1952–53 FA Cup explained

1952–53 FA Cup
Country:England
Wales
Defending Champions:Newcastle United
Winners:Blackpool
Count:1
Second:Bolton Wanderers
Prev Season:1951–52
Next Season:1953–54

The 1952–53 FA Cup was the 72nd season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Blackpool won the competition for the first time, beating Bolton Wanderers 4–3 in the final at Wembley.

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. Some matches, however, might be rescheduled for other days if there were clashes with games for other competitions or the weather was inclement. 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 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.

Calendar

Round Date
Preliminary round Saturday 13 September 1952
First round qualifying Saturday 27 September 1952
Second round qualifying Saturday 11 October 1952
Third round qualifying Saturday 25 October 1952
Fourth round qualifying Saturday 8 November 1952
First round proper Saturday 22 November 1952
Second round proper Saturday 6 December 1952
Third round proper Saturday 10 January 1953
Fourth round proper Saturday 31 January 1953
Fifth round proper Saturday 14 February 1953
Sixth round proper Saturday 28 February 1953
Semi-finals Saturday 21 March 1953
Final Saturday 2 May 1953

First round proper

At this stage clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined those non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds (except Walthamstow Avenue and Leyton who given byes to this round). Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 22 November 1952. Fourteen were drawn and went to replays, with two of these going to second replays.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester0–1Hartlepools United22 November 1952
2Chesterfield1–0Workington22 November 1952
3Darlington2–3Grimsby Town22 November 1952
4Bath City3–1Southend United22 November 1952
5Tonbridge2–2Norwich City22 November 1952
ReplayNorwich City1–0Tonbridge27 November 1952
6Weymouth1–1Colchester United22 November 1952
ReplayColchester United4–0Weymouth27 November 1952
7Yeovil Town1–4Brighton & Hove Albion22 November 1952
8Leyton0–0Hereford United22 November 1952
ReplayHereford United3–2Leyton27 November 1952
9Gainsborough Trinity1–1Netherfield (Kendal)22 November 1952
ReplayNetherfield (Kendal)0–3Gainsborough Trinity27 November 1952
10Swindon Town5–0Newport (IOW)22 November 1952
11Scarborough0–8Mansfield Town22 November 1952
12Ipswich Town2–2Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic22 November 1952
ReplayBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic2–2Ipswich Town26 November 1952
ReplayIpswich Town3–2Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1 December 1952
13Tranmere Rovers8–1Ashington22 November 1952
14Wellington Town1–1Gillingham22 November 1952
ReplayGillingham3–0Wellington Town26 November 1952
15Kidderminster Harriers0–1Finchley22 November 1952
16Queens Park Rangers2–2Shrewsbury Town22 November 1952
ReplayShrewsbury Town2–2Queens Park Rangers27 November 1952
ReplayQueens Park Rangers1–4Shrewsbury Town1 December 1952
17Leytonstone0–2Watford22 November 1952
18Coventry City2–0Bristol City22 November 1952
19Bradford City4–0Rhyl22 November 1952
20Crystal Palace1–1Reading22 November 1952
ReplayReading1–3Crystal Palace26 November 1952
21Bradford Park Avenue2–1Rochdale22 November 1952
22Scunthorpe United1–0Carlisle United22 November 1952
23Grays Athletic0–5Llanelli22 November 1952
24Port Vale2–1Exeter City22 November 1952
25Halifax Town1–1Ashton United22 November 1952
ReplayAshton United1–2Halifax Town25 November 1952
26Newport County2–1Walsall22 November 1952
27Southport3–1Bangor City22 November 1952
28Selby Town1–5Bishop Auckland22 November 1952
29Walthamstow Avenue2–2Wimbledon22 November 1952
ReplayWimbledon0–3Walthamstow Avenue26 November 1952
30York City1–2Barrow22 November 1952
31Aldershot0–0Millwall22 November 1952
ReplayMillwall7–1Aldershot27 November 1952
32Guildford City2–2Great Yarmouth Town22 November 1952
ReplayGreat Yarmouth Town1–0Guildford City27 November 1952
33Horden CW1–2Accrington Stanley22 November 1952
34Gateshead2–0Crewe Alexandra22 November 1952
35North Shields3–6Stockport County22 November 1952
36Boston United1–2Oldham Athletic22 November 1952
37Peterborough United2–1Torquay United22 November 1952
38Leyton Orient1–1Bristol Rovers22 November 1952
ReplayBristol Rovers1–0Leyton Orient24 November 1952
39Hendon0–0Northampton Town22 November 1952
ReplayNorthampton Town2–0Hendon27 November 1952
40Beighton Miners Welfare0–3Wrexham22 November 1952

Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 6 December 1952, with Finchley and Crystal Palace competing instead on the 10th. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Barrow2–2Millwall6 December 1952
ReplayMillwall4–1Barrow10 December 1952
2Finchley3–1Crystal Palace10 December 1952
3Grimsby Town1–0Bath City6 December 1952
4Swindon Town2–0Northampton Town6 December 1952
5Shrewsbury Town0–0Chesterfield6 December 1952
ReplayChesterfield2–4Shrewsbury Town10 December 1952
6Bishop Auckland1–4Coventry City6 December 1952
7Tranmere Rovers2–1Hartlepools United6 December 1952
8Stockport County3–1Gillingham6 December 1952
9Accrington Stanley0–2Mansfield Town6 December 1952
10Great Yarmouth Town1–2Wrexham6 December 1952
11Brighton & Hove Albion2–0Norwich City6 December 1952
12Bradford City1–1Ipswich Town6 December 1952
ReplayIpswich Town5–1Bradford City10 December 1952
13Bradford Park Avenue1–2Gateshead6 December 1952
14Port Vale0–3Oldham Athletic6 December 1952
15Halifax Town4–2Southport6 December 1952
16Newport County2–1Gainsborough Trinity6 December 1952
17Walthamstow Avenue1–1Watford6 December 1952
ReplayWatford1–2Walthamstow Avenue10 December 1952
18Hereford United0–0Scunthorpe United6 December 1952
ReplayScunthorpe United2–1Hereford United11 December 1952
19Peterborough United0–1Bristol Rovers6 December 1952
20Colchester United3–2Llanelli6 December 1952

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 10 January 1953, although two matches were postponed until the mid-week fixtures. Six matches were drawn and went to replays.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Preston North End5–2Wolverhampton Wanderers10 January 1953
2Leicester City2–4Notts County10 January 1953
3Aston Villa3–1Middlesbrough10 January 1953
4Sheffield Wednesday1–2Blackpool10 January 1953
5Bolton Wanderers3–1Fulham14 January 1953
6Grimsby Town1–3Bury10 January 1953
7Sunderland1–1Scunthorpe United10 January 1953
ReplayScunthorpe United1–2Sunderland15 January 1953
8Derby County4–4Chelsea10 January 1953
ReplayChelsea1–0Derby County14 January 1953
9Lincoln City1–1Southampton10 January 1953
ReplaySouthampton2–1Lincoln City14 January 1953
10Luton Town6–1Blackburn Rovers10 January 1953
11Everton3–2Ipswich Town10 January 1953
12Shrewsbury Town2–0Finchley10 January 1953
13Tranmere Rovers1–1Tottenham Hotspur10 January 1953
ReplayTottenham Hotspur9–1Tranmere Rovers12 January 1953
14Newcastle United3–0Swansea Town14 January 1953
15Manchester City7–0Swindon Town10 January 1953
16Barnsley4–3Brighton & Hove Albion10 January 1953
17Brentford2–1Leeds United10 January 1953
18Portsmouth1–1Burnley10 January 1953
ReplayBurnley3–1Portsmouth13 January 1953
19West Ham United1–4West Bromwich Albion10 January 1953
20Plymouth Argyle4–1Coventry City10 January 1953
21Millwall0–1Manchester United10 January 1953
22Hull City3–1Charlton Athletic10 January 1953
23Oldham Athletic1–3Birmingham City10 January 1953
24Huddersfield Town2–0Bristol Rovers10 January 1953
25Mansfield Town0–1Nottingham Forest10 January 1953
26Halifax Town3–1Cardiff City10 January 1953
27Newport County1–4Sheffield United10 January 1953
28Arsenal4–0Doncaster Rovers10 January 1953
29Walthamstow Avenue2–1Stockport County10 January 1953
30Stoke City2–1Wrexham10 January 1953
31Rotherham United2–2Colchester United10 January 1953
ReplayColchester United0–2Rotherham United15 January 1953
32Gateshead1–0Liverpool10 January 1953

