1950–51 FA Cup


The 1950–51 FA Cup was the 70th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Newcastle United won the competition for the fourth time, beating Blackpool 2–0 in the final at Wembley, London.
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. 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 at neutral venues 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 teams that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 25 places available in the first round. This season, newly-elected Third Division clubs Colchester United, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United and Shrewsbury Town were also entered in the qualifying rounds, although Shrewsbury Town had to forfeit their preliminary round match against Oswestry Town as it clashed with a League fixture against York City. Colchester and Scunthorpe were entered in the fourth qualifying round, and were the last Football League clubs to compete in qualifying round fixtures.
The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were Ashington, North Shields, Bishop Auckland, Scarborough, Cleator Moor Celtic, Nelson, Witton Albion, Rhyl, Bromsgrove Rovers, Hereford United, Linby Colliery, Worcester City, Gainsborough Trinity, Dartford, Tooting & Mitcham United, Guildford City, Walthamstow Avenue, Tonbridge, Chelmsford City, Bromley, Glastonbury, Cheltenham Town, Llanelli, Gloucester City and Colchester United.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Cleator Moor Celtic, Linby Colliery, Tonbridge and Glastonbury. Of the others, Nelson had not featured at this stage since 1932–33, Ashington since 1929-30, Worcester City since 1928-29 and Llanelli since 1923-24. With the FA tightening Cup entry requirements in the following seasons, it would also be Cleator Moor Celtic's last appearance at any stage of the competition for 38 years.
Linby Colliery was also the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the main draw, defeating Parliament Street Methodists, Retford Town, Shirebrook, Boston United, Spalding United and Nuneaton Borough in order to qualify.

Results

First round proper

At this stage 42 of 48 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 24 non-league clubs and Colchester United who came through the qualifying rounds. Gateshead, Northampton Town and Stockport County were given byes to the third round. The fourth of the new clubs admitted to the League this season, Gillingham entered in this round as did non-league Willington, who were the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were played on Saturday, 25 November 1950. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDateAttendanceNotes
1Chester1–2Bradford Park Avenue25 November 1950
2Darlington2–7Rotherham United25 November 1950
3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1–0Colchester United25 November 1950
4Bristol City4–0Gloucester City25 November 1950
5Rochdale3–1Willington25 November 1950
6Reading3–1Cheltenham Town25 November 1950
7Nottingham Forest6–1Torquay United25 November 1950
8Crewe Alexandra4–0North Shields25 November 1950
9Lincoln City1–1Southport25 November 1950
ReplaySouthport3–2Lincoln City28 November 1950
10Gainsborough Trinity0–3Plymouth Argyle25 November 1950
11Scarborough1–2Rhyl25 November 1950
12Wrexham1–0Accrington Stanley25 November 1950
13Bishop Auckland2–2York City25 November 1950
ReplayYork City2–1Bishop Auckland29 November 1950
14Bristol Rovers1–1Llanelli25 November 1950
ReplayLlanelli1–1Bristol Rovers28 November 1950
2nd replayBristol Rovers3–1Llanelli4 December 1950
15Norwich City2–0Watford25 November 1950
16Glastonbury1–2Exeter City25 November 1950
17Bradford City2–2Oldham Athletic25 November 1950
ReplayOldham Athletic2–1Bradford City28 November 1950
18Carlisle United2–1Barrow25 November 1950
19Crystal Palace1–4Millwall29 November 1950
20Worcester City1–4Hartlepools United25 November 1950
21Witton Albion1–2Nelson25 November 1950
22Southend United0–3Swindon Town25 November 1950
23Mansfield Town1–0Walthamstow Avenue25 November 1950
24Bromsgrove Rovers1–3Hereford United25 November 1950
25Port Vale3–2New Brighton25 November 1950
26Halifax Town2–3Ashington25 November 1950
27Newport County4–2Walsall25 November 1950
28Cleator Moor Celtic0–5Tranmere Rovers25 November 1950
29Aldershot2–2Bromley25 November 1950
ReplayBromley0–1Aldershot29 November 1950
30Guildford City1–5Dartford25 November 1950
31Tooting & Mitcham United2–3Brighton & Hove Albion25 November 1950
32Chelmsford City2–2Tonbridge25 November 1950
ReplayTonbridge0–1Chelmsford City29 November 1950
33Leyton Orient1–2Ipswich Town25 November 195010,560
34Linby Colliery1–4Gillingham25 November 1950

Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 9 December 1950. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place on the following Wednesday. One second replay was played on Monday, 18 December 1950.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDateAttendanceNotes
1Ashington1–2Rochdale9 December 1950
2Bristol City2–1Wrexham9 December 1950
3Reading4–0Dartford9 December 1950
4Crewe Alexandra2–2Plymouth Argyle9 December 1950
ReplayPlymouth Argyle3–0Crewe Alexandra13 December 1950
5Bristol Rovers2–2Gillingham9 December 1950
ReplayGillingham1–1Bristol Rovers13 December 1950
2nd replayBristol Rovers2–1Gillingham18 December 1950
6Brighton & Hove Albion2–0Ipswich Town9 December 195014,411
7Rhyl0–1Norwich City9 December 1950
8Millwall1–1Bradford Park Avenue9 December 1950
ReplayBradford Park Avenue0–1Millwall13 December 1950
9Exeter City3–0Swindon Town9 December 1950
10Hartlepools United1–2Oldham Athletic9 December 1950
11Port Vale3–2Nelson9 December 1950
12Southport1–3Carlisle United9 December 1950
13York City2–1Tranmere Rovers9 December 1950
14Hereford United0–3Newport County9 December 1950
15Rotherham United3–1Nottingham Forest9 December 1950
16Aldershot3–0Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic9 December 1950
17Chelmsford City1–4Mansfield Town9 December 1950