1947–48 FA Cup


The 1947–48 FA Cup was the 67th staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Manchester United won the competition for only the second time, beating Blackpool 4–2 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.

Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 25 places available in the first round.
The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were Bishop Auckland, Stockton, South Shields, Workington, Lancaster City, Marine, Runcorn, Stalybridge Celtic, Bromsgrove Rovers, Shrewsbury Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Grantham, Vauxhall Motors (Luton), Colchester United, Great Yarmouth Town, Banbury Spencer, Gillingham, Bromley, Horsham, Dartford, Guildford City, Trowbridge Town, Cheltenham Town, Merthyr Tydfil and Street.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Bromsgrove Rovers, Vauxhall Motors, Great Yarmouth Town, Banbury Spencer, Horsham and the re-formed South Shields. Bromsgrove's surprise qualification marked the first time the club had progressed past the preliminary round since 1921–22.
Banbury Spencer was the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the competition proper, defeating Oxford City, Osberton Radiator, the team from the Cowley-based Metal & Produce Recovery Depot, Maidenhead United, Southall and Grays Athletic before losing to Colchester United in that club's historic run to the fifth round.

First round proper

At this stage 41 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 25 non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. Rotherham United, Queens Park Rangers and Swansea Town were given byes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league Leytonstone and Wimbledon, the previous season's F. A. Amateur Cup winners and runners-up, were given byes to this round.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 29 November 1947. Six were drawn and went to replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester3–1Bishop Auckland29 November 1947
2Dartford0–0Bristol City29 November 1947
ReplayBristol City9–2Dartford6 December 1947
3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic2–0Guildford City29 November 1947
4Barrow3–2Carlisle United29 November 1947
5Watford1–1Torquay United29 November 1947
ReplayTorquay United3–0Watford6 December 1947
6Gillingham1–0Leyton Orient29 November 1947
7Notts County9–1Horsham29 November 1947
8Crewe Alexandra4–1South Shields29 November 1947
9Lincoln City0–2Workington29 November 1947
10Swindon Town4–2Ipswich Town29 November 1947
11Stockton2–1Grantham29 November 1947
12Wrexham5–0Halifax Town29 November 1947
13Tranmere Rovers2–0Stalybridge Celtic29 November 1947
14Stockport County3–1Accrington Stanley29 November 1947
15Trowbridge Town1–1Brighton & Hove Albion29 November 1947
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion5–0Trowbridge Town6 December 1947
16Bristol Rovers3–2Leytonstone29 November 1947
17Bromley3–3Reading29 November 1947
ReplayReading3–0Bromley6 December 1947
18Great Yarmouth Town1–4Shrewsbury Town29 November 1947
19Norwich City3–0Merthyr Tydfil29 November 1947
20Hull City1–1Southport29 November 1947
ReplaySouthport2–3Hull City6 December 1947
21Oldham Athletic6–0Lancaster City29 November 1947
22Crystal Palace2–1Port Vale29 November 1947
23Wimbledon0–1Mansfield Town29 November 1947
24Exeter City1–1Northampton Town29 November 1947
ReplayNorthampton Town2–0Exeter City6 December 1947
25Hartlepools United1–0Darlington29 November 1947
26Newport County3–2Southend United29 November 1947
27Cheltenham Town5–0Street29 November 1947
28Runcorn4–2Scunthorpe & Lindsey United29 November 1947
29Vauxhall Motors (Luton)1–2Walsall29 November 1947
30New Brighton4–0Marine29 November 1947
31York City0–1Rochdale29 November 1947
32Aldershot2–1Bromsgrove Rovers29 November 1947
33Gateshead1–3Bradford City29 November 1947
34Colchester United2–1Banbury Spencer29 November 1947

Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 13 December 1947. Seven matches were drawn, with replays taking place the following Saturday. One of these then went to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1–0Bradford City13 December 1947
2Bristol City0–1Crystal Palace13 December 1947
3Rochdale1–1Gillingham13 December 1947
ReplayGillingham3–0Rochdale20 December 1947
4Reading3–0Newport County13 December 1947
5Notts County1–1Stockton13 December 1947
ReplayStockton1–4Notts County20 December 1947
6Tranmere Rovers0–1Chester13 December 1947
7Stockport County1–1Shrewsbury Town13 December 1947
ReplayShrewsbury Town2–2Stockport County20 December 1947
ReplayStockport County3–2Shrewsbury Town22 December 1947
8Bristol Rovers4–0New Brighton13 December 1947
9Northampton Town1–1Torquay United13 December 1947
ReplayTorquay United2–0Northampton Town20 December 1947
10Norwich City2–2Walsall13 December 1947
ReplayWalsall3–2Norwich City20 December 1947
11Hull City4–2Cheltenham Town13 December 1947
12Oldham Athletic0–1Mansfield Town13 December 1947
13Hartlepools United1–1Brighton & Hove Albion13 December 1947
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion2–1Hartlepools United20 December 1947
14Runcorn0–1Barrow13 December 1947
15Workington1–2Crewe Alexandra13 December 1947
16Aldershot0–0Swindon Town13 December 1947
ReplaySwindon Town2–0Aldershot20 December 1947
17Colchester United1–0Wrexham13 December 1947

