1951–52 FA Cup


The 1951–52 FA Cup was the 71st 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 fifth time, beating Arsenal 1–0 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.

Calendar

Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 30 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Blackhall Colliery Welfare, Stockton, Blyth Spartans, Goole Town, Billingham Synthonia, Rhyl, Nelson, Bangor City, Witton Albion, Kettering Town, Brush Sports, Hereford United, Rawmarsh Welfare, Buxton, Gainsborough Trinity, Ilkeston Town, Bedford Town, King's Lynn, Gorleston, Leytonstone, Tonbridge, Folkestone Town, Leyton, Guildford City, Aylesbury United, Barnstaple Town, Chippenham Town, Weymouth, Merthyr Tydfil and Barry Town.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Blackhall Colliery Welfare, Bangor City, Rawmarsh Welfare, Buxton, Ilkeston Town, Gorleston, Aylesbury United, Barnstaple Town and Chippenham Town. Of the others, Bedford Town, Leyton and Barry Town were featuring at this stage for the first time since 1934–35.
Competition restructuring this season lead to the abolition of the extra preliminary round. Buxton was the most successful of the qualifying clubs, competing in eight rounds of the competition before going out in the third round proper. The Bucks defeated Hyde United, Macclesfield Town, Winsford United, Congleton Town and Frickley Colliery to reach the main draw before seeing off Rawmarsh Welfare and Aldershot for a third round meeting with Second Division outfit Doncaster Rovers.

First round proper

At this stage clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. Non-league sides Bishop Auckland and Bromley received byes to this round, with Bishop Auckland being the runners-up from the previous year's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 24 November 1951. Eight were drawn and went to replays, with three of these going to second replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Barrow0–2Chesterfield24 November 1951
2Nelson0–4Oldham Athletic24 November 1951
3Tonbridge0–0Aldershot24 November 1951
ReplayAldershot3–2Tonbridge28 November 1951
4Reading1–0Walsall24 November 1951
5Leyton3–0Chippenham Town24 November 1951
6Grimsby Town4–0Darlington24 November 1951
7Crewe Alexandra2–4Lincoln City24 November 1951
8Swindon Town2–0Bedford Town24 November 1951
9Stockton1–1Mansfield Town24 November 1951
ReplayMansfield Town0–2Stockton28 November 1951
10Wrexham3–0Halifax Town24 November 1951
11Tranmere Rovers4–2Goole Town24 November 1951
12Stockport County2–2Gateshead24 November 1951
ReplayGateshead1–1Stockport County28 November 1951
ReplayStockport County1–2Gateshead3 December 1951
13Leytonstone2–0Shrewsbury Town24 November 1951
14Bangor City2–2Southport24 November 1951
ReplaySouthport3–0Bangor City27 November 1951
15Accrington Stanley1–2Chester24 November 1951
16Aylesbury United0–5Watford24 November 1951
17Bristol Rovers3–0Kettering Town24 November 1951
18King's Lynn1–3Exeter City24 November 1951
19Brighton & Hove Albion1–2Bristol City24 November 1951
20Norwich City3–2Northampton Town24 November 1951
21Bradford City6–1Carlisle United24 November 1951
22Millwall1–0Plymouth Argyle24 November 1951
23Crystal Palace0–1Gillingham24 November 1951
24Witton Albion2–1Gainsborough Trinity24 November 1951
25Southend United6–1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic24 November 1951
26Hartlepools United2–0Rhyl24 November 1951
27Scunthorpe & Lindsey United5–0Billingham Synthonia24 November 1951
28Blyth Spartans2–1Bishop Auckland24 November 1951
29Newport County4–0Barry Town24 November 1951
30Torquay United3–2Bromley24 November 1951
31York City1–1Bradford Park Avenue24 November 1951
ReplayBradford Park Avenue1–1York City28 November 1951
ReplayYork City0–4Bradford Park Avenue3 December 1951
32Guildford City4–1Hereford United24 November 1951
33Rawmarsh Welfare1–4Buxton24 November 1951
34Blackhall Colliery Welfare2–5Workington24 November 1951
35Colchester United3–1Port Vale24 November 1951
36Leyton Orient2–2Gorleston24 November 1951
ReplayGorleston0–0Leyton Orient29 November 1951
ReplayLeyton Orient5–4Gorleston3 December 1951
37Brush Sports2–3Weymouth24 November 1951
38Merthyr Tydfil2–2Ipswich Town24 November 1951
ReplayIpswich Town1–0Merthyr Tydfil5 December 1951
39Ilkeston Town0–2Rochdale24 November 1951
40Barnstaple Town2–2Folkestone Town24 November 1951
ReplayFolkestone Town5–2Barnstaple Town28 November 1951

Second round proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 15 December 1951. Seven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. Three of these replays went to a second replay, with the Tranmere Rovers–Blyth Spartans game going to a third.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester5–2Leyton15 December 1951
2Watford1–2Hartlepools United15 December 1951
3Reading1–1Southport15 December 1951
ReplaySouthport1–1Reading18 December 1951
ReplayReading2–0Southport1 January 1952
4Gillingham0–3Rochdale15 December 1951
5Lincoln City3–1Grimsby Town15 December 1951
6Swindon Town3–3Torquay United15 December 1951
ReplayTorquay United1-1Swindon Town19 December 1951
ReplaySwindon Town3-1Torquay United2 January 1952
7Stockton2–1Folkestone Town15 December 1951
8Wrexham1–1Leyton Orient15 December 1951
ReplayLeyton Orient3–2Wrexham19 December 1951
9Ipswich Town4–0Exeter City15 December 1951
10Buxton4–3Aldershot15 December 1951
11Tranmere Rovers1–1Blyth Spartans15 December 1951
ReplayBlyth Spartans1–1Tranmere Rovers19 December 1951
ReplayTranmere Rovers2–2Blyth Spartans3 January 1952
ReplayTranmere Rovers5–1Blyth Spartans7 January 1952
12Leytonstone2–2Newport County15 December 1951
ReplayNewport County3–0Leytonstone20 December 1951
13Bristol Rovers2–0Weymouth15 December 1951
14Norwich City3–1Chesterfield15 December 1951
15Millwall0–0Scunthorpe & Lindsey United15 December 1951
ReplayScunthorpe & Lindsey United3–0Millwall20 December 1951
16Witton Albion3–3Workington15 December 1951
ReplayWorkington1–0Witton Albion20 December 1951
17Southend United5–0Oldham Athletic15 December 1951
18Bradford Park Avenue3–2Bradford City15 December 1951
19Gateshead2–0Guildford City15 December 1951
20Colchester United2–1Bristol City15 December 1951