1946–47 FA Cup


The 1946–47 FA Cup was the 66th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Charlton Athletic, the previous season's runners-up, won the competition for the first time, beating Burnley 1–0 after extra time 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 43 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined 23 non-league clubs that had advanced through the qualifying rounds. Chester, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace were given a bye to the Third Round. To make the number of matches up, non-league Barnet and Bishop Auckland, the previous season's F. A. Amateur Cup winners and runners-up respectively, were given byes to this round. 34 matches were played on Saturday, 30 November 1946. Six were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bournemouth4–2Exeter City30 November 1946
2Barnet3–0Sutton United30 November 1946
3Barrow0–0Halifax Town30 November 1946
ReplayHalifax Town1–0Barrow4 December 1946
4Bristol City9–3Hayes30 November 1946
5Rochdale6–1Bishop Auckland30 November 1946
6Yeovil Town2–2Peterborough United30 November 1946
ReplayPeterborough United1–0Yeovil Town5 December 1946
7Reading5–0Colchester United30 November 1946
8Gillingham4–1Gravesend & Northfleet30 November 1946
9Gainsborough Trinity1–2Darlington30 November 1946
10Swindon Town4–1Cambridge Town30 November 1946
11Stockton2–4Lincoln City30 November 1946
12Doncaster Rovers2–2Accrington Stanley30 November 1946
ReplayAccrington Stanley0–5Doncaster Rovers4 December 1946
13Wrexham5–0Marine30 November 1946
14Ipswich Town2–0Torquay United30 November 1946
15Stockport County2–0Southport30 November 1946
16Wellington Town1–1Watford30 November 1946
ReplayWatford1–0Wellington Town4 December 1946
17Queens Park Rangers2–2Poole Town30 November 1946
ReplayPoole Town0–6Queens Park Rangers4 December 1946
18Leytonstone1–6Walsall30 November 1946
19Northampton Town2–0Mansfield Town30 November 1946
20South Liverpool2–1Workington30 November 1946
21Norwich City7–2Brighton & Hove Albion30 November 1946
22Hull City0–0New Brighton30 November 1946
ReplayNew Brighton1–2Hull City4 December 1946
23Carlisle United4–0Runcorn30 November 1946
24Oldham Athletic1–0Tranmere Rovers30 November 1946
25Hartlepools United6–0North Shields30 November 1946
26Port Vale5–0Finchley30 November 1946
27York City0–1Scunthorpe United30 November 1946
28Rotherham United2–0Crewe Alexandra30 November 1946
29Aldershot4–2Cheltenham Town30 November 1946
30Gateshead3–1Bradford City30 November 1946
31Lancaster City1–0Spennymoor United30 November 1946
32Leyton Orient1–2Notts County30 November 1946
33Brush Sports1–6Southend United30 November 1946
34Merthyr Tydfil3–1Bristol Rovers30 November 1946

Second Round Proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 14 December 1946. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place in the following midweek fixture. Two of these then went to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Darlington1–2Hull City14 December 1946
2Bournemouth4–2Aldershot14 December 1946
3Barnet2–9Southend United14 December 1946
4Bristol City1–2Gillingham14 December 1946
5Rochdale6–1Hartlepools United14 December 1946
6Watford1–1Port Vale14 December 1946
ReplayPort Vale2–1Watford16 December 1946
7Walsall0–0Ipswich Town14 December 1946
ReplayIpswich Town0–1Walsall18 December 1946
8Notts County2–1Swindon Town14 December 1946
9Lincoln City1–1Wrexham14 December 1946
ReplayWrexham3–3Lincoln City18 December 1946
ReplayLincoln City2–1Wrexham23 December 1946
10South Liverpool2–3Carlisle United14 December 1946
11Norwich City4–4Queens Park Rangers14 December 1946
ReplayQueens Park Rangers2–0Norwich City18 December 1946
12Oldham Athletic1–2Doncaster Rovers14 December 1946
13Halifax Town1–1Stockport County14 December 1946
ReplayStockport County2–1Halifax Town18 December 1946
14Rotherham United4–1Scunthorpe United14 December 1946
15Gateshead4–0Lancaster City14 December 1946
16Peterborough United1–1Northampton Town14 December 1946
ReplayNorthampton Town1–1Peterborough United19 December 1946
ReplayNorthampton Town8–1Peterborough United23 December 1946
17Merthyr Tydfil1–3Reading14 December 1946

