1875

The third round on 30.1.75 saw Oxford University again defeat Wanderers, 2-1.
This set them up for a semi final with Royal Engineers. The game on 27.2.75 ended 1-1, and the replay on 5.3.75 saw Royal Engineers win by the only goal of the match. Thus the baton passed to them for a second time.

1875 Final

'The Sappers' reward was a final against Old Etonians at The Oval on 13.3. 75. Old Etonians had Kinnaird and Ottaway in their XI (it was Ottaway's last ever game- he was injured after 37 minutes). After 30 minutes of extra time the match ended 1-1. It was the last time that the rule of changing ends after a goal was used.

The replay, also at The Oval 3 days later, saw the Old Etonians turning up an hour late as they struggled to make up a side. Royal Engineers (without the services of Major Marindin, who was abroad on duty) won 2-0.  Henry Renny-Tailyour  scored in both matches.  Mr Charles Alcock served as referee in both of these fixtures.

Royal Engineers began their defence of the Cup in style, beating High Wycombe 15–0 on 10.11.75. The second round saw Royal Engineers progress via a walkover against Panthers.

1874

On 31st  January 1874 Oxford University defeated Wanderers in the replay of their third round tie. This was Wanderers first ever defeat in an FA Cup match.  Oxford University therefore become team 5 on our list.  
In the semi final at The Oval on 28.2.74 Oxford University beat Clapham Rovers 1-0, setting up a final with the Royal Engineers.

1874 Final  

Royal Engineers prepared for the final. This was an innovation that was not universally approved of. Mr Stair appeared in his third consecutive final as referee and Robert Vidal (who had played for Wanderers in 1872) in his third as a player. Francis Marindin, now a Major, made his second Cup Final appearance as a player. Oxford were captained by Cuthbert Ottaway.

The University were two goals up after 20 minutes. They appeared to score a third, but in those days the players had to appeal for a decision, as in cricket. The umpire received no appeal so did not award the goal.


Oxford University began their defence of the Cup on 31.10.74 with a 6-0 win over Brondesbury. In the second round they recieved a walkover courtesy of Windsor Home Park. 

1873

The FA Cup was conceived as a challenge cup. Therefore, the season after winning the inaugural edition, Wanderers were given a bye to the final (which was to be played at a venue of their choice) and the rest of the teams fought it out for the right to 'challenge' them.
So Wanderers' next FA Cup match was the second final.

1873 Final

On 29th March 1873 3000 people saw Wanderers beat Oxford University 2-0 at Lillie Bridge Athletic Ground (Earls Court). Mr Stair refereed again.

 The Oxford team was exclusively English and featured Cuthbert Ottaway, England's first international captain. Wanderers fielded 7 Englishmen, 2 Scots an Irishman and an American. Their opening goal was scored by Arthur Kinnaird- the beginning of a long association with the Cup final. 

The 'challenge' notion was ditched for the third edition of the Cup, and Wanderers entered the first round draw along with 27 other teams.

In the first two rounds they had  walkovers against Southall and Trojans. 

They first time they were called into action was in the third round on 6th December 1873. Their opponents were Oxford University again, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. 

1872

The odd number of teams in the FA Cup was always going to produce some headscratching. Even with an array of byes and walkovers Crystal Palace now joined 4 other teams in the quarter finals. Queen's Park were, again, given a bye, which meant that there would be 3 teams in the semi finals! However, fortune intervened.

On 20th January 1872 Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with Wanderers, and to produce the 4 teams necessary for a semi final stage, the replay was passed over and both teams advanced. This was the second time that Crystal Palace had benefited from this.

17.2.72 saw Crystal Palace draw 0-0 with Royal Engineers in front of a 2,000 crowd at The Oval.
The replay on 9.3.72 saw them lose 3-0. Royal Engineers thus become team 3.

1872 Final

The first ever FA Cup final was played on 16th March 1872 at Kennington Oval between Royal Engineers and Wanderers. The officials were: Referee: Alfred Stair (Upton Park), assistants  J.H Giffard and K Kirkpatrick. 
A crowd of 2000 saw Wanderers win 1-0. Wanderers fielded 10 Englishmen and an Irishman and were captained by the competition's originator, Charlie Alcock. Their goal was scored by Monty Betts in the 15th minute. 
Engineers were made up of 9 Englishmen and 2 Scots. The side included Capt. Francis Marindin and  Lieut. Henry Renny-Tailyour.
In winning the first FA Cup final Wanderers become team 4 on our list.

1871

 Maidenhead Football Club was formed in October 1870. They still exist today, playing in the sixth tier of the English league system. Their ground is  acknowledged as being the oldest continually used football ground in the world.
Their opponents on 11.11.71 were Marlow F.C. Marlow are still around today. They are in the ninth  tier of the English league system. Both Maidenhead and Marlow have only missed one season in the history of the FA Cup.
A crowd of  1,287 saw home team maidenhead prevail in this cup tie. The scorers are unknown. Maidenhead therefore become team 1 in our list.

The second round, played on 16th December 1871 saw Maidenhead drawn away to Crystal Palace. This team of Hyde Park gardeners based at the site of The Great Exhibition had no connection with the current second tier league side of the same name. The club was founded in 1861 and dissolved in 1876.  They were one of the 12 founder members of the Football Association.
All we know of the match on 16.12.71 is the venue (Crystal Palace) and the score- 3-0, which passes the baton onto Crystal Palace (#1) as team 2.

To begin...

This is an attempt to trace the history of the oldest and greatest club competition in Association Football using a principle similar to that of Nasazzi's Baton. 
We will look at how this imaginary honour has passed from club to club during the 141 year history of the Football Association Challenge Cup. I know that we will reach Chelsea at the end, and that the list will include every cup winning side, but let's see where we go in between finals.
The biggest dilemma faced is where to begin.
There were 7 matches scheduled for November 11th 1871, only 4 of which took place. 
I am not aware of the kick- off times of these matches, but as it was a Saturday in winter time let us assume a 14:30 kick off in all 4 matches.
So, what do we know about the games themselves? The first goal was scored by Jarvis Kenrick of  Clapham Rovers, 2 days before his 19th birthday- this fact tempted me to start the ball rolling with Clapham Rovers, but I then decided that the most fitting way to begin our 141 year adventure was to take the names of the 8 teams who actually played football on that Saturday and draw them out of a hat (well, a plastic pot). 
And the name that came out first was Maidenhead...