The 1971–72 FA Cup was the 91st season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Leeds United won the competition for the first time, beating holders Arsenal 1–0 in the final at Wembley, London.

1971–72 FA Cup
Tournament details
Country England
 Wales
Defending championsArsenal
Final positions
ChampionsLeeds United
(1st title)
Runner-upArsenal
Third placeBirmingham City
Fourth placeStoke City

Several records were set during this FA Cup season. This was the third year in which the losing semi-finalists were required to compete in a "match for third place";[1] following a goalless 90 minutes, Birmingham City beat Stoke City in a penalty shootout, the first time this method had been used to determine the result of an FA Cup match.[2]

In the first round proper, Ted MacDougall's nine goals for A.F.C. Bournemouth as they beat Margate 11–0 remains the record for goals scored in a match in the FA Cup proper.[3] The fourth qualifying round tie between Alvechurch and Oxford City became the longest FA Cup tie ever, lasting a total of eleven hours before Alvechurch won the fifth replay 1–0.[2]

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 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 edit

Round Date
Preliminary round Saturday, 4 September 1971
First qualifying round Saturday, 18 September 1971
Second qualifying round Saturday, 9 October 1971
Third qualifying round Saturday, 23 October 1971
Fourth qualifying round Saturday, 6 November 1971
First round proper Saturday, 20 November 1971
Second round proper Saturday, 11 December 1971
Third round proper Saturday, 15 January 1972
Fourth round proper Saturday, 5 February 1972
Fifth round proper Saturday, 26 February 1972
Sixth round proper Saturday, 18 March 1972
Semi-finals Saturday, 15 April 1972
Final Saturday, 6 May 1972

Results edit

First round proper edit

At this stage clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined 28 non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round Telford United, Hillingdon Borough, Skelmersdale United and Dagenham were given byes as finalists of FA Trophy and FA Amateur Cup of the last season. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 20 November 1971, although Aldershot's tie with Alvechurch was delayed until 24 November because non-league clubs Alvechurch and Oxford City were taking part in the longest FA Cup tie on record, the fifth and decisive replay taking place on 22 November, two days after the date set for the first round ties.[2] Nine drawn matches were settled by a single replay. Ted MacDougall set a goalscoring record for the FA Cup proper with nine goals for Third Division A.F.C. Bournemouth as they beat Margate of the Southern League 11–0.[3]

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1 Enfield 2–0 Maidenhead United 20 November 1971
2 Chester 1–1 Mansfield Town 20 November 1971
Replay Mansfield Town 4–3 Chester 22 November 1971
3 Chesterfield 3–0 Oldham Athletic 20 November 1971 10057
4 Hartlepool 6–1 Scarborough 20 November 1971 3,374 [4]
5 A.F.C. Bournemouth 11–0 Margate 20 November 1971 [3]
6 Barrow 0–2 Darlington 20 November 1971
7 Rochdale 1–3 Barnsley 20 November 1971
8 Walsall 4–1 Dagenham 20 November 1971
9 Gillingham 3–2 Plymouth Argyle 20 November 1971
10 Notts County 6–0 Newport County 20 November 1971 11,976 [5]
11 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Port Vale 20 November 1971
Replay Port Vale 3–1 Blackburn Rovers 22 November 1971 5,717 [6]
12 Bolton Wanderers 3–0 Bangor City 20 November 1971
13 Crewe Alexandra 0–1 Blyth Spartans 20 November 1971
14 Lincoln City 1–2 Bury 20 November 1971
15 Doncaster Rovers 1–2 Stockport County 20 November 1971
16 Wrexham 5–1 Bradford City 20 November 1971
17 Bristol Rovers 3–0 Telford United 20 November 1971
18 Rossendale United 1–0 Altrincham 23 November 1971 1,769 [6]
19 King's Lynn 0–0 Hereford United 20 November 1971
Replay Hereford United 1–0 King's Lynn 24 November 1971 7,758 [6]
20 Brighton & Hove Albion 7–1 Hillingdon Borough 20 November 1971
21 Skelmersdale United 0–4 Tranmere Rovers 20 November 1971
22 Southend United 1–0 Aston Villa 20 November 1971 16,929 [7]
23 Frickley Colliery 2–2 Rotherham United 20 November 1971
Replay Rotherham United 4–0 Frickley Colliery 23 November 1971 9,793 [6]
24 Southport 1–3 Workington 20 November 1971
25 Torquay United 1–0 Nuneaton Borough 20 November 1971
26 Ellesmere Port Town 0–3 Boston United 20 November 1971
27 York City 4–2 Grimsby Town 20 November 1971
28 Witney Town 0–3 Romford 20 November 1971 2,500
29 Kettering Town 2–4 Barnet 20 November 1971
30 Aldershot 4–2 Alvechurch 24 November 1971 4,638 [6]
31 Guildford City 0–0 Dover 20 November 1971
Replay Dover 0–2 Guildford City 24 November 1971 2,156 [6]
32 Wigan Athletic 2–1 Halifax Town 20 November 1971
33 South Shields 3–3 Scunthorpe United 20 November 1971
Replay Scunthorpe United 2–3 South Shields 29 November 1971 5,272 [6]
34 Colchester United 1–4 Shrewsbury Town 20 November 1971
35 Basingstoke Town 1–5 Northampton Town 20 November 1971
36 Bridgwater Town 0–3 Reading 20 November 1971
37 Cambridge United 2–1 Weymouth 20 November 1971
38 Crawley Town 0–0 Exeter City 20 November 1971
Replay Exeter City 2–0 Crawley Town 24 November 1971 3,967 [6]
39 Redditch United 1–1 Peterborough United 20 November 1971 4,500 [8]
Replay Peterborough United 6–0 Redditch United 22 November 1971 5,108 [8]
40 Swansea City 1–1 Brentford 20 November 1971
Replay Brentford 2–3 Swansea City 22 November 1971 15,000 [6]

Second round proper edit

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 11 December 1971. Six matches were drawn, one of which required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1 A.F.C. Bournemouth 2–0 Southend United 11 December 1971 14,643 [7]
2 Barnet 1–4 Torquay United 11 December 1971
3 Reading 1–0 Aldershot 11 December 1971
4 Shrewsbury Town 2–1 Guildford City 11 December 1971
5 Wrexham 4–0 Wigan Athletic 11 December 1971
6 Barnsley 0–0 Chesterfield 11 December 1971
Replay Chesterfield 1–0 Barnsley 15 December 1971 14,500 [6]
7 Bristol Rovers 3–0 Cambridge United 11 December 1971
8 Rossendale United 1–4 Bolton Wanderers 11 December 1971 ’’12,000’’ [A]
9 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Walsall 11 December 1971
Replay Walsall 2–1 Brighton & Hove Albion 14 December 1971 8,014 [6]
10 Blyth Spartans 1–0 Stockport County 11 December 1971
11 Mansfield Town 2–2 Tranmere Rovers 11 December 1971
Replay Tranmere Rovers 4–2 Mansfield Town 15 December 1971 5,703 [6]
12 Port Vale 1–0 Darlington 11 December 1971
13 Workington 1–3 Bury 11 December 1971
14 Hereford United 0–0 Northampton Town 11 December 1971
Replay Northampton Town 2–2 Hereford United 14 December 1971 9,099 [6]
2nd replay Hereford United 2–1 Northampton Town 20 December 1971 8,331 [B][6]
15 Rotherham United 1–1 York City 11 December 1971
Replay York City 2–3 Rotherham United 13 December 1971 10,010 [6]
16 Romford 0–1 Gillingham 11 December 1971 8,405
17 Boston United 2–1 Hartlepool 11 December 1971 4,400 [4]
18 Peterborough United 4–0 Enfield 11 December 1971 7,702 [8]
19 South Shields 1–3 Notts County 11 December 1971 8,144 [5]
20 Swansea City 0–0 Exeter City 11 December 1971
Replay Exeter City 0–1 Swansea City 15 December 1971 6,858 [6]

Third round proper edit

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 15 January 1972; the tie between Newcastle United and Hereford United at Newcastle was twice postponed because of a waterlogged pitch on which snow had fallen.[9] Ten matches were drawn, each of which was settled by a single replay. The replay between Hereford and Newcastle, also the subject of several postponements and eventually played on the day scheduled for the fourth round ties, was voted "best FA Cup tie ever" in a 2007 poll hosted in The Observer newspaper.[9]