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage, along with Rotherham United, Queens Park Rangers and Swansea Town.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 10 January 1948. Two matches were drawn and went to replays on the following Saturday.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool4–0Leeds United10 January 1948
2Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1–2Wolverhampton Wanderers10 January 1948
3Burnley0–2Swindon Town10 January 1948
4Liverpool4–1Nottingham Forest10 January 1948
5Southampton1–0Sunderland10 January 1948
6Gillingham1–1Queens Park Rangers10 January 1948
ReplayQueens Park Rangers3–1Gillingham17 January 1948
7Leicester City1–0Bury10 January 1948
8Blackburn Rovers0–0West Ham United10 January 1948
ReplayWest Ham United2–4Blackburn Rovers17 January 1948
9Aston Villa4–6Manchester United10 January 1948
10Bolton Wanderers0–2Tottenham Hotspur10 January 1948
11Grimsby Town1–4Everton10 January 1948
12Crewe Alexandra3–1Sheffield United10 January 1948
13West Bromwich Albion2–0Reading10 January 1948
14Derby County2–0Chesterfield10 January 1948
15Stockport County3–0Torquay United10 January 1948
16Manchester City2–1Barnsley10 January 1948
17Fulham2–0Doncaster Rovers10 January 1948
18Bristol Rovers3–0Swansea Town10 January 1948
19Coventry City2–1Walsall10 January 1948
20Portsmouth4–1Brighton & Hove Albion10 January 1948
21Plymouth Argyle2–4Luton Town10 January 1948
22Millwall1–2Preston North End10 January 1948
23Hull City1–3Middlesbrough10 January 1948
24Crystal Palace0–1Chester10 January 1948
25Chelsea5–0Barrow10 January 1948
26Mansfield Town2–4Stoke City10 January 1948
27Cardiff City1–2Sheffield Wednesday10 January 1948
28Charlton Athletic2–1Newcastle United10 January 1948
29Arsenal0–1Bradford Park Avenue10 January 1948
30Rotherham United0–3Brentford10 January 1948
31Colchester United1–0Huddersfield Town10 January 1948
32Birmingham City0–2Notts County10 January 1948

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 24 January 1948. One game was drawn and went to a replay, which was played on the following Saturday.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool4–0Chester24 January 1948
2Southampton3–2Blackburn Rovers24 January 1948
3Leicester City2–1Sheffield Wednesday24 January 1948
4Wolverhampton Wanderers1–1Everton24 January 1948
ReplayEverton3–2Wolverhampton Wanderers31 January 1948
5Crewe Alexandra0–3Derby County24 January 1948
6Luton Town3–2Coventry City24 January 1948
7Swindon Town1–0Notts County24 January 1948
8Tottenham Hotspur3–1West Bromwich Albion24 January 1948
9Manchester City2–0Chelsea24 January 1948
10Queens Park Rangers3–0Stoke City24 January 1948
11Fulham5–2Bristol Rovers24 January 1948
12Brentford1–2Middlesbrough24 January 1948
13Portsmouth1–3Preston North End24 January 1948
14Manchester United3–0Liverpool24 January 1948
15Charlton Athletic3–0Stockport County24 January 1948
16Colchester United3–2Bradford Park Avenue24 January 1948

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 February 1948. There was one replay, taking place the following Saturday. Colchester United, the first non-league club to reach this stage since Cardiff City in 1919-20, was the last club from the qualifying rounds left in the competition.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool5–0Colchester United7 February 1948
2Southampton3–0Swindon Town7 February 1948
3Middlesbrough1–2Derby County7 February 1948
4Tottenham Hotspur5–2Leicester City7 February 1948
5Manchester City0–1Preston North End7 February 1948
6Queens Park Rangers3–1Luton Town7 February 1948
7Fulham1–1Everton7 February 1948
ReplayEverton0–1Fulham14 February 1948
8Manchester United2–0Charlton Athletic7 February 1948

Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 28 February 1948. There was one replay, in the QPR–Derby County match.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Southampton0–1Tottenham Hotspur28 February 1948
2Queens Park Rangers1–1Derby County28 February 1948
ReplayDerby County5–0Queens Park Rangers6 March 1948
3Fulham0–2Blackpool28 February 1948
4Manchester United4–1Preston North End28 February 1948

Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 13 March 1948. Manchester United and Blackpool won their ties to meet in the final at Wembley. The gate receipts for the tie at Villa Park were £18,817 a record at the time for that ground.
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Final

The 1948 FA Cup final was contested by Manchester United and Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on 24 April 1948. Both teams played in a changed strip, Blackpool in white shirts and blue shorts and Manchester United in unfamiliar blue shirts and white shorts. Stanley Matthews was playing his first season for Blackpool and they led the favourites 2-1 only to lose to United, who hadn't appeared in an FA Cup final for 39 years, won 4–2, with two goals from Jack Rowley and one apiece from Stan Pearson and John Anderson. Eddie Shimwell and Stan Mortensen scored Blackpool's goals. With his goal, Shimwell became the first full-back to score at Wembley whilst Stan Mortensen maintained his record of scoring in every round. The cup had gone to United in a game that many critics still rate as the best footballing final ever seen at Wembley Stadium. One reporter David Pole, commented; "If United's display was as close to perfection as any team could hope to go, Blackpool's was not far behind."