| 1902–03 FA Cup | |
| Country: | |
| Defending Champions: | Sheffield United |
| Second: | Derby County |
| Prev Season: | 1901–02 |
| Next Season: | 1903–04 |
The 1902–03 FA Cup was the 32nd season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). Bury won the competition for the second and (as of 2024) final time, beating Derby County 6–0 in the final at Crystal Palace. This scoreline stood as a record victory in an FA Cup final until Manchester City equalled it by beating Watford 6–0 on 18 May 2019.
Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If the replayed match was drawn further replays would be held at neutral venues until a winner was determined. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played.
The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, an intermediate round, three proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final.
| Round | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary round | Saturday 20 September 1902 | |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 4 October 1902 | |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 18 October 1902 | |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 1 November 1902 | |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 15 November 1902 | |
| Fifth round qualifying | Saturday 29 November 1902 | |
| Intermediate Round | Saturday 13 December 1902 | |
| First round proper | Saturday 7 February 1903 | |
| Second round proper | Saturday 21 February 1903 | |
| Third round proper | Saturday 7 March 1903 | |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 21 March 1903 | |
| Final | Saturday 18 April 1903 |
The Intermediate Round featured ten games, played between the ten winners of the fifth qualifying round, and ten teams given byes. First Division Middlesbrough, along with Bristol City, Preston North End, Woolwich Arsenal, Burnley and Lincoln City from the Second Division were entered automatically into this round, as were non-league Reading, Bristol Rovers, West Ham United and Millwall Athletic.
The other Second Division sides had to gain entry to this round through the earlier qualifying rounds. Burton United, Blackpool and Stockport County were entered at the first qualifying round, while the others, Barnsley, Burslem Port Vale, Chesterfield, Doncaster Rovers, Gainsborough Trinity, Leicester Fosse and Manchester United, were entered in the third qualifying round. Of these, only Barnsley, Manchester United, Glossop and Burton United reached the Intermediate Round. They were joined by seven other non-league sides.
The ten matches were played on 13 December 1902. Three matches went to replays, with one of these going to a second replay (held at Villa Park).
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City | 3–1 | Middlesbrough | 13 December 1902 | |
| 2 | Reading | 1–0 | Burnley | 13 December 1902 | |
| 3 | Lincoln City | 2–0 | West Ham United | 13 December 1902 | |
| 4 | Luton Town | 3–0 | Kidderminster Harriers | 13 December 1902 | |
| 5 | Bishop Auckland | 1–3 | Preston North End | 13 December 1902 | |
| 6 | Barnsley | 4–0 | Swindon Town | 13 December 1902 | |
| 7 | Brentford | 1–1 | Woolwich Arsenal | 13 December 1902 | |
| Replay | Woolwich Arsenal | 5–0 | Brentford | 17 December 1902 | |
| 8 | Bristol Rovers | 2–2 | Millwall Athletic | 13 December 1902 | |
| Replay | Millwall Athletic | 0–0 | Bristol Rovers | 18 December 1902 | |
| 2nd Replay | Millwall Athletic | 2–0 | Bristol Rovers | 22 December 1902 | |
| 9 | Glossop | 2–1 | New Brompton | 13 December 1902 | |
| 10 | Burton United | 1–1 | Manchester United | 13 December 1902 | |
| Replay | Manchester United | 3–1 | Burton United | 17 December 1902 |
The first round proper contained 16 ties between 32 teams. 17 of the 18 First Division sides were given a bye to this round, as were Manchester City and Small Heath from the Second Division, and Southern League teams Southampton, Portsmouth, and Tottenham Hotspur. They joined the ten teams who won in the intermediate round.
The matches were played on Saturday, 7 February 1903. Four matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. One of these, the Notts County v Southampton match, went to a second replay, which Notts County won at Small Heath's St Andrew's ground.
The eight Second Round matches were played on Saturday, 21 February 1903. There was one replay, between Nottingham Forest and Stoke City, played in the following midweek.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Stoke | 21 February 1903 | |
| Replay | Stoke | 2–0 | Nottingham Forest | 26 February 1903 | |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 4–1 | Barnsley | 21 February 1903 | |
| 3 | Grimsby Town | 0–2 | Notts County | 21 February 1903 | |
| 4 | Derby County | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 21 February 1903 | |
| 5 | Everton | 3–1 | Manchester United | 21 February 1903 | |
| 6 | Sheffield United | 0–1 | Bury | 21 February 1903 | |
| 7 | Millwall Athletic | 4–1 | Preston North End | 21 February 1903 | |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Bristol City | 21 February 1903 |
The four Third Round matches were played on Saturday 7 March 1903. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bury | 1–0 | Notts County | 7 March 1903 |
| 2 | Derby County | 3–0 | Stoke | 7 March 1903 |
| 3 | Millwall Athletic | 1–0 | Everton | 7 March 1903 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–3 | Aston Villa | 7 March 1903 |
The semi-final matches were played at neutral venues on Saturday 21 March 1903. Bury and Derby County won and went on to meet each other in the final.
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See main article: 1903 FA Cup Final.
The Final was contested by Bury and Derby County at Crystal Palace. Bury won 6–0, with goals from George Ross, Charlie Sagar, Joe Leeming (2), William Wood and Jack Plant. The scoreline was a record for the biggest winning margin in the FA Cup final until Manchester City equalled it in 2019.