| 1907–08 FA Cup | |
| Country: | England |
| Defending Champions: | The Wednesday |
| Second: | Newcastle United |
| Prev Season: | 1906–07 |
| Next Season: | 1908–09 |
The 1907–08 FA Cup was the 37th staging of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). Wolverhampton Wanderers won the competition for the second time, beating Newcastle United 3–1 in the final at Crystal Palace.
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.
Thirteen of the First Division's twenty clubs were defeated by lower division opposition; this figure remains a record number for a single season. Three of the four semi finalists were from outside the elite division and the cup itself was won by a second-tier club.[1]
The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, four proper rounds, and the semi-finals and final.
| Round | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary round | Saturday 21 September 1907 | |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 5 October 1907 | |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 19 October 1907 | |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 2 November 1907 | |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 23 November 1907 | |
| Fifth round qualifying | Saturday 7 December 1907 | |
| First round proper | Saturday 11 January 1908 | |
| Second round proper | Saturday 1 February 1908 | |
| Third round proper | Saturday 22 February 1908 | |
| Fourth round proper | Saturday 7 March 1908 | |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 28 March 1908 | |
| Final | Saturday 25 April 1908 |
36 of the 40 clubs from the First and Second divisions joined the 12 clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. Of the League sides not exempt to this round, Oldham Athletic, Glossop and Chesterfield were put into the Fifth Qualifying Round, and each one won. Clapton Orient were placed in the preliminary round, and won through to the Third Qualifying Round before losing to Southend United. Nine non-league clubs joined the three League sides in winning through to the first round Proper.
Sixteen non-league sides were exempt to the first round to bring the total number of teams up to 64. These were:
32 matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday 11 January 1908. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays in the following midweek, of which one went to a second replay.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chesterfield | 4–0 | Stockton | 11 January 1908 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 0–0 | Grimsby Town | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Grimsby Town | 2–1 | Bristol City | 15 January 1908 |
| 3 | Burnley | 1–2 | Southampton | 11 January 1908 |
| 4 | Bury | 2–1 | Millwall Athletic | 11 January 1908 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 4–2 | Derby County | 11 January 1908 |
| 6 | Stoke | 5–0 | Lincoln City | 11 January 1908 |
| 7 | Notts County | 2–0 | Middlesbrough | 11 January 1908 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 3–0 | Stockport County | 11 January 1908 |
| 9 | Bolton Wanderers | 5–0 | Woking | 11 January 1908 |
| 10 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | Birmingham | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Birmingham | 1–2 | West Bromwich Albion | 15 January 1908 |
| 11 | Luton Town | 3–8 | Fulham | 11 January 1908 |
| 12 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1–0 | Watford | 11 January 1908 |
| 13 | Everton | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 January 1908 |
| 14 | Swindon Town | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 2–3 | Swindon Town | 16 January 1908 |
| 15 | Leicester Fosse | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 January 1908 |
| 16 | Woolwich Arsenal | 0–0 | Hull City | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Hull City | 4–1 | Woolwich Arsenal | 16 January 1908 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 2–0 | Nottingham Forest | 11 January 1908 |
| 18 | New Brompton | 3–1 | Sunderland | 11 January 1908 |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–0 | Reading | 11 January 1908 |
| 20 | Northampton Town | 0–1 | Bristol Rovers | 11 January 1908 |
| 21 | Glossop | 0–0 | Manchester City | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 6–0 | Glossop | 15 January 1908 |
| 22 | Coventry City | 2–4 | Crystal Palace | 11 January 1908 |
| 23 | West Ham United | 1–0 | Rotherham Town | 11 January 1908 |
| 24 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–1 | Preston North End | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 1–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 16 January 1908 |
| Replay | Preston North End | 0–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 20 January 1908 |
| 25 | Manchester United | 3–1 | Blackpool | 11 January 1908 |
| 26 | Norwich City | 2–0 | The Wednesday | 11 January 1908 |
