23.11.12

1901

On 9th February Bury beat The Wednesday 1-0 away in the first round.
In the second round they made the trip to London on 23rd February to play Tottenham Hotspur of the Southern League (at this point there were no south of England clubs in the Football League) Tottenham Hotspur won 2–1 (team 49).
Reading held Tottenham to a 1–1 draw on 23rd March and 4 days later the London side won the replay at home 3-0.
In the semi final at Villa Park on 8th April Tottenham beat West Bromwich Albion 4-0 with 4 goals from Sandy Brown.


1901 Final


Can you see the ball?

The official attendance for the Final at Crystal Palace on 20th April  was a remarkable 114,815. Sheffield United were favourites to win but the crowd were mostly behind Tottenham.  The match ended in a  2-2 draw (with a controversial equalizer for United when the ball appeared not to have crossed the line). 
This was the first Cup Final to be filmed.    
Tottenham Hotspur won the replay at Burnden ParkBolton 3-1 in front of a modest 20,000 crowd. Sandy Brown scored in every round including both finals. Tottenham were the first team from outside the Football League to win the FA Cup.

1900

Sheffield United began their defence of the Cup with a 1-0 win over Leicester Fosse at Bramall Lane on 27th January.
The second round produced a Sheffield derby. United were drawn at home and the first match on 17th February finished 1-1. The replay, just 2 days later saw United beat The Wednesday 2-0.
On 24th  February Bury held Sheffield United to a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane. The replay on March 1st saw Bury win 2-0. The Lancashire club thus become team 48.
Bury and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 in the semi final at Stoke's Victoria Ground on 24th March. The replay at Bramall Lane on 29th March saw Bury go through 3-2.


1900 Final


The final on 21st April  at Crystal Palace was noteworthy because Bury's opponents, Southampton, were from The Southern League- the first time since the inception of the Football League in 1888 that a non-member had reached the final. A crowd of 68,945 saw Bury outclass their opponents to win 4-0 and lift the Cup for the first time.

18.11.12

1899

Aston Villa were the visitors to Forest's City Ground in the first round on 28th. January. The home side won 2-1. In round two they were away to Everton, winning by a single goal to nil on 11th February.
The third round brought Sheffield United at home, and Forest lost 1-0.  25th February therefore saw Sheffield United picking up the baton as team 47.


Sheffield United had the unusual distinction of playing their semi final against Liverpool on 18th March  in their own ground, Bramall Lane. Home advantage didn't pay off, and after a 2-2 draw the teams met again at Ewood park 5 days later. This match finished 4-4, and a second replay, played at Derby's Baseball Ground on 30th March  saw Sheffield United prevail 1-0.

1899 Final
The final took place on Saturday, 15th April at Crystal Palace. Just under 74,000 supporters attended the match, a record attendance at the time. Derby took the lead early on and were still 1-0 up on the hour, but then Sheffield United struck three times in nine minutes, and ended up winning 4-1.



17.11.12

1898

In the first round on 29th January 1898 Aston Villa lost 1-0 away to Derby County (45)
Derby County then enjoyed a good cup run: on 12th February they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers away, also by 1-0.
In the third round on 26th February they drew 1-1 at home to Liverpool but won the replay at Anfield by 5-1 on 2nd March.They then met Everton at Molineux in the semi final on 19th March, winning 3-1.


1898 Final


This set up an East Midlands derby in the final, as Derby County faced Nottingham Forest at Crystal Palace on 16th April.
'Honest John' Lewis again was the ref, and a crowd of  62,017 was recorded. Derby had John Goodall and Steve Bloomer in their side (John Goodall was an England International, but in this match his brother , Archie, became the first Irish international to play in the Cup Final). The form book was upset though, as Nottingham Forest won 3-1 to become team 46 on our list. 

16.11.12

1897

244 teams entered the 1896-97 FA Cup.
Drawn at home against Nottingham Forest (42) in the first round on 30th January, holders The Wednesday went down 1-0. 
Nottingham Forest traveled to Sunderland in round 2, coming away with a 1-0 victory on 13th February. 
A 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on 27th February  was followed by a replay that Liverpool (43) won 1-0 (3rd March).


On 20th March  Aston Villa (44) beat  Liverpool 3-0 in their semi final at Bramall LaneSheffield.


1897 Final 


On the day of the Final,10th April, Villa's status as League champions was confirmed,and as they beat  Everton 3-2 they became the second club to complete the double. 65,891 were at Crystal Palace to see the match, which was refereed by Mr John Lewis.

15.11.12

1896

The First Round Proper on February 1st saw holders Aston Villa eliminated in a 4-2 defeat away to Derby County (team 39).
In the second round on 15th February Derby and Newton Heath drew 1-1 in Manchester, Derby winning the replay 4 days later by 5-1.
29th February saw Derby beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at home.


In the semi final at Perry BarrBirmingham on 21st March, Derby County were beaten 2-1 by Wolverhampton Wanderers (team 40).




1896 Final
On 18th April The Wednesday (41) became the first Yorkshire side to lift the Cup, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1. 


The attendance at Crystal Palace was 48,836.

14.11.12

1895

 Notts County's reign was brief. they were beaten 5-1 away by The Wednesday (team 36) in the first round on 2 February.
in the second round The Wednesday continued their scoring form as visitors Middlesbrough were beaten 6-1   on 16 February.
A 2-0 home win against Everton on 2 March  saw them through to a semi final place. 
on 16 March at the Racecourse Ground Derby West Bromwich Albion beat The Wednesday 2-0, becoming team 37.

1895 Final
The first final at Crystal Palace between West Bromwich and Aston Villa was decided in the first minute. In scoring in 30 seconds Bob Chatt set a record that would stand for 114 years as Aston Villa won 1-0, becoming team 38 on the list. 42,560 were in attendance on April 20th  and Mr John Lewis was in charge.



1894

In the First Round Proper of the FA Cup on  27th January 1894 Wolverhampton Wanderers traveled to Villa Park, where they were beaten 4-2. Aston Villa thus become team 32 on our list.
In the second round Aston Villa were drawn away to Sunderland. A 2-2 draw on 10th February meant a replay at Villa Park, which Aston Villa won 3–1 on 21st February.
24th February saw Villa beaten 3-2 away by The Wednesday (team 33).


The semi final on 10th March pitted  The Wednesday against  Bolton Wanderers at Fallowfield. Bolton (team 34) won 2-1.



1894 Final



Another provincial Final, this time at Anfield Road, Liverpool on March 31st  (attencance 37,000). There was a sensation as Second Division Notts County (35) beat Bolton Wanderers 4-1, Jimmy Logan scoring a hat trick. 

1893



183 clubs entered the 1892-93 FA Cup.

In the first round on 21st January holders West Bromwich Albion were drawn away to Everton. Everton won 4-1, becoming team 30 on the list.
On 4th February  Everton beat Nottingham Forest 4-2 at Goodison Park, the stadium to which they had moved the previous season.
Another home draw in the third round saw Everton beat The Wednesday 3-0.

Everton then met Preston north End in what turned out to be another epic semi final. On March 4th the two sides drew 2-2 at Sheffield's  Bramall Lane. In the replay on the same ground on March 16th  the otcome was a goalless draw. A third match on 20th March at Ewood Park saw Everton progress to the Final  via a 2-1 victory.

1893 Final
The Oval being no longer fit for purpose and no suitable stadium existing in London, the 1893 Final was played at  Manchester Athletics Stadium , Fallowfield. There were 45,000 paying spectators for the clash between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 25th, but it was likely that as many as 60,000 actually got into the stadium. 
Everton were expected to win. They fielded a reserve team against Wolverhampton's first XI the week before the final and had beaten them handsomely. Wolverhampton Wanderers (31) , however, provided a shock, winning 1-0.


Everton appealed for a replay, protesting that the conditions were unsuitable for playing such an important match. There were times when their players, they claimed, had been hampered by the crowd encroaching onto the pitch.

1892

Blackburn's defence of the FA Cup began on thr 16th January with a 4-1 home win over Derby County. The second round on January 30th saw them travel to West Bromwich Albion where they were defeated 3-1.
West Bromwich Albion thus took the baton off Blackburn Rovers. It was West Bromwich Albion's third stint in possession, becoming team 29 on our list.
The third round on February 13 had Albion drawn at home against The Wednesday, and the Throstles went through with a 2-1 win.


