1928–29 FA Cup


The 1928–29 FA Cup was the 54th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Bolton Wanderers won the competition for the third time, beating Portsmouth 2–0 in the final at Wembley.
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 of extra time would be played.

Calendar

First round proper

At this stage 41 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 25 non-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. Of those Third Division sides not playing in the First Round Proper, Northampton Town and Swindon Town were given a bye to the Third Round, while Nelson were not involved at any stage of the competition. To make the number of matches up, non-league Northfleet United and Leyton were given byes to this round. 34 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 24 November 1928. One match was drawn and went to a replay in the following midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chesterfield3–2Rochdale24 November 1928
2Darlington3–0New Brighton24 November 1928
3Grantham1–0Rhyl Athletic24 November 1928
4Walsall3–1Worcester City24 November 1928
5Gillingham0–0Torquay United24 November 1928
ReplayTorquay United5–1Gillingham28 November 1928
6Leyton0–2Watford24 November 1928
7Luton Town5–1Southend United24 November 1928
8Gainsborough Trinity3–1Crewe Alexandra24 November 1928
9Wrexham0–1Carlisle United24 November 1928
10Poole1–4Bournemouth24 November 1928
11Tranmere Rovers2–1Rotherham United24 November 1928
12Stockport County1–0Halifax Town24 November 1928
13Sittingbourne2–1Southall24 November 1928
14Accrington Stanley2–1South Shields24 November 1928
15Brentford4–1Brighton & Hove Albion24 November 1928
16Bristol Rovers2–1Wellingborough Town24 November 1928
17Coventry City1–4Fulham24 November 1928
18Norwich City6–1Chatham24 November 1928
19Northfleet United5–2Ilford24 November 1928
20Bradford City4–1Doncaster Rovers24 November 1928
21Crystal Palace2–0Kettering Town24 November 1928
22Spennymoor United5–2Hartlepools United24 November 1928
23Annfield Plain1–4Southport24 November 1928
24Lancaster Town1–3Lincoln City24 November 1928
25Exeter City6–0Barking24 November 1928
26Merthyr Town4–2Dulwich Hamlet24 November 1928
27Shirebrook2–4Mansfield Town24 November 1928
28Newport County7–0Woking24 November 1928
29Horwich RMI1–2Scarborough24 November 1928
30Yeovil & Petter's United1–4Plymouth Argyle24 November 1928
31Wigan Borough2–0Ashington24 November 1928
32York City0–1Barrow24 November 1928
33Peterborough & Fletton United0–2Charlton Athletic24 November 1928
34Guildford City4–2Queens Park Rangers24 November 1928

Second Round Proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 8 December 1928. Two matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Barrow1–2Mansfield Town8 December 1928
2Watford2–0Merthyr Town8 December 1928
3Walsall2–1Sittingbourne8 December 1928
4Gainsborough Trinity2–3Chesterfield8 December 1928
5Scarborough2–2Darlington8 December 1928
ReplayDarlington2–1Scarborough12 December 1928
6Tranmere Rovers0–1Bradford City8 December 1928
7Stockport County3–0Southport8 December 1928
8Fulham0–0Luton Town8 December 1928
ReplayLuton Town4–1Fulham13 December 1928
9Accrington Stanley7–0Spennymoor United8 December 1928
10Brentford0–1Plymouth Argyle8 December 1928
11Norwich City6–0Newport County8 December 1928
12Northfleet United1–5Charlton Athletic8 December 1928
13Carlisle United0–1Lincoln City8 December 1928
14Crystal Palace3–1Bristol Rovers8 December 1928
15Torquay United0–1Exeter City8 December 1928
16Wigan Borough2–1Grantham8 December 1928
17Guildford City1–5Bournemouth8 December 1928

