The 1919–20 FA Cup was the 45th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup), and the first since the cancellation of all football competitions owing to the First World War.
The qualifying phase of the competition, in which a total of 384 clubs competed, comprised eight rounds: an extra preliminary, preliminary and six sequentially numbered qualifying rounds. Twelve teams progressed from the last of these to the first round proper
Rounds: draw information For each successive round a draw was made pairing two teams for each tie to be played on the date specified for that round (always a Saturday); the default venue for the match was the home stadium of first of the two teams drawn however this could be switched with agreement between the clubs. For matches where scores were level after ninety minutes of play a replay at the home ground of the team initially drawn as the away team was arranged usually later in the same week; a thirty-minute extra time period was played if the scores were level after ninety minutes. If the replayed match was drawn then further replays, with extra time if necessary, were held at neutral venues until a winner was determined.
Owing to the large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down the English football league system the competition commenced with an extra preliminary and preliminary rounds. Initially and through to the third qualifying round the draw was arranged into twenty-four geographic based divisions followed by three further qualifying rounds each successively increasing the possible geographic spread of clubs paired in the draw. Additional clubs were added to the draw at the fourth and sixth qualifying stage. Through to the fifth qualifying round the matches were contested by non-League clubs; this changed at the sixth qualifying round when two second division Football League clubs were included in the twelve added to the draw. From the total of 384 clubs who competed in the qualifying phase 12 progressed to the first round proper.
Round Date Played Teams from Previous Round Additional Teams Total Teams Ties PlayedExtra preliminary round 13 September 1919 – 42 42 21Preliminary round 27 September 1919* 21 251 272 136First qualifying round 11 October 1919 136 56 192 96Second qualifying round 25 October 1919 96 0 96 48Third qualifying round 8 November 1919 48 0 48 24Fourth qualifying round 22 November 1919 24 23 47 23Fifth qualifying round 6 December 19219 24 0 24 12Sixth qualifying round 20 December 1919 12 12 24 12*Owing to a railway strike the playing of some preliminary round ties was delayed
Key to notes and abbreviations in the following tablesTie Replay – Replay (after first match being a draw) Replay 2, Replay 3 – Second, third replay (usually played on a neutral ground) Notes aet – Match result after extra time played void – Result voided (with score shown in brackets), reason as indicated § – In the draw the away team were drawn as the home team † – Win awarded. W: progressing club; x: eliminated club. Reason as indicated
Extra preliminary to third qualifying round The five rounds from the extra preliminary to the third qualifying involved 349 clubs 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.
The number of clubs in each division varied: there were twenty-two clubs in division 8 and 11 with twelve teams from each in the extra preliminary round, but only eight clubs in division 14 whose first match in the competition was at the first qualifying round stage.
Division 1 (Northumberland / Tyneside / Wearside) The division comprised 20 teams of which 8 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The Lintz Institute club, members of the Northern Alliance, who had been the beneficiaries of home draws in each of their four ties progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. Following a goalless draw from another home tie in that round they lost in a replay at fellow divisional qualifiers Castleford Town of the Midland League.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNoteExtra preliminary roundNewbiggin Athletic1–0Brighton West EndPalmers, Jarrow3–0Felling CollieryUsworth Colliery0–4 Close WorksWalker Celtic3–2Washington CollieryPreliminary roundAshington1–0Close WorksBedlington United1–2Walker CelticLintz Institute1–0Wallsend BCMickley0–1Blyth SpartansNewbiggin Athletic1–1Seaton DelavalReplaySeaton Delaval1–3Newbiggin AthleticNewburn0–3Palmers, JarrowPandon Temperance1–0Spen Black & WhiteRutherford College1–2Prudhoe CastleFirst qualifying roundAshington4–0Pandon TemperanceLintz Institute3–1Prudhoe CastleNewbiggin Athletic1–4Palmers, JarrowWalker Celtic1–2Blyth SpartansSecond qualifying roundAshington0–3Blyth SpartansLintz Institute1–0Palmers, JarrowThird qualifying roundLintz Institute1–0Blyth Spartans
Division 2 (County Durham / Tyneside / Wearside) The 16 teams included in the division were drawn into 8 preliminary round ties.
Leadgate Park, members of the North Eastern League, who had been drawn at home in each of their four ties progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. They were drawn as the away team in the next two rounds and were eliminated from the competition in the fifth qualifying round at fellow North Eastern League club West Stanley.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundBirtley3–3Horden AthleticReplayHorden Athletic1–0BirtleyBoldon Colliery1–0Craghead HeroesDipton United1–2HoughtonHobson Wanderers1–5Durham CityLeadgate ParkW–xSouth Pontop Villa †Ryhope Comrades0–1Annfield PlainSeaham Harbour3–1Esh WinningSunderland West End4–0Chopwell InstituteFirst qualifying roundHorden Athletic1–3HoughtonLeadgate Park2–1Durham CitySeaham Harbour2–0Annfield PlainSunderland West End5–0Boldon Colliery Second qualifying roundLeadgate Park4–1Sunderland West EndSeaham Harbour1–1HoughtonReplayHoughton1–2Seaham HarbourThird qualifying roundLeadgate Park2–1Seaham Harbour
Division 3 (County Durham / North Yorkshire) The division comprised 15 teams of which 14 were drawn into 7 preliminary round ties with the remaining team, Eston United, receiving a bye to the first qualifying round.
