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).