| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England Wales |
| Defending champions | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Arsenal(3rd title) |
| Runners-up | Liverpool |
The1949–50 FA Cup was the 69th season of the world's oldestfootballcup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as theFA Cup.Arsenal won the competition for the third time, beatingLiverpool 2–0 inthe final atWembley, through two goals fromReg Lewis.
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 ofextra time would be played.
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Extra preliminary round | Saturday 3 September 1949 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 17 September 1949 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 1 October 1949 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 15 October 1949 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 29 October 1949 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 12 November 1949 |
| First round proper | Saturday 26 November 1949 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 10 December 1949 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 7 January 1950 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 28 January 1950 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 11 February 1950 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 4 March 1950 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 18 March 1950 |
| Final | Saturday 29 April 1950 |
Most participating clubs that were not members of theFootball 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 wereBillingham Synthonia,North Shields,Stockton,Netherfield,Fleetwood,Rhyl,Mossley,Bromsgrove Rovers,Witton Albion,Goole Town,Nuneaton Borough,Grantham,Hereford United,King's Lynn,Wealdstone,Tilbury,Gravesend & Northfleet,Walthamstow Avenue,Chelmsford City,Gillingham,Hastings United,Leytonstone,Romford,Weymouth andGloucester City.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Fleetwood, Mossley, Nuneaton Borough, Wealdstone, Tilbury and Hastings United, while Goole Town had not featured at this stage since1914–15. Mossley was also the most successful team from the extra preliminary round, progressing to the second round proper by defeatingAshton United,Altrincham,Northwich Victoria,Buxton,Droylsden,Runcorn and Witton Albion.
At this stage 41 clubs from theFootball League Third Division North andSouth joined the 25non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds.Rotherham United,Reading andBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic were givenbyes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sidesYeovil Town andBromley were given byes to this round, Yeovil after reaching the fifth round of the previous FA Cup tournament and Bromley as the champions from the previous season'sFA Amateur Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 26 November 1949. Three were drawn and went to replays.
The matches were played on Saturday, 10 December 1949. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. One of these replays went to a second replay.
The 44First andSecond Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along withRotherham United,Reading andBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 January 1950. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these going to a second replay.Weymouth,Yeovil Town andNuneaton Borough were the last non-league clubs left in the competition.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 28 January 1950. Six games were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 February 1950. There were three replays in total, each taking place four days later.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chesterfield | 1–1 | Chelsea | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Chelsea | 3–0 | Chesterfield | 15 February 1950 |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | Blackpool | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Blackpool | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 15 February 1950 |
| 3 | Derby County | 4–2 | Northampton Town | 11 February 1950 |
| 4 | Everton | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 February 1950 |
| 5 | Stockport County | 1–2 | Liverpool | 11 February 1950 |
| 6 | Manchester United | 3–3 | Portsmouth | 11 February 1950 |
| Replay | Portsmouth | 1–3 | Manchester United | 15 February 1950 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Burnley | 11 February 1950 |
| 8 | Leeds United | 3–1 | Cardiff City | 11 February 1950 |
The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 4 March 1950. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Blackpool | 4 March 1950 |
| 2 | Derby County | 1–2 | Everton | 4 March 1950 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Manchester United | 4 March 1950 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Leeds United | 4 March 1950 |
The semi-final matches were intended to be played on Saturday, 18 March 1950, although the Liverpool–Everton fixture was not played until the week after. The London derby clash of Arsenal–Chelsea went to a replay, with Arsenal eventually winning their tie to meet Liverpool in the final at Wembley.
The 1950 FA Cup Final was contested byArsenal andLiverpool atWembley. Arsenal won 2–0, with both goals scored byReg Lewis. Future legendary Liverpool managerBob Paisley was famously dropped for the final, even after scoring the winning goal againstrivalsEverton in the semi-final.[1]
![]() ![]() Arsenal | ![]() Liverpool |