West Bromwich's semi final against Nottingham Forest proved to be an epic. The first match, played at Wolverhampton's Molineaux on 27th February ended as a 1-1 draw. A replay, on the same ground on March 5th produced the same result.

A third match, played at The Racecourse Ground, Derby on March 9th produced an emphatic 6-2 win for West Bromwich Albion


1892 Final 


The begining of an era- the first time goal nets were used in the Final. The end of another- the last FA cup final to be played at The Oval. Mr John Charles Clegg (Sheffield) refereed.
West Bromwich Albion won 3–0. The attendance was  32.810.

13.11.12

1891

The FA Cup First Round tie at Middlesbrough Ironopolis was ordered to be replayed after a protest from Ironopolis. the initial result of 2-1 was declared void. Blackburn Rovers won the rearranged fixture 3-0 (away) on 24th January.
In the second round Rovers hosted Chester at Ewood Park and ran out 7-0 winners (31 January)
In the third round on 14th February Wolverhampton Wanderers were beaten 2-0, also at Ewood Park.
The semi final at Stoke's Victoria Ground on 28.2.1891 produced the scoreline Blackburn Rovers 3- West Bromwich Albion 2.


1891 Final



The Final was played at The Oval on 21st March. The attendance was 23,000 and Mr. C. J. Hughes was the referee.
Blackburn Rover's 3-1 win over Notts County gave them their second FA Cup win in succession and their  5th overall. Tom Mitchell enjoyed his 5th FA Cup win as coach. Nine of the 22 players appearing were Scottish.

1890

The first round proper on 18th January 1890 pitted Preston North End in a home tie against Newton Heath (later Manchester United) that Preston won 6-1.
Drawn at home again to Lincoln City on 1st February, Preston won 4-0.
On 15th February another home draw saw the holders facing Bolton Wanderers, who went home with a 3-2 victory under their belts and become team 26 on our list.

Bolton then faced The Wednesday in a semi final at Birmingham's Perry Barr on March 8th. The Wednesday won 2-1. (team 27)


1890 Final


This was Major Marindin's 9th and last Final in charge. A crowd of 20.000 at The Oval on 29th March saw The Wednesday overrun by Blackburn Rovers (team 28). Billy Townley became the first man to score a Cup Final hat trick as Rovers won 6-1.

1889

The FA Cup 1888–89 was the first to feature qualifying rounds.  Holders West Bromwich Albion therefore did not have to begin their defence until 2nd February 1889, when they beat Small Heath (Birmingham City) 3-2 away.
The second round on 16th February saw Albion beat Burnley 5-1 at home.
A trip to Chatham in Kent on 2nd March  for the third round was rewarded by a resounding 10-1 win for the Cup holders.
This set up a semi final that was a repeat of the previous season's final. West Bromwich Albion met Preston North End at Bramall Lane Sheffield on 16th March. Preston avenged the previous seasons disappointment with a  1-0 win. making them team 25 and giving them a third spell with the baton.


1889 Final


On 30th March 1889 27,000 were at The Oval to see Preston North End, with 6 Scots and a Welshman in their side, outclass Wolverhampton Wanderers and win by 3-0. Preston, having completed the first ever league and Cup double* without losing a single game were dubbed 'The Invincibles'.
Major Marindin, of course, was in charge of the game.





* The Football League had come into being the previous September

1888

On 7th January 1888 Aston Villa were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round by Preston North End, the visitors winning 3-1. This was Preston North End's second spell with our baton (team 23).
Another away win at The Wednesday on 30th January saw Preston into the semi finals, in which they played Crewe Alexandra at Everton's Anfield ground (18th February). A comfortable 4-0 win saw Preston through to the Cup Final.


1888 Final


Preston were favourites to lift the Cup. A record crowd of 19,000 were at The Oval on 24th March  to see them beaten 2-1 by West Bromwich Albion (24).
Major Marindin served up some controversy with his refereeing decisions which seemed to some to lean towards Albion. 
There were six Scots and a Welshman in the Preston side, whereas Albion were exclusively English.



1886

23rd January 1886  Blackburn Rovers continued their high scoring Cup run with a 7-1 home win against Staveley in the fifth round.
A trip to Essex in the sixth round saw them beat Brentwood 3-1 on 27th February 1886.

