1973–74 FA Cup

The 1973–74 FA Cup was the 93rd season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Liverpool won the competition for only the second time, beating Newcastle United 3–0 in the final at Wembley, London.

1973–74 FA Cup
Country England
 Wales
Defending championsSunderland
ChampionsLiverpool (2nd title)
Runners-upNewcastle United
Third placeBurnley
Fourth placeLeicester City

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. In this season matches were allowed to be played on Sundays for the first time. 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
RoundDate
Preliminary roundSaturday 1 September 1973
First round qualifyingSaturday 15 September 1973
Second round qualifyingSaturday 6 October 1973
Third round qualifyingSaturday 20 October 1973
Fourth round qualifyingSaturday 3 November 1973
First round properSaturday 24 November 1973
Second round properSaturday 15 December 1973
Third round properSaturday 5 January 1974
Fourth round properSaturday 26 January 1974
Fifth round properSaturday 16 February 1974
Sixth round properSaturday 9 March 1974
Semi-finalsSaturday 30 March 1974
FinalSaturday 4 May 1974

Results

First round proper
For the qualifying rounds, see 1973–74 FA Cup qualifying rounds.

At this stage clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined 28 non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round, Scarborough, Wigan Athletic, Walton & Hersham and Slough Town were given byes as finalists of FA Trophy and FA Amateur Cup of the last season. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 24 November 1973. Ten matches were drawn and went to replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Chester1–0Telford United24 November 1973
2Chesterfield0–0Barnsley24 November 1973
ReplayBarnsley2–1Chesterfield28 November 1973
3Bournemouth1–0Charlton Athletic24 November 1973
4Banbury United0–0Northampton Town24 November 1973
ReplayNorthampton Town3–2Banbury United29 November 1973
5Rochdale2–0South Shields24 November 1973
6Watford1–0Chelmsford City24 November 1973
7Weymouth0–1Merthyr Tydfil24 November 1973
8Reading3–0Slough Town24 November 1973
9Walsall1–0Swansea City24 November 1973
10Crewe Alexandra0–0Scarborough24 November 1973
ReplayScarborough2–1Crewe Alexandra28 November 1973
11Doncaster Rovers1–0Lincoln City24 November 1973
12Wrexham1–1Shrewsbury Town24 November 1973
ReplayShrewsbury Town0–1Wrexham27 November 1973
13Tranmere Rovers2–1Bury24 November 1973
14Stockport County0–1Port Vale24 November 1973
15Wycombe Wanderers3–1Newport County24 November 1973
16King's Lynn1–0Wimbledon24 November 1973
17Plymouth Argyle2–1Brentford24 November 1973
18Bradford City2–0Workington24 November 1973
19Hitchin Town1–1Guildford City24 November 1973
ReplayGuildford City1–4Hitchin Town28 November 1973
20Altrincham2–0Hartlepool24 November 1973
21Southend United3–0Boreham Wood24 November 1973
22Exeter City0–1Alvechurch24 November 1973
23Scunthorpe United1–0Darlington24 November 1973
24Huddersfield Town2–0Wigan Athletic24 November 1973
25Alfreton Town0–0Blyth Spartans24 November 1973
ReplayBlyth Spartans2–1Alfreton Town28 November 1973
26Willington0–0Blackburn Rovers24 November 1973
ReplayBlackburn Rovers6–1Willington3 December 1973
27Halifax Town6–1Frickley Colliery24 November 1973
28Runcorn0–1Grimsby Town24 November 1973
29York City0–0Mansfield Town24 November 1973
ReplayMansfield Town5–3York City10 December 1973
30Hereford United3–1Torquay United24 November 1973
31Rotherham United2–1Southport24 November 1973
32Bideford0–2Bristol Rovers24 November 1973
33Boston United0–0Hayes24 November 1973
ReplayHayes1–2Boston United28 November 1973
34Formby0–2Oldham Athletic24 November 1973
35Colchester United2–3Peterborough United24 November 1973
36Walton & Hersham0–0Brighton & Hove Albion24 November 1973
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion0–4Walton & Hersham28 November 1973
37Hendon3–0Leytonstone24 November 1973
38Dagenham0–4Aldershot24 November 1973
39Cambridge United3–2Gillingham24 November 1973
40Hillingdon Borough0–4Grantham24 November 1973

