1907–08 FA Cup


The 1907–08 FA Cup was the 37th staging of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup. Wolverhampton Wanderers won the competition for the second time, beating Newcastle United 3–1 in the final at Crystal Palace.
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.
Thirteen of the First Division's twenty clubs were defeated by lower division opposition; this figure remains a record number for a single season. Three of the four semi finalists were from outside the elite division and the cup itself was won by a second tier club.

Calendar

The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, four proper rounds, and the semi finals and final.
RoundDate
Preliminary RoundSaturday 21 September 1907
First Round QualifyingSaturday 5 October 1907
Second Round QualifyingSaturday 19 October 1907
Third Round QualifyingSaturday 2 November 1907
Fourth Round QualifyingSaturday 23 November 1907
Fifth Round QualifyingSaturday 7 December 1907
First Round ProperSaturday 11 January 1908
Second Round ProperSaturday 1 February 1908
Third Round ProperSaturday 22 February 1908
Fourth Round ProperSaturday 7 March 1908
Semi-FinalsSaturday 28 March 1908
FinalSaturday 25 April 1908

First round proper

36 of the 40 clubs from the First and Second divisions joined the 12 clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. Of the League sides not exempt to this round, Oldham Athletic, Glossop and Chesterfield were put into the Fifth Qualifying Round, and each one won. Clapton Orient were placed in the Preliminary Round, and won through to the Third Qualifying Round before losing to Southend United. Nine non-league clubs joined the three League sides in winning through to the First Round Proper.
Sixteen non-league sides were exempt to the First Round to bring the total number of teams up to 64. These were:
32 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday 11 January 1908. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek, of which one went to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chesterfield4–0Stockton11 January 1908
2Bristol City0–0Grimsby Town11 January 1908
ReplayGrimsby Town2–1Bristol City15 January 1908
3Burnley1–2Southampton11 January 1908
4Bury2–1Millwall Athletic11 January 1908
5Liverpool4–2Derby County11 January 1908
6Stoke5–0Lincoln City11 January 1908
7Notts County2–0Middlesbrough11 January 1908
8Aston Villa3–0Stockport County11 January 1908
9Bolton Wanderers5–0Woking11 January 1908
10West Bromwich Albion1–1Birmingham11 January 1908
ReplayBirmingham1–2West Bromwich Albion15 January 1908
11Luton Town3–8Fulham11 January 1908
12Gainsborough Trinity1–0Watford11 January 1908
13Everton1–0Tottenham Hotspur11 January 1908
14Swindon Town0–0Sheffield United11 January 1908
ReplaySheffield United2–3Swindon Town16 January 1908
15Leicester Fosse2–0Blackburn Rovers11 January 1908
16Woolwich Arsenal0–0Hull City11 January 1908
ReplayHull City4–1Woolwich Arsenal16 January 1908
17Newcastle United2–0Nottingham Forest11 January 1908
18New Brompton3–1Sunderland11 January 1908
19Queens Park Rangers1–0Reading11 January 1908
20Northampton Town0–1Bristol Rovers11 January 1908
21Glossop0–0Manchester City11 January 1908
ReplayManchester City6–0Glossop15 January 1908
22Coventry City2–4Crystal Palace11 January 1908
23West Ham United1–0Rotherham Town11 January 1908
24Brighton & Hove Albion1–1Preston North End11 January 1908
ReplayPreston North End1–1Brighton & Hove Albion16 January 1908
ReplayPreston North End0–1Brighton & Hove Albion20 January 1908
25Manchester United3–1Blackpool11 January 1908
26Norwich City2–0The Wednesday11 January 1908
27Plymouth Argyle1–0Barnsley11 January 1908
28Bradford City1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers11 January 1908
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers1–0Bradford City15 January 1908
29Carlisle United2–2Brentford11 January 1908
ReplayBrentford1–3Carlisle United15 January 1908
30Oldham Athletic2–1Leeds City11 January 1908
31Chelsea9–1Worksop Town11 January 1908
32Rock-a-Nore0–1Portsmouth11 January 1908

Second Round Proper

The sixteen second round matches were played on Saturday 1 February 1908. Five matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. One of these, the Stoke against Gainsborough Trinity match, went to a second replay the following week.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool1–1Brighton & Hove Albion1 February 1908
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion0–3Liverpool5 February 1908
2Southampton1–0West Bromwich Albion1 February 1908
3Stoke1–1Gainsborough Trinity1 February 1908
ReplayGainsborough Trinity2–2Stoke5 February 1908
ReplayStoke3–1Gainsborough Trinity10 February 1908
4Notts County1–1Bolton Wanderers1 February 1908
ReplayBolton Wanderers2–1Notts County5 February 1908
5Aston Villa3–0Hull City1 February 1908
6Grimsby Town6–2Carlisle United1 February 1908
7Wolverhampton Wanderers2–0Bury1 February 1908
8Swindon Town2–1Queens Park Rangers1 February 1908
9Newcastle United2–0West Ham United1 February 1908
10Manchester City1–1New Brompton1 February 1908
ReplayNew Brompton1–2Manchester City5 February 1908
11Fulham2–1Norwich City1 February 1908
12Bristol Rovers2–0Chesterfield1 February 1908
13Portsmouth1–0Leicester Fosse1 February 1908
14Manchester United1–0Chelsea1 February 1908
15Plymouth Argyle2–3Crystal Palace1 February 1908
16Oldham Athletic0–0Everton1 February 1908
ReplayEverton6–1Oldham Athletic5 February 1908

Third round proper

The eight third-round matches were scheduled for Saturday 22 February 1908. There were two replays, played in the following midweek.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Southampton2–0Bristol Rovers22 February 1908
2Aston Villa0–2Manchester United22 February 1908
3Bolton Wanderers3–3Everton22 February 1908
ReplayEverton3–1Bolton Wanderers26 February 1908
4Grimsby Town1–0Crystal Palace22 February 1908
5Wolverhampton Wanderers2–0Swindon Town22 February 1908
6Newcastle United3–1Liverpool22 February 1908
7Manchester City1–1Fulham22 February 1908
ReplayFulham3–1Manchester City26 February 1908
8Portsmouth0–1Stoke22 February 1908

Fourth Round Proper

The four quarter final matches were scheduled for Saturday 7 March 1908. The Everton against Southampton game was drawn, and replayed on 11 March.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Stoke0–1Wolverhampton Wanderers7 March 1908
2Everton0–0Southampton7 March 1908
ReplaySouthampton3–2Everton11 March 1908
3Newcastle United5–1Grimsby Town7 March 1908
4Fulham2–1Manchester United7 March 1908

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday 28 March 1908. Newcastle United won their tie against Fulham 6–0, which remains a record for an FA Cup semi-final. In the other tie, Wolverhampton Wanderers won against Southampton to meet Newcastle in the final.
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Final

The Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United at Crystal Palace. Newcastle had just finished 4th in the First Division during this season, after two successive league titles and this was their third FA Cup final appearance in 4 years. Their 6–0 thrashing of Fulham in the semi-final is a record win for a semi final. By contrast, Wolves had finished 9th in the Second Division.
Nevertheless, Wolves upset the odds by winning the match 3–1, with goals by Kenneth Hunt, George Hedley and Billy Harrison. James Howey scored the Magpies' reply. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Bell, then handed the trophy to Wolves' captain, Billy Wooldridge.

Match details