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1 Blackpool 0–1 Chelsea 15 January 1972
2 Burnley 0–1 Huddersfield Town 15 January 1972
3 Bury 1–1 Rotherham United 15 January 1972
Replay Rotherham United 2–1 Bury 24 January 1972 14,625 [6]
4 Preston North End 4–2 Bristol City 15 January 1972
5 Southampton 1–1 Manchester United 15 January 1972 30,190 [10]
Replay Manchester United 4–1 Southampton 19 January 1972 50,960 [10]
6 Watford 1–4 Notts County 15 January 1972 13,488 [5]
7 Walsall 1–0 A.F.C. Bournemouth 15 January 1972
8 Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Torquay United 15 January 1972
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Leicester City 15 January 1972
Replay Leicester City 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 19 January 1972 32,060 [6]
10 West Bromwich Albion 1–2 Coventry City 15 January 1972
11 Sunderland 3–0 Sheffield Wednesday 15 January 1972 25,310 [11]
12 Derby County 2–0 Shrewsbury Town 15 January 1972 33,463 [12]
13 Swindon Town 0–2 Arsenal 15 January 1972 31,668 [13]
14 Sheffield United 1–3 Cardiff City 15 January 1972
15 Newcastle United 2–2 Hereford United 24 January 1972 39,381 [14]
Replay Hereford United 2–1 Newcastle United 5 February 1972 14,313 [9][14]
16 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Carlisle United 15 January 1972 33,702 [15]
Replay Carlisle United 1–3 Tottenham Hotspur 18 January 1972 21,560 [15]
17 Manchester City 1–1 Middlesbrough 15 January 1972 42,620 [16]
Replay Middlesbrough 1–0 Manchester City 18 January 1972 37,917 [16]
18 Queens Park Rangers 1–1 Fulham 15 January 1972
Replay Fulham 2–1 Queens Park Rangers 18 January 1972 24,181 [6]
19 West Ham United 2–1 Luton Town 15 January 1972 32,099 [17]
20 Norwich City 0–3 Hull City 15 January 1972
21 Millwall 3–1 Nottingham Forest 15 January 1972
22 Crystal Palace 2–2 Everton 15 January 1972 32,331 [18]
Replay Everton 3–2 Crystal Palace 18 January 1972 45,408 [18]
23 Blyth Spartans 2–2 Reading 15 January 1972
Replay Reading 6–1 Blyth Spartans 19 January 1972 10,550 [6]
24 Charlton Athletic 0–0 Tranmere Rovers 15 January 1972
Replay Tranmere Rovers 4–2 Charlton Athletic 17 January 1972 12,512 [6]
25 Leeds United 4–1 Bristol Rovers 15 January 1972 33,565 [19]
26 Stoke City 2–1 Chesterfield 15 January 1972 26,559
27 Boston United 0–1 Portsmouth 15 January 1972 11,000
28 Peterborough United 0–2 Ipswich Town 15 January 1972 16,973 [20]
29 Birmingham City 3–0 Port Vale 15 January 1972 32,937 [21]
30 Oxford United 0–3 Liverpool 15 January 1972 18,000 [22]
31 Orient 3–0 Wrexham 15 January 1972
32 Swansea City 1–0 Gillingham 15 January 1972

