1951–52 FA Cup


The 1951–52 FA Cup was the 71st season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Newcastle United won the competition for the fifth time, beating Arsenal 1–0 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

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. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 24 November 1951. Eight were drawn and went to replays, with three of these going to second replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Barrow0–2Chesterfield24 November 1951
2Nelson0–4Oldham Athletic24 November 1951
3Tonbridge0–0Aldershot24 November 1951
ReplayAldershot3–2Tonbridge28 November 1951
4Reading1–0Walsall24 November 1951
5Leyton3–0Chippenham Town24 November 1951
6Grimsby Town4–0Darlington24 November 1951
7Crewe Alexandra2–4Lincoln City24 November 1951
8Swindon Town2–0Bedford Town24 November 1951
9Stockton1–1Mansfield Town24 November 1951
ReplayMansfield Town0–2Stockton28 November 1951
10Wrexham3–0Halifax Town24 November 1951
11Tranmere Rovers4–2Goole Town24 November 1951
12Stockport County2–2Gateshead24 November 1951
ReplayGateshead1–1Stockport County28 November 1951
ReplayStockport County1–2Gateshead3 December 1951
13Leytonstone2–0Shrewsbury Town24 November 1951
14Bangor City2–2Southport24 November 1951
ReplaySouthport3–0Bangor City27 November 1951
15Accrington Stanley1–2Chester24 November 1951
16Aylesbury United0–5Watford24 November 1951
17Bristol Rovers3–0Kettering Town24 November 1951
18King's Lynn1–3Exeter City24 November 1951
19Brighton & Hove Albion1–2Bristol City24 November 1951
20Norwich City3–2Northampton Town24 November 1951
21Bradford City6–1Carlisle United24 November 1951
22Millwall1–0Plymouth Argyle24 November 1951
23Crystal Palace0–1Gillingham24 November 1951
24Witton Albion2–1Gainsborough Trinity24 November 1951
25Southend United6–1Bournemouth24 November 1951
26Hartlepools United2–0Rhyl24 November 1951
27Scunthorpe United5–0Billingham Synthonia24 November 1951
28Blyth Spartans2–1Bishop Auckland24 November 1951
29Newport County4–0Barry Town24 November 1951
30Torquay United3–2Bromley24 November 1951
31York City1–1Bradford Park Avenue24 November 1951
ReplayBradford Park Avenue1–1York City28 November 1951
ReplayYork City0–4Bradford Park Avenue3 December 1951
32Guildford City4–1Hereford United24 November 1951
33Rawmarsh Welfare1–4Buxton24 November 1951
34Blackhall Colliery Welfare2–5Workington24 November 1951
35Colchester United3–1Port Vale24 November 1951
36Leyton Orient2–2Gorleston24 November 1951
ReplayGorleston0–0Leyton Orient29 November 1951
ReplayLeyton Orient5–4Gorleston3 December 1951
37Brush Sports2–3Weymouth24 November 1951
38Merthyr Tydfil2–2Ipswich Town24 November 1951
ReplayIpswich Town1–0Merthyr Tydfil5 December 1951
39Ilkeston Town0–2Rochdale24 November 1951
40Barnstaple Town2–2Folkestone24 November 1951
ReplayFolkestone5–2Barnstaple Town28 November 1951

Second Round Proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 15 December 1951. Seven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. Three of these replays went to a second replay, with the Tranmere Rovers–Blyth Spartans game going to a third.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester5–2Leyton15 December 1951
2Watford1–2Hartlepools United15 December 1951
3Reading1–1Southport15 December 1951
ReplaySouthport1–1Reading18 December 1951
ReplayReading2–0Southport1 January 1952
4Gillingham0–3Rochdale15 December 1951
5Lincoln City3–1Grimsby Town15 December 1951
6Swindon Town3–3Torquay United15 December 1951
ReplayTorquay United1-1Swindon Town19 December 1951
ReplaySwindon Town3-1Torquay United2 January 1952
7Stockton2–1Folkestone15 December 1951
8Wrexham1–1Leyton Orient15 December 1951
ReplayLeyton Orient3–2Wrexham19 December 1951
9Ipswich Town4–0Exeter City15 December 1951
10Buxton4–3Aldershot15 December 1951
11Tranmere Rovers1–1Blyth Spartans15 December 1951
ReplayBlyth Spartans1–1Tranmere Rovers19 December 1951
ReplayTranmere Rovers2–2Blyth Spartans3 January 1952
ReplayTranmere Rovers5–1Blyth Spartans7 January 1952
12Leytonstone2–2Newport County15 December 1951
ReplayNewport County3–0Leytonstone20 December 1951
13Bristol Rovers2–0Weymouth15 December 1951
14Norwich City3–1Chesterfield15 December 1951
15Millwall0–0Scunthorpe United15 December 1951
ReplayScunthorpe United3–0Millwall20 December 1951
16Witton Albion3–3Workington15 December 1951
ReplayWorkington1–0Witton Albion20 December 1951
17Southend United5–0Oldham Athletic15 December 1951
18Bradford Park Avenue3–2Bradford City15 December 1951
19Gateshead2–0Guildford City15 December 1951
20Colchester United2–1Bristol City15 December 1951