In the semi final at Derby County Cricket Ground on 13.3.1886 Blackburn Rovers defeated Swifts 2-1.


1886 Final
The first FA Cup Final of a new era was played on April 3rd, 1886. The north met the midlands as  Blackburn Rovers faced West Bromwich Albion the first Midlands club to reach the FA Cup Final. There was a crowd of 15000 at The Oval.
A 0-0 draw meant a replay, and on April 10th The first FA Cup final outside of London was played at Derby Racecourse Ground with 12,000 in attendance. Blackburn won 2-0 to complete a hat trick of FA Cup wins, a feat that has not since been emulated.
Both games were refereed by Major Francis Marindin.



In the first round of the 1886-87 FA Cup Blackburn Rovers had a walkover against Halliwell.
on 20th November 1886 the traveled to Scotland for a second round tie with Renton that ended 2-2.
In the replay at Ewood park on 4th December Renton won 2-0, becoming the second Scottish team to hold the baton (team 19) and ending Blackburn Rovers' 33 month unbeaten FA Cup run. 

Renton's next FA Cup match, at home to Preston North End on 11th December saw them lose 2-0, making Preston North End team 20 on our list.

12.11.12

1885

Blackburn Rovers enjoyed another home draw in the fourth round, posting an 8-0 win over Romford on 17th January.
The fifth round only had one match, and Rovers were among the 7 clubs granted a bye.
In the sixth round they travelled to West Bromwich, beating Albion 2-0 on February 21st.
The semi final was played at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham on 7.3.1885, the result- 
Blackburn Rovers 5,  Old Carthusians 1.


1885 Final


The Oval accommodated a crowd of 12,500 on 4th April as in a repeat of the previous year's Final Blackburn Rovers defeated Queens Park 2-0.
 Major Francis Marindin refereed.


During the close-season on 20th July 1885 the FA legalized professionalism in English football.


Rovers began their defence with a short trip to Clitheroe on 24th October, winning 2-0.

Oswaldtwistle Rovers visited Ewood park on 21st November and Blackburn were 1-0 winners of the round two tie.
Darwen Old Wanderers were the next visitors, Rovers beating them 6-1 on 5th December.
The fourth round presented Blackburn with a bye.

1884

In the fourth round of the 1883-84 FA Cup Blackburn Olympic entertained Old Wykehamists, a team of  
Winchester College alumni at their Hole-i'th'-Wall ground. Olympic won 6-0.
Round five saw Staffordshire's Northwich Victoria visit Hole-i'th'-Wall. Olympic trounced them 9-1 to set up a semi final with Scottish giants Queen's Park.


The influence of Queen's Park in the development of football in Scotland cannot be over emphasized. The effectively were Scottish football in its early years.  They had also joined the Football Association early on, and had competed in a number of FA Cups.  
At  Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham on 1.3.1884 Queen's Park beat Blackburn Olympic 4-1. taking the baton out of England for the first time as team 16 on our list.



1884 Final


The baton returned to England (and to Blackburn in fact) very swiftly. There were 4000 at The Oval to see Blackburn Rovers beat Queen's Park 2-1. It was the first time that a Cup winning team had ever been credited as having a 'trainer' (Blackburn's Thomas Mitchell). Also Blackburn Rovers (team 17) become the first team on our list who are presently competing in the top 5 tiers of the English league pyramid. 
The match was also a last hurrah for the all out attacking game of the 1870's and early 1880's, with both sides using the 2-2-6 formation.
FA President Major Francis Marindin Refereed his second final, controversially disallowing a Queen's park goal for offside and allowing a dubious goal for Rovers to stand. this goal was scored (from an offside position) by Jimmy  Forrest , who at 19 years and 277 days was the youngest FA Cup Final scorer at the time, a record that stood for 75 years.


On October 11th Blackburn Rovers began their defence of the Cup at home with an 11-0 demolition of  Lancashire side Rossendale.

The second round on 6 December gave us a Blackburn derby- Rovers beating Olympic 3-2 at Ewood Park.
On 22 December  Witton were the visitors to Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers winning 5-0.

1883

Old Etonians began 1883 with a 2-0 win over Swifts in the fourth round of the Cup on 24th January.
On March 3rd they beat Hendon away, 4-2.
Midlands opposition awaited them in the semi final, but Notts County were beaten 2-1 at The Oval.