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 31 January 1953. Seven matches were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match. Two matches then went to a second replay, with the Chelsea–West Bromwich Albion game going to a third replay before it was settled.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool1–0Huddersfield Town31 January 1953
2Burnley2–0Sunderland31 January 1953
3Preston North End2–2Tottenham Hotspur31 January 1953
ReplayTottenham Hotspur1–0Preston North End4 February 1953
4Aston Villa0–0Brentford31 January 1953
ReplayBrentford1–2Aston Villa4 February 1953
5Bolton Wanderers1–1Notts County31 January 1953
ReplayNotts County2–2Bolton Wanderers5 February 1953
ReplayBolton Wanderers1–0Notts County9 February 1953
6Everton4–1Nottingham Forest31 January 1953
7Shrewsbury Town1–4Southampton31 January 1953
8Sheffield United1–1Birmingham City31 January 1953
ReplayBirmingham City3–1Sheffield United4 February 1953
9Newcastle United1–3Rotherham United31 January 1953
10Manchester City1–1Luton Town31 January 1953
ReplayLuton Town5–1Manchester City4 February 1953
11Manchester United1–1Walthamstow Avenue31 January 1953
ReplayWalthamstow Avenue2–5Manchester United5 February 1953
12Plymouth Argyle1–0Barnsley31 January 1953
13Hull City1–2Gateshead31 January 1953
14Chelsea1–1West Bromwich Albion31 January 1953
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion0–0Chelsea4 February 1953
ReplayChelsea1–1West Bromwich Albion9 February 1953
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion0–4Chelsea11 February 1953
15Halifax Town1–0Stoke City31 January 1953
16Arsenal6–2Bury31 January 1953

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 14 February 1953. The Blackpool–Southampton game went to a replay.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackpool1–1Southampton14 February 1953
ReplaySouthampton1–2Blackpool18 February 1953
2Burnley0–2Arsenal14 February 1953
3Luton Town0–1Bolton Wanderers14 February 1953
4Everton2–1Manchester United14 February 1953
5Plymouth Argyle0–1Gateshead14 February 1953
6Chelsea0–4Birmingham City14 February 1953
7Halifax Town0–3Tottenham Hotspur14 February 1953
8Rotherham United1–3Aston Villa14 February 1953

Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 28 February 1953. The Birmingham City–Tottenham Hotspur game went to two replays before it was settled.

Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Aston Villa0–1Everton28 February 1953
2Arsenal1–2Blackpool28 February 1953
3Gateshead0–1Bolton Wanderers28 February 1953
4Birmingham City1–1Tottenham Hotspur28 February 1953
ReplayTottenham Hotspur2–2Birmingham City4 March 1953
ReplayBirmingham City0–1Tottenham Hotspur9 March 1953

Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 21 March 1953. Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers won their ties to meet in the final at Wembley.

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Final

See main article: 1953 FA Cup Final.

The 1953 FA Cup Final, known as the "Matthews Final" due to Stanley Matthews' dribbling in the last 30 minutes of the game, was contested by Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers at Wembley. Blackpool won 4–3, with Stan Mortensen the third player to score an FA Cup Final hat-trick.

See also

References

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