| 1883–84 Scottish Cup | |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Num Teams: | 132 |
| Defending Champions: | Dumbarton |
| Winners: | Queen's Park (seventh title) |
| Second: | Vale of Leven |
| Matches: | 127 |
| Goals: | 712 |
| Prev Season: | 1882–83 |
| Next Season: | 1884–85 |
The 1883–84 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the 11th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Queen's Park won the competition for the seventh time after Vale of Leven could not field a team on the date fixed for the final due to player illness.[1]
Reigning champions Dumbarton were knocked out in the first round by neighbours Renton, becoming the first club not to make at least two successful defences of their title since its inception (Queen's Park and Vale of Leven each won three in a row, then Queen's Park won three more) and beginning a contrasting sequence whereby the winners changed each season for the next 13 years, until Rangers retained the trophy in 1898.
| Round | First match date | Fixtures | Clubs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=55 | Original | width=55 | Byes | width=55 | Replays | |
| First Round | 8 September 1883 | 63 | 6 | 8 | 132 → 70 | |
| Second Round | 29 September 1883 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 70 → 38 | |
| Third Round | 20 October 1883 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 38 → 21 | |
| Fourth Round | 3 November 1883 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 21 → 11 | |
| Fifth Round | 1 December 1883 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 → 8 | |
| Quarter-finals | 22 December 1883 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 → 4 | |
| Semi-finals | 19 January 1884 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 23 February 1884 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 → 1 | |
All 132 teams entered the competition in the first round.
| Ayrshire | Glasgow and district | Lanarkshire | Northern Counties | Renfrewshire | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| valign=top | valign=top | valign=top | valign=top | valign=top |
| |||||
| Dunbartonshire | Edinburghshire | Perthshire | Southern Counties | Stirlingshire | ||||||
| valign=top | valign=top | valign=top | valign=top | valign=top |
Cowlairs received a bye to the second round.
Vale of Avon received a bye to the second round.
Newcastleton received a bye to the second round. Edinburgh University received a bye to the third round.
Coupar Angus received a bye to the second round.
Drumlanrig Rangers received a bye to the second round.
Sources:[2]
Morton received a bye to the third round.
Cumnock received a bye to the third round.
Vale of Leven received a bye to the third round.
Hamilton Academical received a bye to the third round.
St Bernard's received a bye to the third round.
Sources:[2]
Dunblane received a bye to the fourth round.
Pollokshields Athletic received a bye to the fourth round.
Edinburgh University and Royal Albert received a bye to the fourth round.
Sources:[2]
Arthurlie received a bye to the fifth round.
Sources:[2]
Battlefield, Cambuslang, Cartvale, Hibernian and Queen's Park received a bye to the quarter-finals.
Sources:[2]
Sources:[2]
Sources:[2]
See main article: 1884 Scottish Cup final.
Vale of Leven did not appear for the final in protest after a request made on the Wednesday before the match was due to take place for a postponement due to bereavement, illness and injury had been refused by the Scottish FA.[1]