The 1884–85 Football Association Challenge Cup was the 14th staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. 116 teams entered, 16 more than the previous season, although 9 of these never played a match.
First round
Home club Score Away club Date Darwen 11–0 Bradshaw 11 October 1884 Dulwich 3–2 Pilgrims 8 November 1884 Grantham 1–1 Grimsby Town 25 October 1884 Reading 2–0 Rochester 8 November 1884 Marlow 10–1 Royal Engineers 8 November 1884 Maidenhead 0–3 Old Wykehamists 8 November 1884 Clapham Rovers 3–3 Hendon 8 November 1884 Queen's Park Walkover Stoke Uxbridge 1–3 Hotspur 8 November 1884 Swifts 3–0 Old Brightonians 8 November 1884 Druids 6–1 Liverpool Ramblers 8 November 1884 Notts County 2–0 Notts Olympic 8 November 1884 Old Foresters 8–0 Hoddesdon Town 1 November 1884 Nottingham Forest 5–0 Rotherham Town 8 November 1884 Romford 3–2 Clapton 1 November 1884 Brentwood 2–0 Barnes 8 November 1884 Henley Bye West End 3–3 Upton Park 8 November 1884 Blackburn Rovers 11–0 Rossendale 11 October 1884 Hanover United 1–0 Reading Minster 8 November 1884 Aston Villa 4–1 Wednesbury Town 1 November 1884 Acton 1–7 Old Carthusians 8 November 1884 Blackburn Olympic 12–0 Oswaldtwistle Rovers 11 October 1884 Staveley 4–1 Notts Rangers 8 November 1884 Sheffield Heeley 1–0 Nottingham Wanderers 8 November 1884 Accrington voidAccrington disqualified for fielding professional players after winning the tie 3–0. Southport 11 October 1884 Lockwood Brothers 0–3 Sheffield 8 November 1884 Fishwick Ramblers 2–1 Darwen Ramblers 1 November 1884 Chatham Walkover Windsor South Shore Walkover Rawtenstall Spital Bye Aston Unity 0–5 St George's 1 November 1884 Macclesfield 9–0 Hartford St John's 8 November 1884 South Reading 4–1 Casuals 8 November 1884 Walsall Swifts 0–0 Stafford Road 8 November 1884 Lower Darwen 4–1 Halliwell 11 October 1884 Old Westminsters 6–0 Bournemouth Rovers 1 November 1884 Redcar and Coatham 3–1 Sunderland 8 November 1884 Wrexham Olympic 1–0 Goldenhill 18 October 1884 Bolton Association Walkover Astley Bridge Hull Town 1–5 Lincoln City 1 November 1884 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Derby St Luke's 8 November 1884 Derby Midland 1–2 Wednesbury Old Athletic 8 November 1884 Hurst 2–3 Church 18 October 1884 Crewe Alexandra 2–1 Oswestry 8 November 1884 Long Eaton Rangers 0–1 The Wednesday 8 November 1884 Middlesbrough Walkover Grimsby & District Blackburn Park Road 3-3 Low Moor 25 October 1884 Birmingham Excelsior 2–0 Small Heath Alliance 8 November 1884 Leek 4–3 Northwich Victoria 8 November 1884 Newark 7–3 Spilsby 8 November 1884 Witton Walkover Clitheroe Derby County 0–7 Walsall Town 8 November 1884 Derby Junction 1–7 West Bromwich Albion 25 October 1884 Newtown Walkover Stafford Rangers Luton Wanderers 1–3 Old Etonians 8 November 1884 Chirk 4–2 Davenham 25 October 1884 Higher Walton 1–1 Darwen Old Wanderers 11 October 1884 Bolton Wanderers both w/dBoth clubs withdrew because of disputes as to professionalism. Preston Zingari
Replays Home club Score Away club Date Grimsby Town 1–0 Grantham 8 November 1884 Hendon 6–0 Clapham Rovers 22 November 1884 Upton Park Walkover West End Walsall Swifts 2–1 Stafford Road 17 November 1884 Derby St Luke's 4–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 November 1884 Darwen Old Wanderers 4–1 Higher Walton 8 November 1884 Low Moor Walkover Blackburn Park Road