Second round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 15 December 1973. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Chester3–2Huddersfield Town15 December 1973
2Alvechurch6–1King's Lynn15 December 1973
3Grantham1–1Rochdale15 December 1973
ReplayRochdale3–5Grantham18 December 1973
4Watford0–1Bournemouth15 December 1973
5Blackburn Rovers0–0Altrincham15 December 1973
ReplayAltrincham0–2Blackburn Rovers19 December 1973
6Grimsby Town1–1Blyth Spartans15 December 1973
ReplayBlyth Spartans0–2Grimsby Town19 December 1973
7Doncaster Rovers3–0Tranmere Rovers15 December 1973
8Wrexham3–0Rotherham United15 December 1973
9Wycombe Wanderers1–3Peterborough United15 December 1973
10Barnsley1–1Bradford City15 December 1973
ReplayBradford City2–1Barnsley19 December 1973
11Northampton Town1–2Bristol Rovers15 December 1973
12Plymouth Argyle1–0Walsall15 December 1973
13Southend United2–0Reading15 December 1973
14Mansfield Town1–1Scunthorpe United15 December 1973
ReplayScunthorpe United1–0Mansfield Town18 December 1973
15Port Vale2–1Scarborough15 December 1973
16Halifax Town0–1Oldham Athletic15 December 1973
17Hereford United3–0Walton & Hersham15 December 1973
18Aldershot1–2Cambridge United15 December 1973
19Boston United1–0Hitchin Town15 December 1973
20Merthyr Tydfil0–3Hendon15 December 1973

Third round proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for the weekend of 5–6 January 1974. Thirteen matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay. Holders Sunderland were eliminated by Carlisle United.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Bristol City1–1Hull City5 January 1974
ReplayHull City0–1Bristol City8 January 1974
2Grantham0–2Middlesbrough5 January 1974
3Liverpool2–2Doncaster Rovers5 January 1974
ReplayDoncaster Rovers0–2Liverpool8 January 1974
4Southampton2–1Blackpool5 January 1974
5Leicester City1–0Tottenham Hotspur5 January 1974
6Nottingham Forest4–3Bristol Rovers6 January 1974
7Aston Villa3–1Chester5 January 1974
8Sheffield Wednesday0–0Coventry City5 January 1974
ReplayCoventry City3–1Sheffield Wednesday8 January 1974
9Bolton Wanderers3–2Stoke City6 January 1974
10Grimsby Town0–2Burnley5 January 1974
11Wolverhampton Wanderers1–1Leeds United5 January 1974
ReplayLeeds United1–0Wolverhampton Wanderers9 January 1974
12West Bromwich Albion4–0Notts County5 January 1974
13Derby County0–0Boston United5 January 1974
ReplayBoston United1–6Derby County9 January 1974
14Everton3–0Blackburn Rovers5 January 1974
15Ipswich Town3–2Sheffield United5 January 1974
16Newcastle United1–1Hendon5 January 1974
ReplayHendon0–4Newcastle United9 January 1974
17Fulham1–0Preston North End5 January 1974
18Portsmouth3–3Swindon Town5 January 1974
ReplaySwindon Town0–1Portsmouth9 January 1974
19West Ham United1–1Hereford United5 January 1974
ReplayHereford United2–1West Ham United9 January 1974
20Manchester United1–0Plymouth Argyle5 January 1974
21Norwich City0–1Arsenal5 January 1974
22Bradford City4–2Alvechurch6 January 1974
23Millwall1–1Scunthorpe United5 January 1974
ReplayScunthorpe United1–0Millwall8 January 1974
24Carlisle United0–0Sunderland5 January 1974
ReplaySunderland0–1Carlisle United9 January 1974
25Crystal Palace0–2Wrexham5 January 1974
26Chelsea0–0Queens Park Rangers5 January 1974
ReplayQueens Park Rangers1–0Chelsea15 January 1974
27Port Vale1–1Luton Town5 January 1974
ReplayLuton Town4–2Port Vale9 January 1974
28Peterborough United3–1Southend United5 January 1974
29Birmingham City5–2Cardiff City5 January 1974
30Cambridge United2–2Oldham Athletic6 January 1974
ReplayOldham Athletic3–3Cambridge United8 January 1974
ReplayCambridge United1–2Oldham Athletic14 January 1974
31Oxford United2–5Manchester City5 January 1974
32Orient2–1Bournemouth5 January 1974

