norwood winning 1–0. The match was ruled as void, and ordered to be replayed.^[3]

Third round

9 December 1872

Oxford University

1–0

Royal Engineers

21 December 1872

Windsor Home Park

0–1

Maidenhead

Fourth round

3 February 1873

Oxford University

4–0

Maidenhead

Semi-final

Oxford University

Walkover

Queen's Park

Final

29 March 1873

11:30

Wanderers	2–0	Oxford University
Kinnaird 27' Wollaston 80'	Report

Lillie Bridge

Attendance: either 3,000 or 150^[2]

Referee: Alfred Stair (Upton Park F.C.)

The final was played at Lillie Bridge, and had a morning kick-off for the only time in Cup history. The attendance was considered low, and of those who did attend, not all stayed for the whole duration of the game. This was attributed to the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race occurring later the same day.

References

^ http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1873.html
^ ^a ^b "Football contest". London Daily Chronicle. 3 April 1873. Retrieved 22 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ "Results Archive - Emirates FA Cup - Competitions | the Football Association".

[4] Originally played 23 November 1872 at South Norwood's ground, South Norwood winning 1–0. The match was ruled as void, and ordered to be replayed.^[3]

[1] ttp://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1873.html

[ldc-2] "Football contest". London Daily Chronicle. 3 April 1873. Retrieved 22 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[3] "Results Archive - Emirates FA Cup - Competitions | the Football Association".

[1]

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History Trophy List of finals Semi-finals Final referees Winning managers Non-English clubs Scottish clubs Non-League clubs in the 5th Round Giant-Killing Award