The 1920–21 FA Cup was the 46th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down the English football league system meant that the competition started with an extra Preliminary and preliminary rounds prior to six qualifying rounds. The 12 victorious teams from the Sixth round qualifying (from the 466 who contested the qualifying phase) progressed to the first round proper.
Rounds: draw and playing dates and number of teams Round Draw Date Date Played Teams from Previous Round Additional Teams Total Teams Ties PlayedExtra preliminary round 28 May 1920 11 September 1920 – 142 142 71Preliminary round 25 September 1920 71 263 334 167First qualifying round 9 October 1920 167 25 192 96Second qualifying round 11–14 October 1920 23 October 1920 96 0 96 48Third qualifying round 28 October 1920 6 November 1920 48 0 48 24Fourth qualifying round 8 November 1920 20 November 1920 24 24 48 24Fifth qualifying round 22 November 1920 4 December 1920 24 0 24 12Sixth qualifying round 6 December 1920 18 December 1920 12 12 24 12
Extra preliminary to third qualifying round The five rounds from the extra preliminary to the third qualifying involved 430 teams from England and Wales. These were arranged into 24 geographically based divisions which thereby created matches against local rival clubs and limited the travelling required. Through a series of knock-out matches one team from each division progressed to the fourth qualifying round.
Key to abbreviations in tables below R=Replay (after first match being a draw) R2= Second Replay (usually played on a neutral ground) §=The away club agreed to switch the tie from their home ground †= result awarded (reason as indicated)
Division 1 (Northumberland / Tyneside / Wearside) The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties. Tie Home team Score Away team NoteExtra preliminary round Newburn 3–2 Walker Celtic Preston Colliery 6–0 Heaton Stannington Prudhoe Castle 0–3 Hebburn Colliery Seaton Delaval 3–0 St Peters AlbionPreliminary round Ashington 1–0 Close Works § Bedlington United 1–1 Hebburn Colliery § Lintz Institute 4–1 Newburn Mickley 2–1 Pandon Temperance § Preston Colliery 1–0 Jarrow Scotswood 1–0 Chopwell Institute Spen Black & White 4–3 Seaton Delaval Usworth Colliery 1–3 Wallsend Preliminary round replay R Bedlington United 1–2 Hebburn Colliery First qualifying round Ashington 2–0 Spen Black & White Mickley 2–3 Hebburn Colliery Scotswood 1–0 Preston Colliery Wallsend 3–2 Lintz InstituteSecond qualifying round Ashington 0–1 Wallsend Scotswood 2–1 Hebburn Colliery §Third qualifying round Scotswood 2–0 Wallsend
Division 2 (County Durham / Tyneside / Wearside) The division comprised 18 teams, of which 4 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties. Tie Home team Score Away team NoteExtra preliminary round Consett Celtic 3–0 Twizell United Wingate Albion Comrades 1–1 Craghead UnitedExtra preliminary round replay R Craghead United 4–0 Wingate Albion Comrades Preliminary round Annfield Plain 2–1 Esh Winning Birtley 1–0 Craghead United Consett Celtic 0–1 Tow Law Town Hobson Wanderers 0–3 Horden Athletic Houghton 2–0 Dipton United Leadgate Park 3–0 Crook Town Seaham Harbour 3–1 Langley Park Sunderland West End 3–0 Wolsingham First qualifying round Annfield Plain 3–2 Sunderland West End Horden Athletic 1–0 Birtley Houghton w–/ Leadgate Park † Leadgate won match 2-0 but were disqualified for using an ineligible player Seaham Harbour 5–3 Tow Law Town Second qualifying round Annfield Plain 0–1 Houghton Horden Athletic 0–0 Seaham Harbour Second qualifying round Replays R Seaham Harbour 1–1 Horden Athletic R2 Horden Athletic 4–5 Seaham Harbour Third qualifying round Seaham Harbour 1–1 Houghton Third qualifying round replay R Houghton 4–1 Seaham Harbour
Division 3 (County Durham / North Yorkshire / East Riding of Yorkshire) The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties. Tie Home team Score Away team NoteExtra preliminary round Bridlington Town 6–2 Redcar Filey 0–2 South Bank East End Haverton Hill 3–0 West Auckland Town Spennymoor United 1–2 Willington AFC Preliminary round Grangetown St Mary's 1–0 Brotton Hartlepools United 7–0 South Bank East End Haverton Hill 3–2 Darlington Rly Carrge Wks Loftus Albion 5–0 Bridlington Town Scarborough 4–1 Stanley United South Bank 3–1 Darlington Rlwy Athletic Stockton 4–0 Shildon Athletic Willington 0–1 Eston United First qualifying round Eston United 3–1 South Bank Grangetown St Mary's 0–1 Scarborough Hartlepools United 3–3 Haverton Hill § Stockton 1–2 Loftus AlbionFirst qualifying round replays R Hartlepools United 0–0 Haverton Hill R2 Haverton Hill 0–1 Hartlepools United Second qualifying round Eston United 4–4 Loftus Albion Scarborough 1–4 Hartlepools United Second qualifying round replay R Loftus Albion 3–0 Eston United Third qualifying round Hartlepools United 2–1 Loftus Albion