Fourth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 26 January 1974. Four matches were, however, played the day after. Eight matches were drawn, of which one, the tie between Portsmouth and Leyton Orient, required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Liverpool0–0Carlisle United26 January 1974
ReplayCarlisle United0–2Liverpool29 January 1974
2Southampton3–3Bolton Wanderers26 January 1974
ReplayBolton Wanderers0–2Southampton30 January 1974
3Nottingham Forest4–1Manchester City27 January 1974
4Luton Town3–0Bradford City26 January 1974
5Everton0–0West Bromwich Albion27 January 1974
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion1–0Everton30 January 1974
6Wrexham1–0Middlesbrough26 January 1974
7Newcastle United1–1Scunthorpe United26 January 1974
ReplayScunthorpe United0–3Newcastle United30 January 1974
8Queens Park Rangers2–0Birmingham City26 January 1974
9Fulham1–1Leicester City26 January 1974
ReplayLeicester City2–1Fulham30 January 1974
10Coventry City0–0Derby County27 January 1974
ReplayDerby County0–1Coventry City30 January 1974
11Portsmouth0–0Orient27 January 1974
ReplayOrient1–1Portsmouth29 January 1974
ReplayPortsmouth2–0Orient5 February 1974
12Manchester United0–1Ipswich Town26 January 1974
13Oldham Athletic1–4Burnley26 January 1974
14Arsenal1–1Aston Villa26 January 1974
ReplayAston Villa2–0Arsenal30 January 1974
15Hereford United0–1Bristol City26 January 1974
16Peterborough United1–4Leeds United26 January 1974

Fifth round proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 16 February 1974 with one taking place the day after. Two matches were drawn and went to replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Bristol City1–1Leeds United16 February 1974
ReplayLeeds United0–1Bristol City19 February 1974
2Burnley1–0Aston Villa16 February 1974
3Liverpool2–0Ipswich Town16 February 1974
4Southampton0–1Wrexham16 February 1974
5Nottingham Forest1–0Portsmouth17 February 1974
6West Bromwich Albion0–3Newcastle United16 February 1974
7Luton Town0–4Leicester City16 February 1974
8Coventry City0–0Queens Park Rangers16 February 1974
ReplayQueens Park Rangers3–2Coventry City19 February 1974

Sixth round proper

The four quarter-final ties were played on 9 March 1974.

Newcastle United pitch invasion

The first Newcastle United–Nottingham Forest game at St James' Park was won 4–3 by Newcastle. However, early in the second half Nottingham Forest went 3–1 up from a penalty awarded by the referee, Gordon Kew, who also sent off Newcastle's defender Pat Howard for protesting the decision. The Newcastle United fans in the Leazes End of the ground (now the Sir John Hall stand) invaded the pitch. Two Nottingham Forest players were injured in the debacle, but the referee waited until all players were recovered and received the permission of both managers to continue the tie. Newcastle managed to come back and win with a late goal by their captain, Bobby Moncur, in spite of the two-goal and one-player deficit.[1] Up to 23 people were taken to hospital as a result of the pitch invasion, of whom two had fractured skulls; another 103 people were treated at the ground and 39 arrests were made.[2]

Following the riot, a written protest was sent from Nottingham Forest to the FA on 11 March. In response, the secretary of the FA, Ted Croker, announced that a special four-man subcommittee of the Challenge Cup Committee who oversee the FA Cup competition were to investigate the incident, stating, "Newcastle could be disqualified. We do not have the power to order a replay as the game was completed."[2] On 14 March the subcommittee ruled that, in spite of Mr. Croker's comments, the match was to be replayed, at the neutral venue of Goodison Park on Monday 18 March. If that match was drawn then extra time would be played and, if needed, another match at a neutral venue would be played the following Thursday. This decision was unprecedented at the time and the reaction was mixed, with Newcastle's defender Frank Clark suggesting that their comeback should have allowed them to go through outright. The Nottingham Forest captain Bob Chapman stated, "we would have won it fair and square but for the trouble."[3]

The first replay was a nervous 0–0 draw after extra time, although Newcastle hit the woodwork three times.[4] Newcastle finally won the tie through a single Malcolm Macdonald goal in the second replay, also at Goodison Park.[5]

Results
Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Bristol City0–1Liverpool9 March 1974
2Burnley1–0Wrexham9 March 1974
3Newcastle United4–3
(Match void)		Nottingham Forest9 March 1974
ReplayNewcastle United0–0Nottingham Forest18 March 1974
ReplayNewcastle United1–0Nottingham Forest21 March 1974
4Queens Park Rangers0–2Leicester City9 March 1974

Semi-finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 30 March 1974 with the Liverpool–Leicester City game being replayed four days later. Liverpool and Newcastle United won their respective matches to go on to the final at Wembley.