Fourth round proper edit

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 5 February 1972; Hereford United, unable to play their third-round replay until this date, played their match later that week. Five matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1 Liverpool 0–0 Leeds United 5 February 1972 56,300 [19]
Replay Leeds United 2–0 Liverpool 9 February 1972 45,821 [19]
2 Preston North End 0–2 Manchester United 5 February 1972 27,025 [10]
3 Reading 1–2 Arsenal 5 February 1972
4 Leicester City 0–2 Orient 5 February 1972
5 Derby County 6–0 Notts County 5 February 1972 39,450 [23]
6 Everton 2–1 Walsall 5 February 1972 45,462 [18]
7 Tranmere Rovers 2–2 Stoke City 5 February 1972
Replay Stoke City 2–0 Tranmere Rovers 9 February 1972 25,000 [6]
8 Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 Rotherham United 5 February 1972 36,903 [15]
9 Coventry City 0–1 Hull City 5 February 1972
10 Portsmouth 2–0 Swansea City 5 February 1972 19,782
11 Millwall 2–2 Middlesbrough 5 February 1972
Replay Middlesbrough 2–1 Millwall 8 February 1972 36,489 [6]
12 Chelsea 3–0 Bolton Wanderers 5 February 1972
13 Huddersfield Town 3–0 Fulham 5 February 1972
14 Cardiff City 1–1 Sunderland 5 February 1972 27,000 [11]
Replay Sunderland 1–1 Cardiff City 9 February 1972 39,348 [11]
2nd replay Cardiff City 3–1 Sunderland 14 February 1972 8,868 [C][11]
15 Hereford United 0–0 West Ham United 9 February 1972 15,000 [17]
Replay West Ham United 3–1 Hereford United 14 February 1972 42,271 [17]
16 Birmingham City 1–0 Ipswich Town 5 February 1972 40,709 [21]

Fifth round proper edit

The matches were played on Saturday, 26 February 1972. Two matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date Attendance Notes
1 Derby County 2–2 Arsenal 26 February 1972 39,622 [24]
Replay Arsenal 0–0 Derby County 29 February 1972 63,077 [25]
2nd replay Derby County 0–1 Arsenal 13 March 1972 40,000 [D][26]
2 Everton 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur 26 February 1972 50,511 [15]
3 Manchester United 0–0 Middlesbrough 26 February 1972 53,850 [10]
Replay Middlesbrough 0–3 Manchester United 29 February 1972 39,683 [10]
4 Huddersfield Town 4–2 West Ham United 26 February 1972 27,080 [17]
5 Cardiff City 0–2 Leeds United 26 February 1972 50,000 [19]
6 Stoke City 4–1 Hull City 26 February 1972
7 Birmingham City 3–1 Portsmouth 26 February 1972 43,886 [21]
8 Orient 3–2 Chelsea 26 February 1972

Sixth round proper edit

Manchester United1–1Stoke City
Best   85' Greenhoff   61'
Attendance: 54,226[10]
Referee: John Homewood
Leeds United2–1Tottenham Hotspur
Clarke  
Charlton  
Pratt  
Attendance: 43,937[19]
Referee: Jack Taylor
Birmingham City3–1Huddersfield Town
Page  
R Latchford  
Hatton  
Cherry  
Attendance: 52,470[21]
Referee: Pat Partridge
Orient0–1Arsenal
Ball   49'
Attendance: 32,000[6]
Replay
Stoke City2–1 aetManchester United
Smith   72'
Conroy   102'
Best   70'

Semi-finals edit

Arsenal1–1Stoke City
Armstrong   47' Simpson   65' (og)
Referee: Keith Walker
Leeds United3–0Birmingham City
Jones    
Lorimer  
Attendance: 55,000[19]
Replay
Stoke City1–2Arsenal
Greenhoff   (pen) George   (pen)
Radford   76'
Attendance: 38,970[6]
Referee: Keith Walker

Match for third place edit

For the third time in what turned out to be a five-year experiment, the losing semifinalists were obliged to play off for third and fourth place.[1] The match was held over until immediately before the 1972–73 season. After a goalless 90 minutes, the result was determined by a penalty shootout, the first time this method was used to settle a match in the FA Cup.[2]

Birmingham City0–0
4–3 (pens.)
Stoke City
Attendance: 25,841[21]

Final edit

The final took place on Saturday, 6 May 1972 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Leeds United over Arsenal by 1–0. The goal was scored by Allan Clarke. The attendance was 100,000.