South Bank, members of the Northern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round in which they were defeated at North Eastern League club Darlington.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundBrotton3–2RedcarCrook Town2–0Darlington Rlwy AthleticGrangetown St Mary's1–2Spennymoor UnitedRise CarrW–xScarborough †Shildon AthleticStanley UnitedvoidReplayShildon Athletic4–3Stanley UnitedSouth Bank4–1Loftus AlbionWillington1–0St Helens Utd (Auckland)First qualifying roundBrotton0–2Crook TownEston United2–5Rise CarrSouth Bank3–2WillingtonSpennymoor United1–1Shildon AthleticReplayShildon Athletic2–1Spennymoor UnitedSecond qualifying roundCrook Town1–2Shildon AthleticRise Carr0–2South BankThird qualifying roundSouth Bank3–1Shildon Athletic
Division 4 (Cumbria) The division comprised 9 teams from which 2, Barrow Shipbuiders and Kells White Star, were drawn into a preliminary round tie with the other 7 teams receiving byes to the first qualifying round.
Carlisle United, members of the North Eastern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round in which they were victorious before defeat in the next round at Lancashire Combination club South Liverpool.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundBarrow Shipbuiders1–2Kells White StarFirst qualifying roundCarlisle United8–1Wigton Harriers§Penrith1–3Cleator Moor CelticVickerstown0–5Kells White StarWath Brow United1–3Frizington AthleticSecond qualifying roundCarlisle United6–1Cleator Moor CelticKells White Star1–3Frizington AthleticThird qualifying roundCarlisle United1–0Frizington Athletic
Division 5 (Lancashire) The division comprised 12 teams from which 8 were drawn into preliminary round ties resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 4 teams: Chorley, Great Harwood, Horwich RMI and Leyland.
Horwich RMI, members of the Lancashire Combination, who were drawn as the away team in their three qualifying round matches (winning a home replay in the last), progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. Drawn away once again in the next round they were defeated by Lancashire Combination rivals Stalybridge Celtic.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundDick, KerrW–xKirkham & Wesham †Fleetwood4–5Hamilton CentralNelson2–1Accrington StanleyPortsmouth Rovers0–3Breightmet UnitedFirst qualifying roundGreat Harwood0–1Chorley§Hamilton Central1–0Breightmet UnitedLeyland3–1Dick, KerrNelson0–1Horwich RMISecond qualifying roundHamilton Central0–1Horwich RMILeyland0–0Chorley§ReplayLeyland0–1ChorleyaetThird qualifying roundChorley1–1Horwich RMIReplayHorwich RMI4–0Chorley
Division 6 (Lancashire / Cheshire / Derbyshire) The division comprised 10 teams of which 4 were drawn into 2 preliminary round ties with the remaining 6 teams receiving byes to the first qualifying round.
Monks, Hall (a club associated with the Monks, Hall Ironworks at Warrington), members of the Cheshire County League, who had been one of the four teams drawn into the division's preliminary round and had been drawn as the away team in each of their four divisional matches (winning a home replay in the last) progressed to the fourth qualifying round. They were drawn as the away team once again in that round and defeated by Rochdale of the Central League.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundRuncorn4–1 Congleton TownWidnes DS&S1–4Monks, HallFirst qualifying roundGlossop1–1AltrinchamReplayAltrincham5–4GlossopaetMacclesfield1–2Garston Gasworks§Monks, Hall2–2HurstReplayHurst3–5Monks, HallRuncorn7–0Sandbach Ramblers§Second qualifying roundAltrincham1–2Monks, HallGarston Gasworks0–1RuncornThird qualifying roundRuncorn2–2Monks, HallReplayMonks, Hall1–0Runcorn
Division 7 (Liverpool / Cheshire / North Wales) The division comprised 14 teams of which 12 were drawn into the preliminary round with the remaining two teams, Crewe Alexandra and Tranmere Rovers, receiving byes to the first qualifying round.
South Liverpool, members of the Lancashire Combination, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. After victories in the next two rounds (which included a second replay match played at Anfield) they were eliminated in the sixth qualifying round by Central League club Rochdale.
TieHome teamScoreAway teamNotePreliminary roundHarrowby0–1Lostock GralamNantwich Town5–0ChesterSouth Liverpool7–2Northern NomadsWallasey Borough0–2Marlborough Old BoysWinsford United2–0Northwich VictoriaWitton Albion2–2WrexhamReplayWrexham3–2Witton AlbionaetFirst qualifying roundCrewe Alexandra1–0Tranmere RoversLostock Gralam3–1Nantwich TownSouth Liverpool3–0Winsford UnitedWrexham8–0Marlborough Old BoysSecond qualifying roundCrewe Alexandra3–3WrexhamReplayWrexham0–1Crewe AlexandraSouth Liverpool4–1Lostock GralamThird qualifying roundCrewe Alexandra1–3South Liverpool
Division 8 (Staffordshire / Birmingham / Worcestershire / Warwickshire) The division comprised 22 teams of which 12 of which were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.