1929–30 FA Cup


The 1929–30 FA Cup was the 55th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Arsenal won the competition for the first time, beating Huddersfield Town 2–0 in the final at Wembley.
First Division side Bolton Wanderers were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the third round by Birmingham.
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

Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League joined the competition in the qualifying rounds. York City, who had been elected to the Football League Third Division North during the 1929 close season, also competed in the qualifying rounds of this tournament, being entered in the fourth qualifying round alongside Ashington - the club they defeated in the League ballot.
The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were Aldershot, Bath City, Barry, Thames, Wimbledon, Tunbridge Wells Rangers, Northfleet United, Folkestone, Margate, Dagenham Town, Nunhead, Leyton, Dulwich Hamlet, Peterborough & Fletton United, Kettering Town, Wellington Town, Newark Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Gainsborough Trinity, Manchester Central, Caernarfon Athletic, Lancaster Town and Shildon, along with Ashington and York City.
Those featuring in the main draw for the first time were Barry, Thames, Margate, Dagenham Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Manchester Central, Caernarfon Athletic and future FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup winners Wimbledon. Tunbridge Wells Rangers was appearing at this stage for the first time since 1905-06 while Newark Town's predecessor outfit Newark F.C. had last competed in the first round proper in 1885-86.
Wellington Town was the most successful club from this season's extra preliminary round, defeating Evesham Town, Worcester City, Shrewsbury Town, Oakengates Town, Cradley Heath and Boston Town before going out to Stockport County in the first round. Another notable extra preliminary contestant was Wealdstone, who lost a fourth qualifying round replay against Dulwich Hamlet at Lower Mead following a famous 7-all draw at Champion Hill in the initial match.

First round proper

At this stage 41 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 25 clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. Crystal Palace and Swindon Town were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sides Mansfield Town and Ilford were given byes to this round, with Ilford being the winner of the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 30 November 1929. Seven were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture, while third division clubs Clapton Orient and Doncaster Rovers needed second replays to see off qualifiers Folkestone and Shildon respectively.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic2–0Torquay United30 November 1929
2Barrow1–0Newark Town30 November 1929
3Nelson0–3Crewe Alexandra30 November 1929
4South Shields2–4Wrexham30 November 1929
5Walsall1–0Exeter City30 November 1929
6Gillingham0–2Margate30 November 1929
7Leyton4–1Merthyr Town30 November 1929
8Lincoln City3–1Wigan Borough30 November 1929
9Luton Town2–3Queens Park Rangers30 November 1929
10Gainsborough Trinity0–0Port Vale30 November 1929
ReplayPort Vale5–0Gainsborough Trinity4 December 1929
11Doncaster Rovers0–0Shildon30 November 1929
ReplayShildon1–1Doncaster Rovers4 December 1929
ReplayDoncaster Rovers3–0Shildon9 December 1929
12Ilford0–3Watford30 November 1929
13Wellington Town1–4Stockport County30 November 1929
14Fulham4–0Thames30 November 1929
15Accrington Stanley3–1Rochdale30 November 1929
16Brighton & Hove Albion4–0Peterborough & Fletton United30 November 1929
17Norwich City3–3Coventry City30 November 1929
ReplayCoventry City2–0Norwich City5 December 1929
18Carlisle United2–0Halifax Town30 November 1929
19Tunbridge Wells Rangers1–3Bath City30 November 1929
20Clapton Orient0–0Folkestone30 November 1929
ReplayFolkestone2–2Clapton Orient4 December 1929
ReplayClapton Orient4–1Folkestone9 December 1929
21Nunhead0–2Bristol Rovers30 November 1929
22Wimbledon1–4Northfleet United30 November 1929
23Southend United1–0Brentford30 November 1929
24Scunthorpe & Lindsey United1–0Hartlepools United30 November 1929
25Mansfield Town0–2Manchester Central30 November 1929
26Barry0–0Dagenham Town30 November 1929
ReplayDagenham Town0–1Barry4 December 1929
27Newport County3–2Kettering Town30 November 1929
28Southport0–0Chesterfield30 November 1929
ReplayChesterfield3–2Southport4 December 1929
29Dulwich Hamlet0–3Plymouth Argyle30 November 1929
30New Brighton4–1Lancaster Town30 November 1929
31York City2–2Tranmere Rovers30 November 1929
ReplayTranmere Rovers0–1York City5 December 1929
32Rotherham United3–0Ashington30 November 1929
33Aldershot0–1Northampton Town30 November 1929
34Caernarfon Athletic4–2Darlington30 November 1929

Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 14 December 1929. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chesterfield2–0Port Vale14 December 1929
2Watford1–1Plymouth Argyle14 December 1929
ReplayPlymouth Argyle3–0Watford18 December 1929
3Leyton1–4Fulham14 December 1929
4Doncaster Rovers1–0New Brighton14 December 1929
5Stockport County4–0Barrow14 December 1929
6Queens Park Rangers2–1Lincoln City14 December 1929
7Bristol Rovers4–1Accrington Stanley14 December 1929
8Northampton Town6–0Margate14 December 1929
9Coventry City7–1Bath City14 December 1929
10Brighton & Hove Albion4–1Barry14 December 1929
11Carlisle United4–2Crewe Alexandra14 December 1929
12Clapton Orient2–0Northfleet United14 December 1929
13Southend United1–4York City14 December 1929
14Scunthorpe & Lindsey United3–3Rotherham United14 December 1929
ReplayRotherham United5–4Scunthorpe United19 December 1929
15Newport County2–3Walsall14 December 1929
16Caernarfon Athletic1–1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic14 December 1929
ReplayBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic5–2Caernarfon Athletic18 December 1929
17Manchester Central0–1Wrexham14 December 1929