Leeds United1–0Arsenal
Clarke   53' [27]
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: David Smith
 
 
 
 
 
Leeds United
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arsenal

TV coverage edit

The rights to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. All games were shown in a highlights format, except the Final, which was shown live both on BBC1 & ITV. The BBC football highlights programme Match Of The Day would show up to three games and the various ITV regional network stations would cover up to one game and show highlights from other games covered elsewhere on the ITV network. No games from Rounds 1 or 2 were shown. Highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV. Third round BBC Swindon Town v Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City, Blackpool v Chelsea, Manchester United v Southampton (Midweek-replay), Hereford United v Newcastle United (Saturday-replay) ITV Southampton v Manchester United (Southern & Granada), West Ham United v Luton Town (LWT), Leeds United v Bristol Rovers (Yorkshire), Peterborough United v Ipswich Town (Anglia), Derby County v Shrewsbury (ATV), Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday (Tyne-Tees). Fourth round BBC Liverpool v Leeds United, Preston North End v Manchester United ITV Reading v Arsenal (Southern & LWT), Birmingham City v Ipswich Town (ATV), Huddersfield Town v Fulham (Yorkshire), Everton v Walsall (Granada), Coventry City v Hull City (Anglia-covered game out of region), Leeds United v Liverpool (Midweek replay-All regions). Fifth round BBC Orient v Chelsea, Cardiff City v Leeds United, Manchester United v Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough v Manchester United (Midweek-replay) ITV Everton v Tottenham Hotspur (Granada & LWT), Birmingham City v Portsmouth (ATV), Huddersfield Town v West Ham United, Stoke City v Hull City (Anglia-covered game out of region). Sixth round BBC Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United v Stoke City ITV Orient v Arsenal (LWT), Birmingham City v Huddersfield Town (ATV & Yorkshire) All regions covered those two games. Semi-final BBC Birmingham City v Leeds United ITV Arsenal v Stoke City All regions covered this game Arsenal v Stoke City (Midweek Replay All Regions) Final Arsenal v Leeds United Shown Live on both BBC & all ITV regions

Notes edit

A. ^ : Match played at Gigg Lane, Bury.
B. ^ : Match played at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich.
C. ^ : Match played at Maine Road, Manchester.
D. ^ : Match played at Filbert Street, Leicester.

References edit

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b "Semi-Final Factfile". The Football Association. 13 April 2005. Archived from the original on 15 April 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d "FA Cup Trivia". The Football Association. 16 May 2003. Archived from the original on 6 January 2004.
  3. ^ a b c Barber, David (13 January 2006). "FA Cup Heroes". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  4. ^ a b "1971–72 Season". POOLstats. Archived from the original on 2010-03-27. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  5. ^ a b c "1971/72". Up The Maggies. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Attendance figure sourced from The Times via The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985.
  7. ^ a b "Season 1971-72". Southend United database. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  8. ^ a b c "1971/72". UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  9. ^ a b c "The winner of the FA Cup poll: Hereford v Newcastle". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. 2007-01-28. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Season 1971-1972". stretfordend.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  11. ^ a b c d "Season details 1971-72". TheStatCat. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  12. ^ Edwards, George. "Derby County 2 v 0 Shrewsbury Town FA Cup". Derby Evening Telegraph. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 2008-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Season 1971-1972". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  14. ^ a b "Games in the FA Cup". Toon1892. K. H. Scott. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  15. ^ a b c d "Season 1971-1972". Topspurs. Jim Duggan. Archived from the original on 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  16. ^ a b "Season 1971-72". MCFC Stats. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  17. ^ a b c d "1st Division 1971-72". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  18. ^ a b c "Everton Season Stats 1971-1972". Everton F.C. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "Leeds United: Season 1971 - 1972: Division One". leeds-fans.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  20. ^ "Season: 1971-72 Division 1". Pride of Anglia. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  21. ^ a b c d e Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  22. ^ "Season Archive Oxford United 0 - 3 Liverpool". lfchistory.net. Archived from the original on 2007-02-26. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  23. ^ Mortimer, Gerald. "Derby County 6 v 0 Notts County FA Cup". Derby Evening Telegraph. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 2008-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ Mortimer, Gerald. "Derby County 2 v 2 Arsenal FA Cup". Derby Evening Telegraph. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 2008-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ Mortimer, Gerald. "Arsenal 0 v 0 Derby County FA Cup". Derby Evening Telegraph. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 2008-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ Edwards, George. "Derby County 0 v 1 Arsenal FA Cup". Derby Evening Telegraph. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 2008-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ "FA Cup Final 1972". fa-cupfinals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-22.