1902–03 FA Cup


The 1902-03 FA Cup was the 32nd season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup. Bury won the competition for the second and final time, beating Derby County 6-0 in the final at Crystal Palace. This scoreline still stands as a record victory in an FA Cup final.
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 a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, an intermediate round, three proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final.
RoundDate
Preliminary RoundSaturday 20 September 1902
First Round QualifyingSaturday 4 October 1902
Second Round QualifyingSaturday 18 October 1902
Third Round QualifyingSaturday 1 November 1902
Fourth Round QualifyingSaturday 15 November 1902
Fifth Round QualifyingSaturday 29 November 1902
Intermediate RoundSaturday 13 December 1902
First Round ProperSaturday 7 February 1903
Second Round ProperSaturday 21 February 1903
Third Round ProperSaturday 7 March 1903
Semi-FinalsSaturday 21 March 1903
FinalSaturday 18 April 1903

Intermediate Round

The Intermediate Round featured ten games, played between the ten winners of the Fifth Qualifying Round, and ten teams given byes. First Division Middlesbrough, along with Bristol City, Preston North End, Woolwich Arsenal, Burnley and Lincoln City from the Second Division were entered automatically into this round, as were non-league Reading, Bristol Rovers, West Ham United and Millwall Athletic.
The other Second Division sides had to gain entry to this round through the earlier qualifying rounds. Burton United, Blackpool and Stockport County were entered at the First Qualifying Round, while the others, Burslem Port Vale, Chesterfield, Doncaster Rovers, Gainsborough Trinity, Leicester Fosse and Manchester United, were entered in the Third Qualifying Round. Of these, only Manchester United, Glossop and Burton United reached the Intermediate Round. They were joined by seven other non-league sides.
The ten matches were played on 13 December 1902. Three matches went to replays, with one of these going to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bristol City3-1Middlesbrough13 December 1902
2Reading1-0Burnley13 December 1902
3Lincoln City2-0West Ham United13 December 1902
4Luton Town3-0Kidderminster Harriers13 December 1902
5Bishop Auckland1-3Preston North End13 December 1902
6Barnsley4-0Swindon Town13 December 1902
7Brentford1-1Woolwich Arsenal13 December 1902
ReplayWoolwich Arsenal5-0Brentford17 December 1902
8Bristol Rovers2-2Millwall Athletic13 December 1902
ReplayMillwall Athletic0-0Bristol Rovers18 December 1902
2nd ReplayMillwall Athletic2-0Bristol Rovers22 December 1902
9Glossop2-1New Brompton13 December 1902
10Burton United1-1Manchester United13 December 1902
ReplayManchester United3-1Burton United17 December 1902

First round proper

The First Round Proper contained 16 ties between 32 teams. 17 of the 18 First Division sides were given a bye to this round, as were Manchester City and Small Heath from the Second Division, and Southern League teams Southampton, Portsmouth, and Tottenham Hotspur. They joined the ten teams who won in the intermediate round.
The matches were played on Saturday, 7 February 1903. Four matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. One of these, the Notts County v Southampton match, went to a second replay, which Notts County won at Small Heath's St Andrew's ground.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bury1-0Wolverhampton Wanderers7 February 1903
2Preston North End3-1Manchester City7 February 1903
3Notts County0-0Southampton7 February 1903
ReplaySouthampton2-2Notts County11 February 1903
2nd ReplayNotts County2-1Southampton16 February 1903
4Nottingham Forest0-0Reading7 February 1903
ReplayReading3-6Nottingham Forest12 February 1903
5Blackburn Rovers0-0The Wednesday7 February 1903
ReplayThe Wednesday0-1Blackburn Rovers12 February 1903
6Aston Villa4-1Sunderland7 February 1903
7Bolton Wanderers0-5Bristol City7 February 1903
8Grimsby Town2-1Newcastle United7 February 1903
9Derby County2-1Small Heath7 February 1903
10Everton5-0Portsmouth7 February 1903
11Millwall Athletic3-0Luton Town7 February 1903
12Woolwich Arsenal1-3Sheffield United7 February 1903
13Tottenham Hotspur0-0West Bromwich Albion7 February 1903
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion0-2Tottenham Hotspur11 February 1903
14Barnsley2-0Lincoln City7 February 1903
15Glossop2-3Stoke7 February 1903
16Manchester United2-1Liverpool7 February 1903

Second Round Proper

The eight Second Round matches were played on Saturday, 21 February 1903. There was one replay, between Nottingham Forest and Stoke City, played in the following midweek.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Nottingham Forest0-0Stoke21 February 1903
ReplayStoke2-0Nottingham Forest26 February 1903
2Aston Villa4-1Barnsley21 February 1903
3Grimsby Town0-2Notts County21 February 1903
4Derby County2-0Blackburn Rovers21 February 1903
5Everton3-1Manchester United21 February 1903
6Sheffield United0-1Bury21 February 1903
7Millwall Athletic4-1Preston North End21 February 1903
8Tottenham Hotspur1-0Bristol City21 February 1903

Third round proper

The four Third Round matches were played on Saturday 7 March 1903. There were no replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bury1-0Notts County7 March 1903
2Derby County3-0Stoke7 March 1903
3Millwall Athletic1-0Everton7 March 1903
4Tottenham Hotspur2-3Aston Villa7 March 1903

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were played at neutral venues on Saturday 21 March 1903. Bury and Derby County won and went on to meet each other in the final.
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Final

The Final was contested by Bury and Derby County at Crystal Palace. Bury won 6-0, with goals from George Ross, Charlie Sagar, Joe Leeming, William Wood and John Plant. The scoreline remains a record for the biggest winning margin in the FA Cup final.

Match details