Division 4 (Cumbria) The division comprised 14 teams from which 6 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 2 teams: Cleator Moor Celtic and Carlisle United. Tie Home team Score Away team NotePreliminary round Barrow 4–0 Vickerstown Barrow YMCA 0–2 Arlecdon Red Rose Frizington Athletic 2–0 Dalton Casuals Parton Athletic 0–0 Lowca Penrith 6–0 Distington Wath Brow United 10–2 ApplebyPreliminary round replays R Lowca 1–1 Parton Athletic R2 Parton Athletic 3–0 LowcaFirst qualifying round Arlecdon Red Rose 3–1 Parton Athletic Barrow 12–0 Cleator Moor Celtic § Frizington Athletic 1–3 Carlisle United Penrith 1–2 Wath Brow UnitedSecond qualifying round Barrow 1–1 Carlisle United Wath Brow United 3–1 Arlecdon Red RoseSecond qualifying round replay R Carlisle United / – w Barrow † Carlisle won 1-0 but were disqualified for using an ineligible playerThird qualifying round Barrow 3–0 Wath Brow United
Division 5 (Lancashire) The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams: Chorley, Leyland and Horwich RMI. Tie Home team Score Away team NotePreliminary round Fleetwood 8–0 Accrington Stanley Great Harwood 0–1 Dick, Kerr's § Lancaster Town 3–2 Portsmouth Rovers § Morecambe 1–1 Breightmet United Nelson 4–1 Skelmersdale UnitedPreliminary round replay R Morecambe 0–2 Breightmet United §First qualifying round Chorley 0–1 Leyland Fleetwood 6–0 Dick, Kerr's § Lancaster Town 5–0 Breightmet United § Nelson 3–0 Horwich RMISecond qualifying round Fleetwood 5–0 Nelson Lancaster Town 2–2 Leyland Second qualifying round replay R Leyland 0–1 Lancaster Town Third qualifying round Lancaster Town 1–1 Fleetwood Third qualifying round replay R Fleetwood 5–1 Lancaster Town
Division 6 (Lancashire / Cheshire / Derbyshire) The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties with drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams; Monks Hall, Altrincham and Runcorn. Tie Home team Score Away team NotePreliminary round Chapel-en-le-Frith 3–4 Grayson's Garston § Eccles United 10–0 Glossop Garston Gasworks 4–0 Buxton Hurst 7–0 Matlock Town Sandbach Ramblers 3–6 Congleton TownFirst qualifying round Congleton Town 5–1 Grayson's Garston Eccles United 1–0 Altrincham Garston Gasworks 2–1 Monks Hall Runcorn 2–2 HurstFirst qualifying round replay R Hurst 5–1 RuncornSecond qualifying round Congleton Town 1–0 Garston Gasworks Eccles United 2–0 HurstThird qualifying round Congleton Town 2–3 Eccles United
Division 7 (Liverpool / Cheshire / North Wales) The division comprised 18 teams, of which 4 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties. Tie Home team Score Away team NoteExtra preliminary round Marine 4–0 Bromborough Prescot Wire Works 2–1 Old XaveriansPreliminary round Buckley United w – / Marlborough Old Boys † Marlborough scratched, match awarded to Buckley United Harrowby 3–3 South Liverpool Lostock Gralam 8–1 Liverpool St Cleopas’ OB Marine 9–2 Oswestery South Nantwich Town 4–0 Witton Albion Prescot 4–2 Northern Nomads § Prescot Wire Works 3–0 Winsford United Wrexham 3–0 Northwich VictoriaPreliminary round replay R South Liverpool 0–1 Harrowby First qualifying round Buckley United 4–1 Nantwich Town Harrowby 0–1 Prescot Marine 4–1 Lostock Gralam Wrexham 7–0 Prescot Wire WorksSecond qualifying round Buckley United 1–1 Marine Wrexham 2–0 PrescotSecond qualifying round replay R Marine 0–2 Buckley UnitedThird qualifying round Buckley United 1–0 Wrexham
Division 8 (Staffordshire / Shropshire / Birmingham / Worcestershire) The division comprised 26 teams, of which 20 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties. Tie Home team Score Away team NoteExtra preliminary round Bilston United 1–3 Kidderminster Harriers Bloxwich Strollers 0–0 Stafford Rangers Brierley Hill Alliance 1–4 Halesowen Cannock Town 4–1 Atherstone Town Darlaston 3–0 Oakengates Town Talbot Stead 1–0 Walsall Wood Wednesbury Old Athletic 3–1 Wolverhampton Amateurs Wellington St George's 2–1 Redditch West Birmingham 1–2 Birmingham Corp.Tramways Willenhall Swifts 1–1 StourbridgeExtra preliminary round replays R Stafford Rangers 2–2 Bloxwich Strollers R Stourbridge 1–2 Willenhall Swifts R2 Stafford Rangers 1–2 Bloxwich Strollers Preliminary round Bloxwich Strollers 0–6 Wellington Town Cradley Heath St Luke's 3–1 Darlaston Halesowen 3–2 Kidderminster Harriers Hednesford Town 4–1 Willenhall Swifts Walsall 3–0 Birmingham Tramways Wednesbury Old Athletic 3–1 Cannock Town Wellington St George's 1–2 Shrewsbury Town Worcester City 1–1 Talbot SteadPreliminary round replay R Talbot Stead 1–0 Worcester City First qualifying round Cradley Heath St Luke's 5–0 Halesowen Shrewsbury Town 1–0 Walsall Talbot Stead 1–4 Hednesford Town Wednesbury Old Athletic 0–3 Wellington TownSecond qualifying round Hednesford Town 3–2 Shrewsbury Town Wellington Town 1–0 Cradley Heath St Luke'sThird qualifying round Hednesford Town 2–1 Wellington Town
Division 9 (East Riding of Yorkshire / North Lincolnshire) The division comprised 28 teams, of which 24 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties..