1960–61 FA Cup


The 1960–61 FA Cup was the 80th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Tottenham Hotspur won the competition for the third time, beating Leicester City 2–0 in the final at Wembley. In doing so, they became the first team to win the Double since Aston Villa in 1897.
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 30 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Blyth Spartans, Scarborough, Bishop Auckland, Macclesfield Town, Rhyl, Bangor City, Hereford United, Worcester City, Bridlington Town, Sutton Town, Loughborough United, Kettering Town, Clacton Town, King's Lynn, Chelmsford City, Hitchin Town, Romford, Walthamstow Avenue, Dover, Ashford Town (Kent), Hastings United, Oxford United, Maidenhead United, Wycombe Wanderers, Sutton United, Chichester City, Weymouth, Bridgwater Town, Yeovil Town and Bath City.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Bridlington Town, Loughborough United, Clacton Town, Dover, Chichester City and Bridgwater Town. Of the others, Romford had last featured at this stage in 1949–50, Sutton United in 1946-47, Sutton Town in 1933-34, and Macclesfield Town and Maidenhead United in 1887-88.
Romford was the only non-league side to feature in six rounds of this season's tournament, defeating Wembley, Leytonstone, Hornchurch & Upminster, Enfield and Sutton United before going out to Northampton Town in the second round.

Results

First round proper

At this stage the 48 clubs from the [Football Football League First Division|League Third Division|Football League Third] and Fourth Divisions joined the 30 non-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. To set the number of ties in this round at the requisite 40, Gateshead, who had recently been voted out of the Football League, and Hendon, who were the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup, were given byes directly to this point. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 5 November 1960. Eleven were drawn and went to replays.
The Crystal Palace-Hitchin Town match was of curious interest as a replay of one of the first-round fixtures from the inaugural tournament of 1871–72. It was the first such match in the competition proper since Clapham Rovers and Upton Park had met in the fourth round of the 1880-81 tournament.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Ashford Town (Kent)1–2Gillingham5 November 1960
2Chester0–1Carlisle United5 November 1960
3Chesterfield3–3Doncaster Rovers5 November 1960
ReplayDoncaster Rovers0–1Chesterfield9 November 1960
4Darlington2–0Grimsby Town5 November 1960
5Bristol City11–0Chichester City5 November 1960
6Sutton United2–2Romford5 November 1960
ReplayRomford5–0Sutton United9 November 1960
7Watford2–2Brentford5 November 1960
ReplayBrentford0–2Watford8 November 1960
8Weymouth1–3Torquay United5 November 1960
9Reading6–2Millwall5 November 1960
10Walsall0–1Yeovil Town5 November 1960
11Crewe Alexandra1–1Rochdale5 November 1960
ReplayRochdale1–2Crewe Alexandra8 November 1960
12Swindon Town2–2Bath City5 November 1960
ReplayBath City4–6Swindon Town9 November 1960
13Shrewsbury Town4–1Newport County5 November 1960
14Bishop Auckland3–2Bridlington Town5 November 1960
15Tranmere Rovers1–0Bury5 November 1960
16Stockport County1–0Workington5 November 1960
17Dover1–4Peterborough United5 November 1960
18Wycombe Wanderers1–2Kettering Town5 November 1960
19Queens Park Rangers3–2Walthamstow Avenue5 November 1960
20Bangor City1–0Wrexham5 November 1960
21Accrington Stanley2–1Barrow5 November 1960
22Northampton Town2–1Hastings United5 November 1960
23Rhyl0–1Oldham Athletic5 November 1960
24Bradford City0–0Scarborough5 November 1960
ReplayScarborough1–2Bradford City9 November 1960
25Hull City3–0Sutton Town5 November 1960
26Crystal Palace6–2Hitchin Town5 November 1960
27Worcester City1–4Coventry City5 November 1960
28Exeter City1–1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic5 November 1960
ReplayBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic3–1Exeter City9 November 1960
29Mansfield Town3–1Blyth Spartans5 November 1960
30Halifax Town5–1Hartlepools United5 November 1960
31Southport7–2Macclesfield Town5 November 1960
32Clacton Town1–3Southend United5 November 1960
33York City0–0Bradford Park Avenue5 November 1960
ReplayBradford Park Avenue0–2York City9 November 1960
34Aldershot2–0Notts County5 November 1960
35Gateshead0–0Barnsley5 November 1960
ReplayBarnsley2–0Gateshead9 November 1960
36Colchester United5–0Maidenhead United5 November 1960
37Chelmsford City2–3Port Vale5 November 1960
38Hendon2–2Oxford United5 November 1960
ReplayOxford United3–2Hendon9 November 1960
39Bridgwater Town3–0Hereford United5 November 1960
40Loughborough United0–0King's Lynn5 November 1960
ReplayKing's Lynn3–0Loughborough United9 November 1960

Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 26 November 1960, with three matches taking place later. Seven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. However, the Darlington–Hull City match went to another three replays after this before the match finished in Hull City's favour.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chesterfield4–4Oldham Athletic26 November 1960
ReplayOldham Athletic0–3Chesterfield29 November 1960
2Darlington1–1Hull City26 November 1960
ReplayHull City1–1Darlington28 November 1960
ReplayDarlington1–1Hull City5 December 1960
ReplayHull City0–0Darlington12 December 1960
ReplayDarlington0–3Hull City15 December 1960
3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic3–1Yeovil Town26 November 1960
4Reading4–2Kettering Town26 November 1960
5Gillingham3–2Southend United26 November 1960
6Swindon Town0–1Shrewsbury Town26 November 1960
7Tranmere Rovers1–1York City30 November 1960
ReplayYork City2–1Tranmere Rovers5 December 1960
8Stockport County2–0Bishop Auckland26 November 1960
9Queens Park Rangers1–2Coventry City26 November 1960
10Bangor City1–1Southport26 November 1960
ReplaySouthport3–1Bangor City29 November 1960
11Accrington Stanley3–0Mansfield Town30 November 1960
12King's Lynn2–2Bristol City26 November 1960
ReplayBristol City3–0King's Lynn29 November 1960
13Bradford City1–2Barnsley26 November 1960
14Crystal Palace0–0Watford26 November 1960
ReplayWatford1–0Crystal Palace29 November 1960
15Port Vale2–1Carlisle United26 November 1960
16Halifax Town2–2Crewe Alexandra29 November 1960
ReplayCrewe Alexandra3–0Halifax Town5 December 1960
17Torquay United1–3Peterborough United26 November 1960
18Aldershot3–1Colchester United26 November 1960
19Romford1–5Northampton Town26 November 1960
20Oxford United2–1Bridgwater Town26 November 1960

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 January 1961. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with two of these requiring a second replay. Oxford United was the last non-league club left in the competition.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chesterfield0–0Blackburn Rovers7 January 1961
ReplayBlackburn Rovers3–0Chesterfield11 January 1961
2Burnley1–0Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic7 January 1961
3Liverpool3–2Coventry City7 January 1961
4Preston North End1–1Accrington Stanley7 January 1961
ReplayAccrington Stanley0–4Preston North End9 January 1961
5Southampton7–1Ipswich Town7 January 1961
6Reading1–1Barnsley7 January 1961
ReplayBarnsley3–1Reading11 January 1961
7Gillingham2–6Leyton Orient7 January 1961
8Leicester City3–1Oxford United7 January 1961
9Nottingham Forest0–2Birmingham City7 January 1961
10Sheffield Wednesday2–0Leeds United7 January 1961
11Wolverhampton Wanderers1–1Huddersfield Town7 January 1961
ReplayHuddersfield Town2–1Wolverhampton Wanderers11 January 1961
12Sunderland2–1Arsenal7 January 1961
13Lincoln City3–1West Bromwich Albion7 January 1961
14Luton Town4–0Northampton Town7 January 1961
15Everton0–1Sheffield United7 January 1961
16Stockport County3–1Southport7 January 1961
17Newcastle United5–0Fulham7 January 1961
18Tottenham Hotspur3–2Charlton Athletic7 January 1961
19Bristol Rovers1–1Aston Villa7 January 1961
ReplayAston Villa4–0Bristol Rovers9 January 1961
20Portsmouth1–2Peterborough United7 January 1961
21West Ham United2–2Stoke City7 January 1961
ReplayStoke City1–0West Ham United11 January 1961
22Brighton & Hove Albion3–1Derby County7 January 1961
23Manchester United3–0Middlesbrough7 January 1961
24Plymouth Argyle0–1Bristol City7 January 1961
25Hull City0–1Bolton Wanderers7 January 1961
26Chelsea1–2Crewe Alexandra7 January 1961
27Scunthorpe United6–2Blackpool7 January 1961
28Cardiff City1–1Manchester City7 January 1961
ReplayManchester City0–0Cardiff City11 January 1961
ReplayCardiff City0–2Manchester City16 January 1961
29Swansea Town3–0Port Vale7 January 1961
30York City1–1Norwich City7 January 1961
ReplayNorwich City1–0York City11 January 1961
31Rotherham United1–0Watford7 January 1961
32Aldershot1–1Shrewsbury Town7 January 1961
ReplayShrewsbury Town2–2Aldershot11 January 1961
ReplayAldershot2–0Shrewsbury Town16 January 1961

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 28 January 1961, with three games postponed until 1 February. Six matches were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match, and one of these was then replayed a second time. Tottenham Hotspur and Crewe Alexandra were drawn together for the second consecutive season in the fourth round, with Tottenham having beaten Crewe 13–2 in a replay the one year earlier.
The fourth round match between second division Luton Town and first division Manchester City at Kenilworth Road was originally played on Saturday 28 January 1961. It saw Luton Town take a 2–0 lead before Denis Law scored 6 goals for Manchester City. The match was then abandoned at 6–2 to Manchester City due to a waterlogged pitch. When the match was held again 4 days later on Wednesday 1 February 1961, Luton Town beat Manchester City 3–1.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool0–2Sunderland28 January 1961
2Southampton0–1Leyton Orient28 January 1961
3Leicester City5–1Bristol City31 January 1961
4Sheffield Wednesday1–1Manchester United28 January 1961
ReplayManchester United2–7Sheffield Wednesday1 February 1961
5Bolton Wanderers3–3Blackburn Rovers28 January 1961
ReplayBlackburn Rovers4–0Bolton Wanderers1 February 1961
6Luton Town3–1Manchester City1 February 1961
7Sheffield United3–1Lincoln City28 January 1961
8Newcastle United4–0Stockport County1 February 1961
9Tottenham Hotspur5–1Crewe Alexandra28 January 1961
10Brighton & Hove Albion3–3Burnley28 January 1961
ReplayBurnley2–0Brighton & Hove Albion31 January 1961
11Scunthorpe United1–4Norwich City28 January 1961
12Huddersfield Town1–1Barnsley1 February 1961
ReplayBarnsley1–0Huddersfield Town6 February 1961
13Swansea Town2–1Preston North End28 January 1961
14Stoke City0–0Aldershot28 January 1961
ReplayAldershot0–0Stoke City1 February 1961
ReplayStoke City3–0Aldershot6 February 1961
15Peterborough United1–1Aston Villa28 January 1961
ReplayAston Villa2–1Peterborough United1 February 1961
16Birmingham City4–0Rotherham United28 January 1961

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 18 February 1961. One match went to a replay in the following mid-week fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Burnley4–0Swansea Town18 February 1961
2Aston Villa0–2Tottenham Hotspur18 February 1961
3Sheffield United2–1Blackburn Rovers18 February 1961
4Newcastle United3–1Stoke City18 February 1961
5Barnsley1–0Luton Town18 February 1961
6Norwich City0–1Sunderland18 February 1961
7Birmingham City1–1Leicester City18 February 1961
ReplayLeicester City2–1Birmingham City22 February 1961
8Leyton Orient0–2Sheffield Wednesday18 February 1961

Sixth round proper

The four sixth round ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 4 March 1961. Three of the four matches went to replays in the midweek fixtures before being settled.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Leicester City0–0Barnsley4 March 1961
ReplayBarnsley1–2Leicester City8 March 1961
2Sheffield Wednesday0–0Burnley4 March 1961
ReplayBurnley2–0Sheffield Wednesday7 March 1961
3Sunderland1–1Tottenham Hotspur4 March 1961
ReplayTottenham Hotspur5–0Sunderland8 March 1961
4Newcastle United1–3Sheffield United4 March 1961

Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 18 March 1961 with the Leicester City–Sheffield United game requiring two replays. This series of games marked the first time since 1928 that a semi-final had required a second replay, and the first time ever in the FA Cup that a semi-final had failed to produce a goal after a replay. United had the ball in the net through Derek Pace in the first game and although the player insisted that it hit his shoulder, the referee disallowed for handball. Leicester eventually won the tie and so went on to meet Tottenham in the final at Wembley.
;Replay
;Second Replay
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Final

The 1961 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1961 at Wembley Stadium and was won by Tottenham Hotspur who defeated Leicester City, by a 2–0 scoreline. In doing so, Tottenham became the first team to complete the League and FA Cup Double since Aston Villa in 1897.