1883 Final.


March 31st, 1883. A watershed in the history of British football.In becoming team 16 on our list  Blackburn Olympic defeated Old Etonians 2-1 after extra time at The Oval. A northern team had won the FA Cup for the first time, assisted significantly by a player imported from Scotland (Jack Hunter). Olympic were exponents of the Combination Game, based on passing and teamwork.  It would be almost 20 years before another southern team won the Cup, and the age of the southern amateurs, the Public Schools and Universities was drawn to a close. Symbolically Kinnaird played in his last final. 8000 saw Old Etonians take a 30th minute lead, but a 65th minute equalizer from  Arthur Matthews set up Jimmy Costly's extra time winner. 


 One hundred teams entered the Cup in 1883-84, the majority of them now from the industrial north and midlands, where interest in the game was booming.
In the first round Blackburn Olympic saw off Lancashire neighbours Darwen Ramblers 5-1 at home (13th November).
In the second round Olympic traveled to Darwen where they won 2-1 (1st December).
In round three they received a bye. 

1882

Royal Engineer's hold on the baton was brief, as in the fourth round of the Cup on 21.1.82 they were beaten by Old Foresters, 2-1. Team 13 were  former pupils of Forest School, Snaresbrook, London. 
The following month Old Foresters drew 0-0 with Marlow before losing the replay 1-0 on 18th February 1882, making the  Buckinghamshire outfit team 14
In the semi finals on 4th March 1882 Marlow were beaten 5-0 by Old Etonians, As team 15 they held the baton for the second time when they met Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup Final.


1882 Final
Almost a turning point in the history of football. Blackburn Rovers were the first team from the north of England to reach the Cup Final. There was no professionalism in those days, but it is likely that Blackburn Rovers operated a professional set up.
The Oval hosted a crowd of 6000. Referee was Mr J.C Clegg of Sheffield, (who had played for England in the first international match and was later known as The Napoleon of Football for his work at the FA).
 Kinnaird appeared in his 9th final. 
Etonians won 1-0 though who the scorer of the goal was is uncertain. Famously, Kinnaird performed a handstand in front of the pavilion.


In the 1882-83 FA Cup Old Etonians met Old Foresters in the first round. They progressed after a 3-1 win in the replay on 18.11.82, the first match having been a 1-1 draw.
On 2nd December they beat Brentwood 2-0 in the second round and then on 16th December beat Rochester 7-0.

11.11.12

1881

In the third round on 8th January 1881 Clapham Rovers beat Swifts 2-1.
In the fourth round on 12th February they beat Upton Park (not connected with the modern West Ham United) by 5-4.
The fifth round saw the mythical baton change hands, as Old Carthusians beat Clapham Rovers 3-1 on 19th March, They are team 11 on the list. A team for ex pupils of Charterhouse School, they were among the founding members of the FA.
In the semi finals Old Carthusians beat Darwen 4-1 on 26th March, setting up an Old boys' Final versus Old Etonians. 


1881 Final 
4500 were at The Oval for the match on 9.4.81, which Old Etonians were expected to win. The captains were Canadian Ted Parry (Old Cathusians- he had captained Oxford University in the 1877 Final) and Arthur Kinnaird (Old Etonians) playing in his 8th Final. William Pierce-Dix (Sheffield) was referee. 
Carthusians ran out comfortable winners by 3-0.



For the 1881-82 season the number of clubs entering the FA Cup had grown to 73.

On 5.11.81 Old Carthusians began their defence with a 5-0 win away to Esher Leopold. They followed this with a 7-0 home win over Barnes on 3.12.81.
In the third round they were drawn at home to Royal Engineers. On 20 December 1881 Royal Engineers ran out 2-0 winners, claiming our baton for the third time as team 12 on the list.

1880

In the third round of the 1879 -80 FA Cup (24.1.80) Old Etonians defeated Wanderers 3-1. 
In the next round they won 5-1 against a team called West End. 
On 21st February their reign came to an end as Clapham Rovers beat them 1-0, becoming team 10 on our list.
Clapham were founded in 1869 and had taken part in the very first FA Cup tournament.

Clapham Rovers then recieved a bye in the semi final.


