FA Amateur Cup
Encyclopedia
The FA Amateur Cup was an English
football
competition for amateur clubs. It commenced in 1893 and ended in 1974 when The Football Association
abolished official amateur status.
Following the legalisation of professionalism within football, professional teams quickly came to dominate the sport's main national knock-out tournament
, the FA Cup
. In response to this, the committee of the country's oldest club, Sheffield F.C.
, suggested in 1892 the organisation of a separate national cup solely for amateur teams, and even offered to pay for the trophy itself. The Football Association
(the FA) declined the club's offer, but a year later decided to organise just such a competition. N.L. Jackson of Corinthian F.C. was appointed chairman of the Amateur Cup sub-committee and arranged for the purchase of a trophy valued at £30.00, and the first tournament took place during the 1893–94 season
. The entrants included 12 clubs representing the old boy
s of leading public schools, and Old Carthusians
, the team for former pupils of Charterhouse School
, won the first final, defeating Casuals
. The old boy teams competed in the Amateur Cup until 1902, when disputes with the FA led to the formation of the Arthur Dunn Cup, a dedicated competition for such teams.
The Amateur Cup ended in 1974 when the FA abolished the distinction between professional and amateur clubs. The strongest amateur teams instead entered the FA Trophy
, which had been set up five years earlier to cater for those teams outside The Football League
which were professional rather than amateur. A new competition, the FA Vase
, was set up to cater for the remaining amateur clubs, and was generally regarded as a direct replacement for the old competition.
Matches in the Amateur Cup were played at the home ground of one of the two teams, as decided when the matches are drawn. Occasionally games were moved to other grounds. In the event of a draw, the replay
was played at the ground of the team who originally played away from home. The second replay, and any further replays, were usually played at neutral grounds.
The final was held at various grounds in the early years of the competition, with a venue located somewhere in between the home towns of the two participating clubs usually chosen. After the Second World War the final moved to Wembley Stadium, and was played there every year until the competition ended. In the 1950s attendances for the final reached 100,000, comparable to the FA Cup final itself.
, based in London
and the Home Counties
, or the Northern League
, based in North East England
, with Bishop Auckland
the most successful club with 10 wins. Amateur Cup winners who later turned professional and gained entry to The Football League include Middlesbrough
, West Hartlepool
(merged to form Hartlepool United
), Wimbledon
, Wycombe Wanderers
and Barnet
.
Thirty-six different clubs won the cup. The following clubs won the tournament more than once:
}||align=center|5
|-
|Crook Town
||Northern League
||align=center|5
|-
|Dulwich Hamlet
||Isthmian League
||align=center|4
|-
|Bromley
||Isthmian League
/Athenian League
||align=center|3
|-
|Hendon
||Isthmian League
/Athenian League
||align=center|3
|-
|Leytonstone
||Isthmian League
||align=center|3
|-
|Stockton
||Northern League
||align=center|3
|-
|Enfield
||Isthmian League
||align=center|2
|-
|Ilford
||Isthmian League
||align=center|2
|-
|Leyton
||Athenian League
||align=center|2
|-
|Middlesbrough
||Northern League
||align=center|2
|-
|Old Carthusians
||none ||align=center|2
|-
|Pegasus||none ||align=center|2
|-
|Walthamstow Avenue
||Isthmian League
||align=center|2
|}
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition for amateur clubs. It commenced in 1893 and ended in 1974 when The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
abolished official amateur status.
History
Elimination tournament
Elimination tournament may refer to any of several types of tournament in which each player has a set number of loses before elimination from the competition.*Single-elimination tournament, in which a player is eliminated after losing to a single opponent...
, the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. In response to this, the committee of the country's oldest club, Sheffield F.C.
Sheffield F.C.
Sheffield Football Club is an English football club from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The club is most noted for the fact that they are the world's oldest club now playing Association football, founded in 1857...
, suggested in 1892 the organisation of a separate national cup solely for amateur teams, and even offered to pay for the trophy itself. The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
(the FA) declined the club's offer, but a year later decided to organise just such a competition. N.L. Jackson of Corinthian F.C. was appointed chairman of the Amateur Cup sub-committee and arranged for the purchase of a trophy valued at £30.00, and the first tournament took place during the 1893–94 season
1893-94 in English football
The 1893–94 season was the 23rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The 1893–94 season saw four of the most famous teams in English Footballing history join the Second Division: Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester City, and the first team based in London, Woolwich Arsenal...
. The entrants included 12 clubs representing the old boy
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
s of leading public schools, and Old Carthusians
Old Carthusians F.C.
Old Carthusians Football Club is an association football club whose players are former pupils of Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, England...
, the team for former pupils of Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, won the first final, defeating Casuals
Casuals F.C.
Casuals F.C. were an amateur football club based in London, formed in 1878.They were founder members of the Isthmian League in 1905 and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1936....
. The old boy teams competed in the Amateur Cup until 1902, when disputes with the FA led to the formation of the Arthur Dunn Cup, a dedicated competition for such teams.
The Amateur Cup ended in 1974 when the FA abolished the distinction between professional and amateur clubs. The strongest amateur teams instead entered the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
, which had been set up five years earlier to cater for those teams outside The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
which were professional rather than amateur. A new competition, the FA Vase
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
, was set up to cater for the remaining amateur clubs, and was generally regarded as a direct replacement for the old competition.