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage, along with Chester, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 January 1947. Five matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these requiring a second replay to settle the fixture.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester2–0Plymouth Argyle11 January 1947
2Chesterfield2–1Sunderland11 January 1947
3Bournemouth0–2Derby County11 January 1947
4Burnley5–1Aston Villa11 January 1947
5Southampton5–1Bury11 January 1947
6Reading2–2Grimsby Town11 January 1947
ReplayGrimsby Town3–1Reading14 January 1947
7Walsall2–5Liverpool11 January 1947
8Blackburn Rovers1–1Hull City11 January 1947
ReplayHull City0–3Blackburn Rovers16 January 1947
9Sheffield Wednesday4–1Blackpool11 January 1947
10Bolton Wanderers5–1Stockport County11 January 1947
11Wolverhampton Wanderers3–0Rotherham United11 January 1947
12West Bromwich Albion2–1Leeds United11 January 1947
13Lincoln City0–1Nottingham Forest11 January 1947
14Luton Town6–0Notts County11 January 1947
15Everton4–2Southend United11 January 1947
16Doncaster Rovers2–3Portsmouth11 January 1947
17Sheffield United3–0Carlisle United11 January 1947
18Newcastle United6–2Crystal Palace11 January 1947
19Tottenham Hotspur2–2Stoke City11 January 1947
ReplayStoke City1–0Tottenham Hotspur15 January 1947
20Manchester City3–0Gateshead11 January 1947
21Queens Park Rangers1–1Middlesbrough11 January 1947
ReplayMiddlesbrough3–1Queens Park Rangers15 January 1947
22Fulham1–2Birmingham City11 January 1947
23Brentford1–0Cardiff City11 January 1947
24Northampton Town1–2Preston North End11 January 1947
25Coventry City5–2Newport County11 January 1947
26West Ham United1–2Leicester City11 January 1947
27Millwall0–3Port Vale11 January 1947
28Chelsea1–1Arsenal11 January 1947
ReplayArsenal1–1Chelsea15 January 1947
ReplayArsenal0–2Chelsea20 January 1947
29Bradford Park Avenue0–3Manchester United11 January 1947
30Huddersfield Town3–4Barnsley11 January 1947
31Swansea Town4–1Gillingham11 January 1947
32Charlton Athletic3–1Rochdale11 January 1947

Fourth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 January 1947. Five games were drawn and went to replays, of which one went to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester0–0Stoke City25 January 1947
ReplayStoke City3–2Chester29 January 1947
2Burnley2–0Coventry City25 January 1947
3Liverpool2–0Grimsby Town25 January 1947
4Preston North End6–0Barnsley25 January 1947
5Blackburn Rovers2–0Port Vale25 January 1947
6Sheffield Wednesday2–1Everton25 January 1947
7Bolton Wanderers3–3Manchester City25 January 1947
ReplayManchester City1–0Bolton Wanderers29 January 1947
8Wolverhampton Wanderers0–0Sheffield United25 January 1947
ReplaySheffield United2–0Wolverhampton Wanderers29 January 1947
9Middlesbrough2–1Chesterfield25 January 1947
10West Bromwich Albion1–2Charlton Athletic25 January 1947
11Luton Town2–0Swansea Town25 January 1947
12Newcastle United3–1Southampton25 January 1947
13Brentford0–0Leicester City25 January 1947
ReplayLeicester City0–0Brentford30 January 1947
ReplayLeicester City4–1Brentford3 February 1947
14Manchester United0–2Nottingham Forest25 January 1947
15Chelsea2–2Derby County25 January 1947
ReplayDerby County1–0Chelsea29 January 1947
16Birmingham City1–0Portsmouth25 January 1947

Fifth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 February 1947. There were three replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool1–0Derby County8 February 1947
2Nottingham Forest2–2Middlesbrough8 February 1947
ReplayMiddlesbrough6–2Nottingham Forest12 February 1947
3Sheffield Wednesday0–2Preston North End20 February 1947
4Luton Town0–0Burnley8 February 1947
ReplayBurnley3–0Luton Town11 February 1947
5Newcastle United1–1Leicester City8 February 1947
ReplayLeicester City1–2Newcastle United20 February 1947
6Charlton Athletic1–0Blackburn Rovers8 February 1947
7Stoke City0–1Sheffield United8 February 1947
8Birmingham City5–0Manchester City8 February 1947

Sixth Round Proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 1 March 1947. There was one replay, in the Burnley–Middlesbrough match.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool4–1Birmingham City1 March 1947
2Middlesbrough1–1Burnley1 March 1947
ReplayBurnley1–0Middlesbrough4 March 1947
3Sheffield United0–2Newcastle United1 March 1947
4Charlton Athletic2–1Preston North End1 March 1947

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 29 March 1947. Burnley and Liverpool needed to replay their match, which was settled two weeks later in Burnley's favour. They went on to meet Charlton Athletic in the final at Wembley.
;Replay
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Final

The 1947 FA Cup Final was contested by Charlton Athletic and Burnley at Wembley, England on 26 April 1947. Charlton, losing finalists the previous year, won by a single goal, scored in extra time by Chris Duffy.
History repeated itself this year as the ball again burst during the game. Later, the reason for these problems in 1946 and 1947 was put down to the poor quality of leather available after World War II.

Match details