1880–81 Scottish Cup

The 1880–81 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the eighth season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Defending champions Queen's Park retained the cup and won the competition for the fifth time after they beat Dumbarton 3–1 in a replayed final which saw Dr John Smith score the first Scottish Cup final hat-trick on 9 April 1881.

Calendar

As with the previous competitions, the eighth edition of the Scottish Cup took on the format of a traditional knockout tournament. For the earlier rounds, the names of competing teams were placed into lots according to their districts and drawn into pairs. The home team for each tie was determined by the toss of a coin unless it was mutually agreed or only one of the two clubs drawn against one another had a private ground. In the event of a draw, the team who lost the toss would have the choice of ground for the replay. A similar procedure was used for subsequent rounds, except that any club which had received a bye in the previous round would first be drawn against one of the winners of the previous round. The names of winning teams were placed into one lot for later rounds. The choice of venue for the final matches was reserved to the Scottish Football Association.

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities were given byes to the third round.

Teams

All 136 teams entered the competition in the first round.
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First round

Matches

Glasgow and Suburbs

Possil Bluebell received a bye to the second round. Glasgow University received a bye to the third round.

Lanarkshire district

Glengowan received a bye to the second round.

Dunbartonshire district

Vale of Leven received a bye to the second round.

Edinburghshire and Fifeshire

Hibernian received a bye to the second round. Edinburgh University received a bye to the third round.

Replays

Dunbartonshire district

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Second round

Matches

Renfrewshire district

Cartside received a bye to the third round.

Stirlingshire district

Lenzie received a bye to the third round.

Edinburgh district

Heart of Midlothian received a bye to the third round.

Replays

Stirlingshire district

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Third round

Matches

Glasgow and Suburbs

Glasgow University and South Western received a bye to the fourth round.

Lanarkshire district

Clarkston received a bye to the fourth round.

Perthshire, Forfarshire and Edinburgh district

Edinburgh University received a bye to the fourth round.

Second replays

Ayrshire and Kirkcudbrightshire district

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Fourth round

Thistle received a bye to the fifth round.

Replay

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Fifth round

Central received a bye to the quarter-finals.

Matches

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Quarter-finals

Matches

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Semi-finals

Queen's Park received a bye to the final.

Match

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