1903–04 FA Cup
The 1903–04 FA Cup was the 33rd season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). Manchester City won the competition for the first time, beating Bolton Wanderers 1–0 in the final at Crystal Palace, through a goal scored by Billy Meredith.
![]() The Manchester City team following the club's first FA Cup victory | |
Country | ![]() |
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Defending champions | Bury |
Champions | Manchester City (1st title) |
Runners-up | Bolton Wanderers |
← 1902–03 1904–05 → |
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. 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 at neutral venues 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
The format of the FA Cup for the season had two preliminary rounds, five qualifying rounds, an intermediate round, three proper rounds, and the semi finals and final.
Round | Date |
---|---|
Extra Preliminary Round | Saturday 12 September 1903 |
Preliminary Round | Saturday 19 September 1903 |
First Round Qualifying | Saturday 4 October 1903 |
Second Round Qualifying | Saturday 17 October 1903 |
Third Round Qualifying | Saturday 31 October 1903 |
Fourth Round Qualifying | Saturday 14 November 1903 |
Fifth Round Qualifying | Saturday 28 November 1903 |
Intermediate Round | Saturday 12 December 1903 |
First Round Proper | Saturday 6 February 1904 |
Second Round Proper | Saturday 20 February 1904 |
Third Round Proper | Saturday 5 March 1904 |
Semi-Finals | Saturday 19 March 1904 |
Final | Saturday 23 April 1904 |
Intermediate Round
The Intermediate Round featured ten games, played between the ten winners of the Fifth Qualifying Round, and ten teams given byes. Manchester United, Bristol City, Preston North End, Woolwich Arsenal, Barnsley and Grimsby Town from the Second Division were entered automatically into this round, as were non-league Reading, Bristol Rovers and New Brompton.
The other Second Division sides had to gain entry to this round through the earlier qualifying rounds. Burton United and Bradford City were entered at the First Qualifying Round stage, with Bradford going out in the Fourth Qualifying Round. Glossop were entered at the Second Qualifying Round, but a walkover was awarded to their opponents, Heywood. The others, Blackpool, Burnley, Burslem Port Vale, Chesterfield, Gainsborough Trinity, Leicester Fosse, Lincoln City and Stockport County were entered at the Third Qualifying Round stage, with only Gainsborough and Burslem Port Vale reaching the intermediate round from these.
The ten matches were played on 12 December 1903. Four matches went to replays, with two of these going to a second replay and one of these, the Manchester United – Small Heath game, then went to a third replay.
Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Preston North End | 2–1 | Darwen | 12 December 1903 |
2 | Reading | 1–0 | Gainsborough Trinity | 12 December 1903 |
3 | Grimsby Town | 2–0 | Barnsley | 12 December 1903 |
4 | Burslem Port Vale | 3–0 | Burton United | 12 December 1903 |
5 | Stockton | 2–1 | Shrewsbury Town | 12 December 1903 |
6 | New Brompton | 1–1 | Bristol City | 12 December 1903 |
Replay | Bristol City | 5–2 | New Brompton | 16 December 1903 |
7 | Brentford | 1–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 12 December 1903 |
Replay | Plymouth Argyle | 4–1 | Brentford | 16 December 1903 |
8 | Bristol Rovers | 1–1 | Woolwich Arsenal | 12 December 1903 |
Replay | Woolwich Arsenal | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | 16 December 1903 |
Replay | Bristol Rovers | 0–1 | Woolwich Arsenal | 21 December 1903 |
9 | West Ham United | 0–1 | Fulham | 12 December 1903 |
10 | Manchester United | 1–1 | Small Heath | 12 December 1903 |
Replay | Small Heath | 1–1 | Manchester United | 16 December 1903 |
Replay | Small Heath | 1–1 | Manchester United | 21 December 1903 |
Replay | Manchester United | 3–1 | Small Heath | 11 January 1904 |
First round proper
The First Round Proper contained sixteen ties between 32 teams. 17 of the 18 First Division sides were given a bye to this round, as were Bolton Wanderers from the Second Division, and non-league Southampton, Portsmouth, Millwall Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur. They joined the ten teams who won in the intermediate round.
The matches were played on Saturday, 6 February 1904. Four matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.
Second Round Proper
The eight Second Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 20 February 1904. There was one replay, between Derby County and Wolverhampton Wanderers, played in the following midweek fixture, but this was again drawn and went to a second replay the following week.
Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bury | 1–2 | Sheffield United | 20 February 1904 |
2 | Preston North End | 0–3 | Middlesbrough | 20 February 1904 |
3 | Blackburn Rovers | 3–1 | Nottingham Forest | 20 February 1904 |
4 | Aston Villa | 0–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 February 1904 |
5 | The Wednesday | 6–0 | Manchester United | 20 February 1904 |
6 | Bolton Wanderers | 4–1 | Southampton | 20 February 1904 |
7 | Derby County | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 20 February 1904 |
Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–2 | Derby County | 24 February 1904 |
Replay | Derby County | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 29 February 1904 |
8 | Woolwich Arsenal | 0–2 | Manchester City | 20 February 1904 |
Third round proper
The four Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 5 March 1904. Two matches were drawn and replayed in the following midweek fixture.
Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Derby County | 2–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 5 March 1904 |
2 | Sheffield United | 0–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 5 March 1904 |
3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–1 | The Wednesday | 5 March 1904 |
Replay | The Wednesday | 2–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 March 1904 |
4 | Manchester City | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | 5 March 1904 |
Replay | Middlesbrough | 1–3 | Manchester City | 9 March 1904 |
Semi-Finals
The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 19 March 1904.
Final
The Final, the first all-Lancashire final since the start of the competition, took place at Crystal Palace on Saturday 23 April 1904. The 32nd FA Cup final was contested between Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers. Manchester City won 1–0. The goal was scored by Billy Meredith.
Match details
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Manchester City
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Bolton Wanderers[3]
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See also
References
- General
- Official site; fixtures and results service at TheFA.com
- 1903-04 FA Cup at rsssf.com
- 1903-04 FA Cup at soccerbase.com
- Specific
- Match report at fa-cupfinals.co.uk Archived 20 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- "Sporting Chronicle - 1904 FA Cup Final". Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- "FA Cup Final kits, 1900-1909". Archived from the original on 25 September 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2008.