Structure
The first tournament attracted 81 entrants, with three qualifying rounds used to reduce the number down to 32 for the first round proper. For the following season, the previous season's semi-finalists joined at the first round proper along with other leading clubs chosen by the FA, with the numbers made up by teams progressing through the qualfying rounds. This remained the standard format until 1907, when the number of entrants to the first round was doubled to 64 and the number of rounds prior to the semi-finals increased to four. The competition continued under this format until it was discontinued in 1974.Venues
Replay
Replay may refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
was played at the ground of the team who originally played away from home. The second replay, and any further replays, were usually played at neutral grounds.
The final was held at various grounds in the early years of the competition, with a venue located somewhere in between the home towns of the two participating clubs usually chosen. After the Second World War the final moved to Wembley Stadium, and was played there every year until the competition ended. In the 1950s attendances for the final reached 100,000, comparable to the FA Cup final itself.
Winners and finalists
Almost all of the winners over the years were from either the Isthmian LeagueIsthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
, based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the Home Counties
Home Counties
The home counties is a term which refers to the counties of South East England and the East of England which border London, but do not include the capital city itself...
, or the Northern League
Northern League (football)
The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League....
, based in North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, with Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland F.C.
Bishop Auckland Football Club are an English football team based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. They are one of the most successful amateur sides, having won the old FA Amateur Cup on 10 occasions , and losing finalists on a further 8. They currently play in the Northern League Division One. ...
the most successful club with 10 wins. Amateur Cup winners who later turned professional and gained entry to The Football League include Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool F.C.
West Hartlepool Amateur Football & Athletic Company Limited was an English football club formed in 1881. The club played in amber and black halved shirts, black shorts, and black socks...
(merged to form Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
), Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
and Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
.
Thirty-six different clubs won the cup. The following clubs won the tournament more than once:
| Club | League | Number of wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland F.C. Bishop Auckland Football Club are an English football team based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. They are one of the most successful amateur sides, having won the old FA Amateur Cup on 10 occasions , and losing finalists on a further 8. They currently play in the Northern League Division One. ... |
Northern League Northern League (football) The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League.... |
10 |
| Clapton Clapton F.C. Clapton F.C. is an English association football club, who play in Forest Gate, in the London Borough of Newham, England.Founded by W.R. Davis at a meeting in his father's house at 11 Queensdown Road, Clapton in August 0f 1877. Downs F.C. started playing on Hackney Downs. They changed their name a... |
|-
|Crook Town
Crook Town F.C.
Crook Town Association Football Club is an English football club based in Crook, County Durham. The club are currently members of Division Two of the Northern League and play at the Sir Tom Cowie Millfield. The club won the FA Amateur Cup five times during its history.-History:Crook Town Football...
||Northern League
Northern League (football)
The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League....
||align=center|5
|-
|Dulwich Hamlet
Dulwich Hamlet F.C.
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
||align=center|4
|-
|Bromley
Bromley F.C.
Bromley Football Club are an English football club based in Bromley, in Greater London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at Hayes Lane.-Early years:...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
/Athenian League
Athenian League
The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was formed in 1912 with ten clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined...
||align=center|3
|-
|Hendon
Hendon F.C.
Hendon Football Club are an English football club based in Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division.In the 2003-04 season they finished fourth in the Isthmian League Premier Division...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
/Athenian League
Athenian League
The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was formed in 1912 with ten clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined...
||align=center|3
|-
|Leytonstone
Leytonstone F.C.
Leytonstone F.C. was an English football club based in Leytonstone, Greater London. Founded in 1886, the club ceased to exist in 1979 when it merged with Ilford to form Leytonstone-Ilford, which later became Redbridge Forest after also absorbing Walthamstow Avenue...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
||align=center|3
|-
|Stockton
Stockton F.C.
Stockton F.C. was an English football club based in Stockton-on-Tees. The club were known as 'The Ancients' because of their long-standing presence in the town. Their traditional colours were red and black quartered shirts with white shorts.-History:...
||Northern League
Northern League (football)
The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League....
||align=center|3
|-
|Enfield
Enfield F.C.
Enfield F.C. is a football club, formed in June 2007 after Enfield F.C. ceased to exist....
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
||align=center|2
|-
|Ilford
Ilford F.C.
Ilford F.C. is a London football club based in Ilford, in Greater London founded in 1987.There was an earlier famous non-league club of the same name, founded in 1881. In 1979, it merged with Leytonstone to...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
||align=center|2
|-
|Leyton
Leyton F.C.
Leyton Football Club are an English association football club based in Leyton, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. As of January 2011, they are not in a senior league, after withdrawing from the Isthmian League Division One North...
||Athenian League
Athenian League
The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was formed in 1912 with ten clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined...
||align=center|2
|-
|Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
||Northern League
Northern League (football)
The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League....
||align=center|2
|-
|Old Carthusians
Old Carthusians F.C.
Old Carthusians Football Club is an association football club whose players are former pupils of Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, England...
||none ||align=center|2
|-
|Pegasus||none ||align=center|2
|-
|Walthamstow Avenue
Walthamstow Avenue F.C.
Walthamstow Avenue Football Club was an English football club based in Walthamstow in London. They played in dark and light blue hooped shirts, and light blue shorts.-History:...
||Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
||align=center|2
|}
- A. Clapton did not play in a league at the time of the club's first Amateur Cup win, but played in the Isthmian League at the time of the remaining four victories.