The 1939–40 FA Cup was an abandoned season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. The competition began as the 65th season of the competition, but was abandoned after just the first round of qualifying matches, due to the start of World War II.
Suspension The 1939–40 FA Cup began on 2 September 1939, the day after Germany had invaded Poland. On 3 September the United Kingdom declared war with Germany and its allies. The FA suspended the FA Cup on 7 September, until further notice; on 21 September it was announced that all organised football was cancelled for the duration of the war, with only friendly and regional competitions permitted. All results to date in the 1939-40 season were declared null and void.
The Football League War Cup began in October 1939. Organised by the Football League, this was the only national-level competition during the war. Alongside this, the Wartime League or regionalised competitions provided regular football for players and fans during the war.
Extra-Preliminary Round 62 ties were scheduled for 2 September 1939. The results of several matches are missing, but it is not known if these were simply not played, or if the results went unrecorded as it quickly became apparent that the competition would not be continued.
Of the teams involved, this was the only FA Cup appearance for Holiday's Sports, Cheadle and Esso. Norwich Electricity Works withdrew before playing a game, in what would have otherwise been their only appearance.
Home teamScoreAway teamAmble8-4Chopwell CollieryAnnfield Plain 5-0Gosforth and CoxlodgeAshington 2-1Whitley & MonkseatonBirtley 2-1 Trimdon Grange CollieryCrookhall Colliery Welfare 1-1 Newcastle West EndReyrolles 5-2 ShankhouseThrockley Welfare 1-2 ScotswoodUsworth Colliery 5-1Dawdon Colliery RecreationHoliday's Sports 2-0 Brandon SocialWashington Chemical Works2-1 Chilton Colliery RecreationBuxton 4-0 Wilmslow AlbionMoulton Verdin v Middlewich AthleticNantwich v Haslington VillaWillaston White Star v CheadleArmthorpe Welfare 5-0 Rossington MainBentley Colliery 1-1 Meltham MillsBrodsworth Main Colliery 4-3 Bradford RoversGoole Town 8-1 LuddendenfootGrimethorpe Rovers 4-2 Ossett TownGuiseley 1-3 Rawmarsh WelfareRavensthorpe v Farsley CelticUpton Colliery 3-5 South Kirkby CollieryWorksop Town 1-0 Pilkington RecreationNorwich Y.M.C.A w/o Norwich Electricity WorksClapton 4-2 Dagenham TownHarwich and Parkeston v EssoBerkhamsted Town 1-2 BarnetStevenage Town F.C. v Bushey UnitedLondon Caledonians v EnfieldEpping Town 1-3 WareHarlow Town 2-3 Welwyn Garden CityKings Langley v Hertford TownHarrow Town 0-3 FinchleySaffron Walden v LeavesdenSt Albans City 6-1 Bishop's StortfordTufnell Park v PinnerWealdstone 7-3 Old JohniansCivil Service v Lyons ClubHounslow Town 0-3 Wycombe WanderersMaidenhead United 4-0 YiewsleyNewbury Town 1-2 Bicester TownOsberton Radiator 3-5 Pressed SteelOxford City v Headington UnitedRedford Sports v UxbridgeMarlow v SloughCamberley and Yorktown v Post Office EngineersEgham 0-12 WokingBanstead Mental Hospital v KingstonianVickers Armstrong v GuildfordWalton-On-Thames 2-1 Leyland MotorsVenner Sports v WimbledonGravesend United 1-3 BexleyMaidstone United 2-2 MargateRM Deal v WhitstableBournemouth Gasworks Athletic 4-0 BournemouthFareham 3-0 GosportHMS Victory v East CowesHamworthy v SherborneThornycrofts v Winchester CityTrafalgar Sports v Osborne AthleticCalne and Harris United v Pewsey YM
References General Official site; fixtures and results service at TheFA.com
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