1969–70 FA Cup


The 1969–70 FA Cup was the 89th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. [Football League Football League First Division|First Division|First Division] Chelsea won the competition for the first time, first drawing with Leeds United 2–2 in the final at Wembley, before winning 2–1 in the replay at Old Trafford.
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 South Shields, Whitby Town, Spennymoor United, Mossley, Bangor City, Wigan Athletic, Macclesfield Town, Kirkby Town, Grantham, Telford United, Hereford United, Tamworth, Alfreton Town, Kettering Town, Chelmsford City, Oxford City, Brentwood Town, Hendon, Enfield, Hillingdon Borough, Margate, Barnet, Carshalton Athletic, Walton & Hersham, Dagenham, Wimbledon, Cheltenham Town, Weymouth, Yeovil Town and Falmouth Town.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Whitby Town, Kirkby Town, Alfreton Town and Carshalton Athletic. Of the others, Walton & Hersham had last featured at this stage in 1957–58, Hillingdon Borough had last done so in 1956-57 and Mossley had last done so in 1949-50.
Between 20 September 1969 and 12 January 1970, Hillingdon Borough competed in eleven Cup fixtures while progressing from the first qualifying round to the third round proper. They saw off Tooting & Mitcham United, Bromley, Tilbury, Dartford, Wimbledon and Luton Town before going out to Sutton United at Gander Green Lane after another replay.

Results

First round proper

At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined the 30 non-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. The final two non-league sides in the main draw, North Shields and Sutton United were given byes to this stage as the champions and runners-up from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 15 November 1969. Thirteen matches were drawn, of which two went to second replays and one of these to a third.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Darlington0–0Barnsley15 November 1969
ReplayBarnsley2–0Darlington18 November 1969
2Hartlepool3–0North Shields15 November 1969
3Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1–1Luton Town15 November 1969
ReplayLuton Town3–1Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic18 November 1969
4Bury2–2Mansfield Town15 November 1969
ReplayMansfield Town2–0Bury19 November 1969
5Yeovil Town2–3Shrewsbury Town15 November 1969
6Walsall0–0Orient15 November 1969
ReplayOrient0–2Walsall17 November 1969
7Notts County0–3Rotherham United15 November 1969
8Macclesfield Town1–1Scunthorpe United15 November 1969
ReplayScunthorpe United4–2Macclesfield Town18 November 1969
9Lincoln City2–0Southport15 November 1969
10Doncaster Rovers1–1Crewe Alexandra15 November 1969
ReplayCrewe Alexandra0–1Doncaster Rovers19 November 1969
11Tranmere Rovers3–0Chesterfield15 November 1969
12Stockport County1–1Mossley15 November 1969
ReplayMossley0–1Stockport County18 November 1969
13Bangor City6–0Kirkby Town15 November 1969
14Brentford0–0Plymouth Argyle15 November 1969
ReplayPlymouth Argyle2–0Brentford19 November 1969
15Northampton Town0–0Weymouth15 November 1969
ReplayWeymouth1–3Northampton Town19 November 1969
16Brighton & Hove Albion2–1Enfield15 November 1969
17Bradford City2–1Grimsby Town15 November 1969
18Oldham Athletic3–1Grantham15 November 1969
19Spennymoor United1–4Wrexham15 November 1969
20Southend United0–0Gillingham15 November 1969
ReplayGillingham2–1Southend United19 November 1969
21Exeter City2–0Fulham15 November 1969
22Alfreton Town1–1Barrow15 November 1969
ReplayBarrow0–0Alfreton Town17 November 1969
ReplayAlfreton Town2–2Barrow20 November 1969
ReplayBarrow2–0Alfreton Town24 November 1969
23Halifax Town3–3Chester15 November 1969
ReplayChester1–0Halifax Town19 November 1969
24Newport County2–1Colchester United15 November 1969
25Margate2–7Aldershot15 November 1969
26Cheltenham Town0–2Oxford City15 November 1969
27Workington2–1Rochdale15 November 1969
28York City2–0Whitby Town15 November 1969
29Kettering Town0–2Swansea Town15 November 1969
30Wigan Athletic1–1Port Vale15 November 1969
ReplayPort Vale2–2Wigan Athletic18 November 1969
ReplayPort Vale1–0Wigan Athletic24 November 1969
31Tamworth2–1Torquay United15 November 1969
32South Shields2–1Bradford Park Avenue15 November 1969
33Chelmsford City1–2Hereford United15 November 1969
34Walton & Hersham0–1Barnet15 November 1969
35Hendon5–3Carshalton Athletic15 November 1969
36Dagenham0–1Sutton United15 November 1969
37Falmouth Town1–4Peterborough United15 November 1969
38Hillingdon Borough2–0Wimbledon15 November 1969
39Brentwood Town1–0Reading15 November 1969
40Telford United0–3Bristol Rovers15 November 1969

Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 6 December 1969. Seven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. Two games needed a second replay, and one of these a third.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester1–1Doncaster Rovers6 December 1969
ReplayDoncaster Rovers0–2Chester9 December 1969
2Hartlepool0–1Wrexham6 December 1969
3Barnet0–2Sutton United6 December 1969
4Gillingham6–0Tamworth6 December 1969
5Shrewsbury Town1–2Mansfield Town6 December 1969
6Stockport County0–0Scunthorpe United6 December 1969
ReplayScunthorpe United4–0Stockport County9 December 1969
7Oxford City1–5Swansea Town6 December 1969
8Bangor City0–0York City6 December 1969
ReplayYork City2–0Bangor City9 December 1969
9Barnsley3–0Barrow6 December 1969
10Northampton Town1–1Exeter City6 December 1969
ReplayExeter City0–0Northampton Town9 December 1969
ReplayNorthampton Town2–1Exeter City15 December 1969
11Brighton & Hove Albion1–1Walsall6 December 1969
ReplayWalsall1–1Brighton & Hove Albion9 December 1969
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion0–0Walsall15 December 1969
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion1–2Walsall17 December 1969
12Bradford City3–0Lincoln City6 December 1969
13Port Vale2–2Tranmere Rovers6 December 1969
ReplayTranmere Rovers3–1Port Vale8 December 1969
14Newport County2–1Hereford United6 December 1969
15Rotherham United3–0Workington6 December 1969
16Aldershot3–1Bristol Rovers6 December 1969
17Peterborough United2–0Plymouth Argyle6 December 1969
18South Shields0–0Oldham Athletic6 December 1969
ReplayOldham Athletic1–2South Shields9 December 1969
19Hendon0–2Brentwood Town6 December 1969
20Hillingdon Borough2–1Luton Town6 December 1969

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 3 January 1970, but three were played at later dates. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with York City and Cardiff City requiring a second replay at Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester2–1Bristol City3 January 1970
2Burnley3–0Wolverhampton Wanderers3 January 1970
3Preston North End1–1Derby County3 January 1970
ReplayDerby County4–1Preston North End7 January 1970
4Southampton3–0Newcastle United3 January 1970
5Gillingham1–0Newport County3 January 1970
6Leicester City1–0Sunderland3 January 1970
7Nottingham Forest0–0Carlisle United3 January 1970
ReplayCarlisle United2–1Nottingham Forest6 January 1970
8Blackburn Rovers0–4Swindon Town3 January 1970
9Aston Villa1–1Charlton Athletic3 January 1970
ReplayCharlton Athletic1–0Aston Villa12 January 1970
10Sheffield Wednesday2–1West Bromwich Albion3 January 1970
11Bolton Wanderers1–2Watford3 January 1970
12Middlesbrough2–1West Ham United3 January 1970
13Sheffield United2–1Everton3 January 1970
14Ipswich Town0–1Manchester United3 January 1970
15Queens Park Rangers4–1South Shields3 January 1970
16Coventry City1–1Liverpool7 January 1970
ReplayLiverpool3–0Coventry City12 January 1970
17Portsmouth1–2Tranmere Rovers3 January 1970
18Norwich City1–2Wrexham3 January 1970
19Bradford City2–2Tottenham Hotspur3 January 1970
ReplayTottenham Hotspur5–0Bradford City7 January 1970
20Hull City0–1Manchester City3 January 1970
21Crystal Palace2–0Walsall3 January 1970
22Chelsea3–0Birmingham City3 January 1970
23Scunthorpe United2–1Millwall3 January 1970
24Huddersfield Town1–1Aldershot3 January 1970
ReplayAldershot3–1Huddersfield Town12 January 1970
25Mansfield Town3–2Barnsley3 January 1970
26Arsenal1–1Blackpool3 January 1970
ReplayBlackpool3–2Arsenal15 January 1970
27Leeds United2–1Swansea Town3 January 1970
28York City1–1Cardiff City3 January 1970
ReplayCardiff City1–1York City12 January 1970
ReplayCardiff City1–3York City15 January 1970
29Rotherham United0–1Peterborough United3 January 1970
30Oxford United0–0Stoke City3 January 1970
ReplayStoke City3–2Oxford United7 January 1970
31Hillingdon Borough0–0Sutton United6 January 1970
ReplaySutton United4–1Hillingdon Borough12 January 1970
32Brentwood Town0–1Northampton Town12 January 1970

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 24 January 1970. Five matches were drawn, with the replays taking place three or four days later. Sutton United was the last non-league club left in the competition.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool0–2Mansfield Town24 January 1970
2Liverpool3–1Wrexham24 January 1970
3Southampton1–1Leicester City24 January 1970
ReplayLeicester City4–2Southampton28 January 1970
4Sutton United0–6Leeds United24 January 1970
5Watford1–0Stoke City24 January 1970
6Gillingham5–1Peterborough United24 January 1970
7Sheffield Wednesday1–2Scunthorpe United24 January 1970
8Middlesbrough4–1York City24 January 1970
9Derby County3–0Sheffield United24 January 1970
10Swindon Town4–2Chester24 January 1970
11Tranmere Rovers0–0Northampton Town24 January 1970
ReplayNorthampton Town2–1Tranmere Rovers27 January 1970
12Tottenham Hotspur0–0Crystal Palace24 January 1970
ReplayCrystal Palace1–0Tottenham Hotspur28 January 1970
13Manchester United3–0Manchester City24 January 1970
14Carlisle United2–2Aldershot24 January 1970
ReplayAldershot1–4Carlisle United28 January 1970
15Chelsea2–2Burnley24 January 1970
ReplayBurnley1–3Chelsea27 January 1970
16Charlton Athletic2–3Queens Park Rangers24 January 1970

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 February 1970, with one replay played four days later.
George Best famously scored 6 goals for Manchester United in their 8–2 win against Northampton Town at the County Ground.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool0–0Leicester City7 February 1970
ReplayLeicester City0–2Liverpool11 February 1970
2Watford2–1Gillingham7 February 1970
3Swindon Town3–1Scunthorpe United7 February 1970
4Queens Park Rangers1–0Derby County7 February 1970
5Northampton Town2–8Manchester United7 February 1970
6Carlisle United1–2Middlesbrough7 February 1970
7Crystal Palace1–4Chelsea7 February 1970
8Leeds United2–0Mansfield Town7 February 1970

Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were played on the 21 February 1970. There was one replay on the following Wednesday.
Replay

Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 14 March 1970 with the Manchester United–Leeds United tie needing two replays to settle the contest over the following 12 days, with the tie needing 219 minutes to produce a goal. Manchester United were made to pay for missed chances in the first two games, including George Best falling over the ball in the first replay, as Leeds came through in the second replay with a Billy Bremner goal. Chelsea came through the other semi final to meet Leeds at Wembley.
Replay
Second Replay

Third place play-off

Between 1970 and 1974, a third place playoff between the two losing semi-finalists was held.

Final

The 1970 FA Cup Final was contested by Leeds United and Chelsea at Wembley on the 11 April 1970. The match finished as a 2–2 draw after extra time and so went to a replay. The second final match took place at Old Trafford, Manchester on the 29 April 1970. This match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes, again requiring extra time to be played before Chelsea finished as the victors.