1880 Final.
Clapham Rovers beat Oxford University 1-0 at The Oval on 10.4.80 in front of 6000 spectators. The winning goal was scored in the 84th minute by the splendidly named Clopton Lloyd-Jones. Major Francis Marindin refereed the match.


On the 13th November 1880 Clapham Rovers began their defence of the Cup in splendid style, beating Finchley 15-0.
They received a bye in the second round.

1879

In the third round on 11th January 1879 Old Etonians beat the mysteriously named Minerva 5-2.
There then followed an epic tie with Darwen. Old Etonians needed 2 replays to overcome their Lancashire opponents, the scores being 5-5 (February 13th), 2-2 (March 8th) and 6-2 (March 15th). Strangely all three games seem to have been home ties for Etonians. 
Nottingham Forest awaited them in the semi final on 22nd March, Old Etonians winning 2-1.


1879 Final
Old Etonians met Clapham Rovers at The Oval on  29th March .
Kinnaird played in his 6th final. Alcock was the referee. The match was reportedly a poor one, Old Etonians winning 1-0. 





Old Etonians got a walkover against Barnes in the first round of the 1879-80 competition, followed by a bye in the second round.

10.11.12

1878

Following a 1-1 draw with Barnes on 12th January 1878 Wanderers won the replay 4-1 a fortnight later. In the fourth round the met Sheffield FC, the northern pioneers who had come into the Football Association fold the previous year having developed, followed and promoted their own code of rules for twenty years. Wanderers beat 'the oldest football club in the world' 3-0 and received a bye in the semi finals. 

 1878 Final

4500 people attended The Oval for what was a replay of the first ever final. The splendidly named Segar Bastard of Upton Park was the referee. Kinnaird, the only non- Englishman on the pitch, captained the Wanderers to a comfortable 3-1 victory. 
According to the original rules of the Football Association Challenge Cup Wanderers were now entitilesd to keep the trphy, having won it three years in a row. They waived this right on the condition that no other team would keep the trophy if they should repeat the feat. 


How could Wanderers follow the glory of winning their third consecutive final? Football- bloody hell. November 9th 1878- Wanderers 2, Old Etonians 7. Old Etonians become team 9 on our list.
In the second round they beat Reading 1-0 away (18.12.78).

1877

Wanderers kicked off 1877 with a 3-0 victory over Pilgrims watched by a crowd of 4000 on 20th January.
A fourth round bye gave them a semi final with Cambridge University, who they beat 1-0 on 20th March.
This put them through to the final, in which they played Oxford University.

1877 Final
 Mr Sidney Havell Wright (Great Marlow F.C.) presided over the usual ingredients: The Oval,  Kinnaird, 3000  spectators.
Contoversy! With the score at 0-0 , Kinnaird (playing in goal for Wanderers) carried the ball over the line for an own goal.  Wanderers equalized with 4 minutes remaining and went on to win 2-1 in extra time. A great tradition of football history is that Kinnaird then used his influence to have his own goal excised from the records.  

In a competition that was expanding with every season Wanderers began the 1877-78 campaign with a handsome 9-1 win over Panthers on 7.11.77. They followed this up with a trip to High Wycombe where they won 9-0 on 15.12.77.

1876

The third round of the FA Cup on 29th January 1876 saw Royal Engineers defeated 3-1 by Swifts. The Slough based club therefore become team 6 on our list. 
Their tenure was brief, however, as in the semi-final on 26.2.76 they were beaten 2-1 by Wanderers.


1876 Final

Wanderers began their second reign with a final against Old Etonians on 11.3.76. The Oval was the venue, Mr. W.S. Buchanan (Clapham Rovers) took charge and a crowd of 3500 was recorded. 
Kinnaird was in the Old Etonians' side. Wanderers took a 35th minute lead through John Hawley Edwards, who played internationals for both Wales and England. The match finished 1-1.
Again Old Etonians found themselves somewhat hampered in the replay on 18.3.76 by players being absent due to prior commitments. The match ended  3–0 to the Wanderers, with Thomas Hughes getting 2, the first time a player had scored more than one goal in a final.

The first round of the 1876–77 Cup saw Wanderers given a walkover against Saffron Walden Town. On 16.12.76 a bumper crowd of 3,721 witnessed their 6-0 demolition of Southall in round 2.