Liverpool0–0Leicester City
Report
Newcastle United2–0Burnley
Macdonald 65, 75' Report

Replay
Leicester City1–3Liverpool
Glover 49' Report Hall 46'
Keegan 61'
Toshack 86'

Third place playoff

Between 1970 and 1974, a third place playoff between the two losing semi-finalists was held.[6]

Leicester City0–1Burnley
Hankin
Attendance: 4,432

Final
Main article: 1974 FA Cup Final

The final took place on Saturday, 4 May 1974 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Liverpool over Newcastle United by three goals to nil. Two goals were scored by Kevin Keegan and one by Steve Heighway. The attendance was 100,000.

Liverpool3 – 0Newcastle United
Keegan 57, 88'
Heighway 74'
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Gordon Kew
Liverpool
Newcastle

TV Coverage

The right to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. All games were shown in a highlights format, except the Final, which was shown live both on BBC1 & ITV. The BBC football highlights programme Match Of The Day would show up to three games and the various ITV regional network stations would cover up to one game and show highlights from other games covered elsewhere on the ITV network. No games from Rounds 1 or 2 were shown. Burnley banned TV Coverage of the R5 tie v Aston Villa which was due to be one of the ITV televised ties and shown by Granada and the quarter-final tie v Wrexham which was due to be shown on BBC MOTD, they showed a League game instead between Derby County v West Ham United as well as the Queens Park Rangers v Leicester Quarter-final. Burnley and Chairman Bob Lord also tried to stop the semi-final being covered by ITV but couldn't as the game was played at neutral Sheffield Wednesday. Third round BBC Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United, West Ham United v Hereford United, Manchester United v Plymouth Argyle, Hendon v Newcastle United (Midweek-replay played in the Afternoon at Watford), Hereford United v West Ham United (Midweek replay played in the afternoon) ITV Chelsea v Queens Park Rangers (LWT), Everton v Blackburn Rovers (Granada), Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur ATV), Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City (Yorkshire), Newcastle United v Hendon (Tyne-Tees), Peterborough United v Southend United (Anglia) Fourth round BBC Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City, Fulham v Leicester City, Manchester United v Ipswich Town ITV Arsenal v Aston Villa (LWT & ATV), Peterborough United v Leeds United (Anglia Yorkshire),Liverpool v Carlisle United (Granada), Newcastle United v Scunthorpe United (Tyne-Tees), Aston Villa v Arsenal(Midweek-replay shown in all regions) Fifth round BBC Bristol City v Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United, Liverpool v Ipswich Town ITV Luton Town v Leicester City (LWT & Anglia), Southampton v Wrexham (Southern & HTV), Coventry City v Queens Park Rangers (ATV), Leeds United v Bristol City ((Midweek-replay played in the afternoon shown in all regions) Sixth round BBC Queens Park Rangers v Leicester City ITV Bristol City v Liverpool (LWT Coverage outside region on two non London teams), Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest (Tyne-Tees & ATV) Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest (Midweek rematch & replay shown in all regions) Semi-finals BBC Leicester City v Liverpool, Leicester City v Liverpool (Midweek replay), ITV Burnley v Newcastle United (All ITV Regions)Final Liverpool v Newcastle United Shown Live on BBC & ITV.

References
General
Specific
  1. "Glorious and shameful game at Newcastle". The Times. No. 59035. London. 11 March 1974. p. 6.
  2. Green, Geoffrey (12 March 1974). "FA Laws or the law of averages may stop Newcastle United in Cup". The Times. No. 59036. London. p. 8.
  3. Green, Geoffrey (15 March 1974). "Decision to replay tie could invite crowds to influence results". The Times. No. 59039. London. p. 12.
  4. Green, Geoffrey (19 March 1974). "The game that lived on its nerves". The Times. No. 59042. London. p. 10.
  5. Green, Geoffrey (22 March 1974). "Newcastle score a deserved victory". The Times. No. 59045. London. p. 13.
  6. The annual ENGLAND v YOUNG ENGLAND fixture is replaced by an F.A. Cup match - the 3rd and 4th Place Play-Off. Archived 27 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Football Site.
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