Second round Home club Score Away club Date Sheffield 4–1 Chesterfield Spital 6 December 1884 Queen's Park 2–1 Crewe Alexandra 6 December 1884 Upton Park 3–1 Reading 6 December 1884 Swifts 3–2 South Reading 6 December 1884 Nottingham Forest 4–1 Sheffield Heeley 6 December 1884 Romford 3–0 Dulwich 6 December 1884 Brentwood 2–2 Old Etonians 6 December 1884 Blackburn Rovers 3–2 Blackburn Olympic 6 December 1884 Hanover United 2–1 Old Foresters 29 November 1884 Hotspur 1–2 Old Wykehamists 6 December 1884 Old Carthusians 5–3 Marlow 6 December 1884 Sheffield Wednesday Bye Staveley 0–2 Notts County 6 December 1884 St George's 3-3 Birmingham Excelsior 6 December 1884 Chatham 1–0 Hendon 6 December 1884 Grimsby Town 3–1 Redcar and Coatham 6 December 1884 Walsall Town 0–2 Aston Villa 6 December 1884 South Shore 2–3 Church 6 December 1884 Macclesfield 1–5 Leek 6 December 1884 Lower Darwen Bye Old Westminsters 7–0 Henley 6 December 1884 Southport 3–1 Low Moor 22 November 1884 Middlesbrough 4–1 Newark 6 December 1884 West Bromwich Albion 4–2 Wednesbury Old Athletic 6 December 1884 Witton Bye Derby St Luke's 0–1 Walsall Swifts 6 December 1884 Darwen Old Wanderers 7–2 Bolton Association 29 November 1884 Fishwick Ramblers 0–2 Darwen 22 November 1884 Newtown 1–1 Druids 20 December 1884 Lincoln City Bye Chirk 4–1 Wrexham Olympic 29 November 1884
Replays Home club Score Away club Date Old Etonians 6–1 Brentwood 20 December 1884 St George's 2–0 Birmingham Excelsior 20 December 1884 Druids 6–0 Newtown 27 December 1884
Third round Home club Score Away club Date Darwen Bye Old Etonians Bye Swifts 1–1 Old Westminsters 3 January 1885 Druids 4–1 Chirk 10 January 1885 Old Wykehamists 2–1 Upton Park 3 January 1885 Notts County 5–0 Sheffield 3 January 1885 Romford Bye Blackburn Rovers 5–0 Witton 22 December 1884 Hanover United 0–2 Chatham 3 January 1885 Aston Villa 0–0 West Bromwich Albion 3 January 1885 Old Carthusians Bye The Wednesday 1–2 Nottingham Forest 3 January 1885 St George's 2–3 Walsall Swifts 10 January 1885 Grimsby Town 1–0 Lincoln City 3 January 1885 Church 10–0 Southport 3 January 1885 Lower Darwen 4–2 Darwen Old Wanderers 20 December 1884 Middlesbrough Bye Leek 2–3 Queen's Park 3 January 1885
Replays Home club Score Away club Date Old Westminsters 2–2 Swifts 14 January 1885 Swifts 2–1 Old Westminsters 21 January 1885 West Bromwich Albion 3–0 Aston Villa 10 January 1885 Note
Match ended early after St George's walked off in protest at the Swifts' third goal being awarded; result was allowed to stand
Fourth round Home club Score Away club Date Queen's Park 7–0 Old Wykehamists 17 January 1885 Old Etonians 5–2 Middlesbrough 24 January 1885 Swifts 0–1 Nottingham Forest 24 January 1885 Blackburn Rovers 8–0 Romford 17 January 1885 Old Carthusians 3–0 Grimsby Town 24 January 1885 Chatham 1–0 Lower Darwen 24 January 1885 Church 3–0 Darwen 17 January 1885 Walsall Swifts 1–4 Notts County 24 January 1885 West Bromwich Albion 1–0 Druids 24 January 1885
Fifth round
The geographical nature of the early rounds left the competition with 9 clubs at this stage, and the Football Association Committee decided to draw two clubs for one fixture in the fifth round in order to "obviate the necessity of further byes". Following the drawing of Chatham and Old Carthusians, the Committee then drew the sixth round, the winners of the one fifth round tie being drawn to face Church F.C., who had the choice of ground.
Home club Score Away club Date Chatham 0–3 Old Carthusians 7 February 1885
Sixth Round Home club Score Away club Date Old Etonians 0–2 Nottingham Forest 21 February 1885 Notts County 2–2 Queen's Park 21 February 1885 Church 0–1 Old Carthusians 14 February 1885 West Bromwich Albion 0–2 Blackburn Rovers 21 February 1885
Replay Home club Score Away club Date Queen's Park 2–1 Notts County 28 February 1885
Semi finals Home club Score Away club Date Nottingham Forest 1–1 Queen's Park 14 March 1885Matches Played On Saturday., The Glasgow Herald, 16 March 1885, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 2 January 2022 Blackburn Rovers 5–1 Old Carthusians 7 March 1885
Replay Home club Score Away club Date Queen's Park 3–0 Nottingham Forest 28 March 1885
Final
Home club Score Away club Date Blackburn Rovers 2–0 Queen's Park 4 April 1885
References
FA Cup Results Archive