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 12 January 1952. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with one of these going to a second replay.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Burnley1–0Hartlepools United12 January 1952
2Liverpool1–0Workington12 January 1952
3Rochdale0–2Leeds United12 January 1952
4Reading0–3Swansea Town12 January 1952
5Leicester City1–1Coventry City12 January 1952
ReplayCoventry City4–1Leicester City14 January 1952
6Notts County4–0Stockton12 January 1952
7Nottingham Forest2–2Blackburn Rovers12 January 1952
ReplayBlackburn Rovers2–0Nottingham Forest16 January 1952
8Middlesbrough2–2Derby County12 January 1952
ReplayDerby County0–2Middlesbrough16 January 1952
9West Bromwich Albion4–0Bolton Wanderers12 January 1952
10Sunderland0–0Stoke City12 January 1952
ReplayStoke City3–1Sunderland14 January 1952
11Luton Town1–0Charlton Athletic12 January 1952
12Doncaster Rovers2–0Buxton12 January 1952
13Sheffield United2–0Newport County12 January 1952
14Ipswich Town2–2Gateshead12 January 1952
ReplayGateshead3–3Ipswich Town16 January 1952
ReplayIpswich Town1–2Gateshead21 January 1952
15Newcastle United4–2Aston Villa12 January 1952
16Manchester City2–2Wolverhampton Wanderers12 January 1952
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers4–1Manchester City16 January 1952
17Fulham0–1Birmingham City12 January 1952
18Barnsley3–0Colchester United12 January 1952
19Brentford3–1Queens Park Rangers12 January 1952
20Bristol Rovers2–0Preston North End12 January 1952
21Portsmouth4–0Lincoln City12 January 1952
22West Ham United2–1Blackpool12 January 1952
23Manchester United0–2Hull City12 January 1952
24Norwich City0–5Arsenal12 January 1952
25Chelsea2–2Chester12 January 1952
ReplayChester2–3Chelsea16 January 1952
26Southend United3–0Southampton12 January 1952
27Bradford Park Avenue2–1Sheffield Wednesday12 January 1952
28Scunthorpe United0–3Tottenham Hotspur12 January 1952
29Huddersfield Town1–2Tranmere Rovers12 January 1952
30Cardiff City1–1Swindon Town12 January 1952
ReplaySwindon Town1–0Cardiff City16 January 1952
31Rotherham United2–1Bury12 January 1952
32Leyton Orient0–0Everton12 January 1952
ReplayEverton1–3Leyton Orient16 January 1952

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 2 February 1952, with the exception of two postponed matches. Three games were drawn and went to replays, which were all played in the following midweek match. One of these then went to a second replay before being settled.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Burnley2–0Coventry City2 February 1952
2Liverpool2–1Wolverhampton Wanderers2 February 1952
3Notts County1–3Portsmouth2 February 1952
4Blackburn Rovers2–0Hull City2 February 1952
5Middlesbrough1–4Doncaster Rovers6 February 1952
6Luton Town2–2Brentford2 February 1952
ReplayBrentford0–0Luton Town6 February 1952
ReplayLuton Town3–2Brentford18 February 1952
7Swindon Town1–1Stoke City2 February 1952
ReplayStoke City0–1Swindon Town4 February 1952
8Tottenham Hotspur0–3Newcastle United2 February 1952
9West Ham United0–0Sheffield United2 February 1952
ReplaySheffield United4–2West Ham United6 February 1952
10Chelsea4–0Tranmere Rovers2 February 1952
11Southend United2–1Bristol Rovers2 February 1952
12Swansea Town3–0Rotherham United2 February 1952
13Arsenal4–0Barnsley2 February 1952
14Leeds United2–0Bradford Park Avenue2 February 1952
15Gateshead0–2West Bromwich Albion6 February 1952
16Birmingham City0–1Leyton Orient2 February 1952

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 23 February 1952. The Leeds United–Chelsea game went to two replays before Chelsea won the tie.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Burnley2–0Liverpool23 February 1952
2Blackburn Rovers1–0West Bromwich Albion23 February 1952
3Luton Town3–1Swindon Town23 February 1952
4Portsmouth4–0Doncaster Rovers23 February 1952
5Southend United1–2Sheffield United23 February 1952
6Swansea Town0–1Newcastle United23 February 1952
7Leeds United1–1Chelsea23 February 1952
ReplayChelsea1–1Leeds United27 February 1952
ReplayLeeds United1–5Chelsea3 March 1952
8Leyton Orient0–3Arsenal23 February 1952

Sixth round proper

The four Sixth Round ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 8 March 1952. There were no replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Blackburn Rovers3–1Burnley8 March 1952
2Luton Town2–3Arsenal8 March 1952
3Sheffield United0–1Chelsea8 March 1952
4Portsmouth2–4Newcastle United8 March 1952

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were intended to be played on Saturday, 29 March 1952, although the Chelsea–Arsenal fixture was not played until the week after. Both matches went to a replay, with Arsenal and Newcastle United eventually winning their ties to meet in the final at Wembley.
;Replay
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;Replay

Final

The 1952 FA Cup Final took place at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between cup holders Newcastle United and Arsenal. Newcastle won 1–0 with a late goal from Chilean striker George Robledo

Match facts