| 27 | Plymouth Argyle | 1–0 | Barnsley | 11 January 1908 |
| 28 | Bradford City | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Bradford City | 15 January 1908 |
| 29 | Carlisle United | 2–2 | Brentford | 11 January 1908 |
| Replay | Brentford | 1–3 | Carlisle United | 15 January 1908 |
| 30 | Oldham Athletic | 2–1 | Leeds City | 11 January 1908 |
| 31 | Chelsea | 9–1 | Worksop Town | 11 January 1908 |
| 32 | Hastings & St Leonards United | 0–1 | Portsmouth | 11 January 1908 |
The sixteen second round matches were played on Saturday 1 February 1908. Five matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. One of these, the Stoke against Gainsborough Trinity match, went to a second replay the following week.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 1–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1 February 1908 |
| Replay | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0–3 | Liverpool | 5 February 1908 |
| 2 | Southampton | 1–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 February 1908 |
| 3 | Stoke | 1–1 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1 February 1908 |
| Replay | Gainsborough Trinity | 2–2 | Stoke | 5 February 1908 |
| Replay | Stoke | 3–1 | Gainsborough Trinity | 10 February 1908 |
| 4 | Notts County | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 1 February 1908 |
| Replay | Bolton Wanderers | 2–1 | Notts County | 5 February 1908 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 3–0 | Hull City | 1 February 1908 |
| 6 | Grimsby Town | 6–2 | Carlisle United | 1 February 1908 |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Bury | 1 February 1908 |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 2–1 | Queens Park Rangers | 1 February 1908 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 2–0 | West Ham United | 1 February 1908 |
| 10 | Manchester City | 1–1 | New Brompton | 1 February 1908 |
| Replay | New Brompton | 1–2 | Manchester City | 5 February 1908 |
| 11 | Fulham | 2–1 | Norwich City | 1 February 1908 |
| 12 | Bristol Rovers | 2–0 | Chesterfield | 1 February 1908 |
| 13 | Portsmouth | 1–0 | Leicester Fosse | 1 February 1908 |
| 14 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Chelsea | 1 February 1908 |
| 15 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–3 | Crystal Palace | 1 February 1908 |
| 16 | Oldham Athletic | 0–0 | Everton | 1 February 1908 |
| Replay | Everton | 6–1 | Oldham Athletic | 5 February 1908 |
The eight third-round matches were scheduled for Saturday 22 February 1908. There were two replays, played in the following midweek.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton | 2–0 | Bristol Rovers | 22 February 1908 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 0–2 | Manchester United | 22 February 1908 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 3–3 | Everton | 22 February 1908 |
| Replay | Everton | 3–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 26 February 1908 |
| 4 | Grimsby Town | 1–0 | Crystal Palace | 22 February 1908 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Swindon Town | 22 February 1908 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 3–1 | Liverpool | 22 February 1908 |
| 7 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Fulham | 22 February 1908 |
| Replay | Fulham | 3–1 | Manchester City | 26 February 1908 |
| 8 | Portsmouth | 0–1 | Stoke | 22 February 1908 |
The four quarter final matches were scheduled for Saturday 7 March 1908. The Everton against Southampton game was drawn, and replayed on 11 March.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stoke | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 March 1908 |
| 2 | Everton | 0–0 | Southampton | 7 March 1908 |
| Replay | Southampton | 3–2 | Everton | 11 March 1908 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 5–1 | Grimsby Town | 7 March 1908 |
| 4 | Fulham | 2–1 | Manchester United | 7 March 1908 |
The semi-final matches were played on Saturday 28 March 1908. Newcastle United won their tie against Fulham 6–0, which remains a record for an FA Cup semi-final. In the other tie, Wolverhampton Wanderers won against Southampton to meet Newcastle in the final.
----
See main article: 1908 FA Cup Final.
The Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United at Crystal Palace. Newcastle had just finished 4th in the First Division during this season, after two successive league titles and this was their third FA Cup final appearance in 4 years (although they had yet to win). Their 6–0 thrashing of Fulham in the semi-final is a record win for a semi final. By contrast, Wolves had finished 9th in the Second Division.
Nevertheless, Wolves upset the odds by winning the match 3–1, with goals by Kenneth Hunt, George Hedley and Billy Harrison. James Howey scored the Magpies' reply. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Bell, then handed the trophy to Wolves' captain, Billy Wooldridge.