| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England Wales |
| Defending champions | Arsenal |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Sunderland(1st title) |
| Runners-up | Preston North End |
The1936–37 FA Cup was the 62nd season of the world's oldestfootballcup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as theFA Cup.Sunderland won the competition for the first time, beatingPreston North End 3–1 inthe final atWembley.
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 5 September 1936 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 19 September 1936 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 3 October 1936 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 17 October 1936 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 31 October 1936 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 14 November 1936 |
| First round proper | Saturday 28 November 1936 |
| Second round proper | Saturday 12 December 1936 |
| Third round proper | Saturday 16 January 1937 |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 30 January 1937 |
| Fifth round proper | Saturday 20 February 1937 |
| Sixth round proper | Saturday 6 March 1937 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 10 April 1937 |
| Final | Saturday 1 May 1937 |
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 this season's fourth qualifying round wereSpennymoor United,Blyth Spartans,Shildon,Morecambe,South Liverpool,Wigan Athletic,Stalybridge Celtic,Wellington Town,Frickley Colliery,Boston United,Scunthorpe & Lindsey United,Burton Town,Peterborough United,Ipswich Town,Southall,Harwich & Parkeston,Tunbridge Wells Rangers,Dulwich Hamlet,Worthing,Folkestone,Dartford,Walthamstow Avenue,Ryde Sports,Bath City andYeovil & Petter's United.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Morecambe, South Liverpool, Frickley Colliery, Ipswich Town and Worthing. Peterborough United were also featuring in the main draw for the first time in their own right, just five seasons after predecessor outfitPeterborough & Fletton United had last reached this stage.
Two clubs progressed from the extra preliminary round to the first round proper. Frickley Colliery defeated Ryhill & Havercroft United,Yorkshire Amateur,Worksop Town,Norton Woodseats,Denaby United andRipley Town before losing toSouthport; while Harwich & Parkeston defeatedMaldon & Heybridge,Crittall Athletic,Dagenham Town,Romford,Barking andHayes before going out toBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic atDean Court.
At this stage 41 clubs from theFootball League Third Division North andSouth joined the 25non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds.Chester,Port Vale andLuton Town were givenbyes to the third round. To make the number of matches up, non-league sidesIlford andCorinthian were given byes to this round. Ilford were the runners-up from the previous season'sFA Amateur Cup, but the bye was passed to them as the winners,Casuals were no longer entering the FA Cup.
34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 28 November 1936. Four were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek.
The matches were played on Saturday, 12 December 1936, with one match postponed until the 17th. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek.
The 44First andSecond Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along withChester,Port Vale andLuton Town.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 16 January 1937. Four matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek.Spennymoor United andDartford were the last clubs from the qualifying rounds left in the competition.
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 30 January 1937. Four games were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnley | 4–1 | Bury | 30 January 1937 |
| 2 | Preston North End | 5–1 | Stoke City | 30 January 1937 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–1 | Norwich City | 30 January 1937 |
| Replay | Norwich City | 1–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 4 February 1937 |
| 4 | Grimsby Town | 5–1 | Walsall | 30 January 1937 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–2 | Sheffield United | 30 January 1937 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4 February 1937 |
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion | 3–2 | Darlington | 30 January 1937 |
| 7 | Derby County | 3–0 | Brentford | 30 January 1937 |
| 8 | Luton Town | 2–2 | Sunderland | 30 January 1937 |
| Replay | Sunderland | 3–1 | Luton Town | 3 February 1937 |
| 9 | Everton | 3–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 30 January 1937 |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 30 January 1937 |
| 11 | Manchester City | 2–0 | Accrington Stanley | 30 January 1937 |
| 12 | Coventry City | 2–0 | Chester | 30 January 1937 |
| 13 | Millwall | 3–0 | Chelsea | 30 January 1937 |
| 14 | Exeter City | 3–1 | Leicester City | 30 January 1937 |
| 15 | Swansea Town | 0–0 | York City | 30 January 1937 |
| Replay | York City | 1–3 | Swansea Town | 3 February 1937 |
| 16 | Arsenal | 5–0 | Manchester United | 30 January 1937 |
The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 20 February 1937. There were two replays, played in the next midweek.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnley | 1–7 | Arsenal | 20 February 1937 |
| 2 | Preston North End | 5–3 | Exeter City | 20 February 1937 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 0–5 | Manchester City | 20 February 1937 |
| 4 | Grimsby Town | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 20 February 1937 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 6–2 | Grimsby Town | 24 February 1937 |
| 5 | Sunderland | 3–0 | Swansea Town | 20 February 1937 |
| 6 | Everton | 1–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 20 February 1937 |
| Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | 4–3 | Everton | 22 February 1937 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 2–3 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 February 1937 |
| 8 | Millwall | 2–1 | Derby County | 20 February 1937 |
The four quarter final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 6 March 1937. The Wolverhampton Wanderers–Sunderland match went to two replays before it was settled, in Sunderland's favour. This was the only second replay to take place in the FA Cup proper.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | Sunderland | 6 March 1937 |
| Replay | Sunderland | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 10 March 1937 |
| Replay | Sunderland | 4–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 15 March 1937 |
| 2 | West Bromwich Albion | 3–1 | Arsenal | 6 March 1937 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–3 | Preston North End | 6 March 1937 |
| 4 | Millwall | 2–0 | Manchester City | 6 March 1937 |
The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 10 April 1937. Sunderland and Preston North End won their matches to meet in the final atWembley
| Sunderland | 2–1 | Millwall |
|---|---|---|
| Gurney Gallacher | Mangnall |
The 1937 FA Cup Final - the first such final played in the month of May - was contested bySunderland andPreston North End atWembley. Sunderland won 3–1, with goals byBobby Gurney,Raich Carter andEddie Burbanks.Frank O'Donnell's strike on 38 minutes had put Preston ahead.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Sunderland | ![]() Preston North End |