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs, entered the competition at this stage, along with Third Division Northampton Town and Swindon Town. Also given a bye to this round of the draw were amateur side Corinthian. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 12 January 1929. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture, of which one went to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Birmingham3–1Manchester City12 January 1929
2Chesterfield1–7Huddersfield Town12 January 1929
3Darlington2–6Bury12 January 1929
4Bristol City0–2Liverpool12 January 1929
5Burnley2–1Sheffield United12 January 1929
6Southampton0–0Clapton Orient12 January 1929
ReplayClapton Orient2–1Southampton17 January 1929
7Watford1–0Preston North End12 January 1929
8Reading2–0Tottenham Hotspur12 January 1929
9Walsall1–1Middlesbrough12 January 1929
ReplayMiddlesbrough5–1Walsall21 January 1929
10Nottingham Forest1–2Swansea Town12 January 1929
11Blackburn Rovers1–0Barnsley12 January 1929
12Aston Villa6–1Cardiff City12 January 1929
13Bolton Wanderers2–0Oldham Athletic12 January 1929
14Grimsby Town1–1West Bromwich Albion12 January 1929
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion2–0Grimsby Town16 January 1929
15Wolverhampton Wanderers0–1Mansfield Town12 January 1929
16Derby County4–3Notts County12 January 1929
17Lincoln City0–1Leicester City12 January 1929
18Luton Town0–0Crystal Palace12 January 1929
ReplayCrystal Palace7–0Luton Town16 January 1929
19Swindon Town2–0Newcastle United12 January 1929
20Accrington Stanley1–1Bournemouth12 January 1929
ReplayBournemouth2–0Accrington Stanley16 January 1929
21Portsmouth2–1Charlton Athletic12 January 1929
22West Ham United1–0Sunderland12 January 1929
23Norwich City0–5Corinthian12 January 1929
24Plymouth Argyle3–0Blackpool12 January 1929
25Bradford City2–0Stockport County12 January 1929
26Millwall1–1Northampton Town12 January 1929
ReplayNorthampton Town2–2Millwall17 January 1929
ReplayMillwall2–0Northampton Town21 January 1929
27Hull City1–1Bradford Park Avenue12 January 1929
ReplayBradford Park Avenue3–1Hull City16 January 1929
28Chelsea2–0Everton12 January 1929
29Exeter City2–2Leeds United12 January 1929
ReplayLeeds United5–1Exeter City16 January 1929
30Port Vale0–3Manchester United12 January 1929
31Arsenal2–1Stoke City12 January 1929
32Wigan Borough1–3The Wednesday12 January 1929

Fourth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 26 January 1929. Five games were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bournemouth6–4Watford26 January 1929
2Burnley3–3Swindon Town26 January 1929
ReplaySwindon Town3–2Burnley31 January 1929
3Liverpool0–0Bolton Wanderers26 January 1929
ReplayBolton Wanderers5–2Liverpool31 January 1929
4Reading1–0The Wednesday26 January 1929
5Leicester City1–0Swansea Town26 January 1929
6Blackburn Rovers1–1Derby County26 January 1929
ReplayDerby County0–3Blackburn Rovers31 January 1929
7Aston Villa0–0Clapton Orient26 January 1929
ReplayClapton Orient0–8Aston Villa31 January 1929
8West Bromwich Albion1–0Middlesbrough26 January 1929
9Portsmouth2–0Bradford City26 January 1929
10West Ham United3–0Corinthian26 January 1929
11Manchester United0–1Bury26 January 1929
12Plymouth Argyle0–1Bradford Park Avenue26 January 1929
13Millwall0–0Crystal Palace26 January 1929
ReplayCrystal Palace5–3Millwall31 January 1929
14Chelsea1–0Birmingham26 January 1929
15Huddersfield Town3–0Leeds United26 January 1929
16Arsenal2–0Mansfield Town26 January 1929

Fifth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 16 February 1929. There were three replays played in the next midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bournemouth1–1West Ham United16 February 1929
ReplayWest Ham United3–1Bournemouth20 February 1929
2Reading1–3Aston Villa16 February 1929
3Leicester City1–2Bolton Wanderers16 February 1929
4Blackburn Rovers1–0Bury16 February 1929
5West Bromwich Albion6–0Bradford Park Avenue16 February 1929
6Swindon Town0–0Arsenal16 February 1929
ReplayArsenal1–0Swindon Town20 February 1929
7Chelsea1–1Portsmouth16 February 1929
ReplayPortsmouth1–0Chelsea20 February 1929
8Huddersfield Town5–2Crystal Palace16 February 1929

Sixth Round Proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 2 March 1929. There were two replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackburn Rovers1–1Bolton Wanderers2 March 1929
ReplayBolton Wanderers2–1Blackburn Rovers6 March 1929
2Aston Villa1–0Arsenal2 March 1929
3West Bromwich Albion1–1Huddersfield Town2 March 1929
ReplayHuddersfield Town2–1West Bromwich Albion6 March 1929
4Portsmouth3–2West Ham United2 March 1929

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 23 March 1929. Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth won their matches to meet in the final at Wembley.
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Final

The 1929 FA Cup Final was contested by Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth at Wembley. Bolton won 2–0, with goals by Billy Butler and Harry Blackmore.

Match details