FA Cup 1874-75

FA Cup 1874-75
Region	England
Number of teams	29
Champions	Royal Engineers
Runner-up	Old Etonians
Total matches played	31
Total goals scored	90 (2.9 per match)
← 1873-74	1875-76 →

The 1874-75 FA Cup was the fourth season of England's oldest football tournament, the Football Association Challenge Cup or "FA Cup". 29 teams entered, one more than the previous season, although four of the 29 never played a match. The final was contested by Royal Engineers – playing in their third final in the four seasons of the FA Cup – and Old Etonians – playing in their first final. On their way to the final, Royal Engineers knocked out Cambridge University in the Second Round and holders Oxford University in the Semi-finals, while Old Etonians only managed to score more than one goal in one match: their second replay against Swifts, which they won 3–0. The biggest win of the competition was recorded by two-time FA Cup winners Wanderers, who beat Farningham 16–0 in the First Round.

In the final, played on 13 March 1875, Old Etonians forced a replay against Royal Engineers, with the two sides playing out a 1–1 draw. The replay was played three days later, when goals from Henry Renny-Tailyour and William Stafford secured a 2–0 win for Royal Engineers.

First round

All 29 teams entered the competition at the First Round stage. However, due to the odd number of entrants, Reigate Priory were given a bye to the Second Round. Three teams – Civil Service, Windsor Home Park and Shropshire Wanderers – were also awarded walkovers. Three of the ties finished as draws and went to replays; of these, one had to be decided by a second replay. The biggest win in the competition came at this stage with Wanderers' 16–0 win over Farningham.

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
14 November 1874	Southall	0–0	Leyton	650
14 November 1874	Hitchin	0–1	Maidenhead	750
7 November 1874	Royal Engineers	3–0	Marlow	2,376
7 November 1874	Clapham Rovers	3–0	Panthers	2,848
	Reigate Priory	Bye
	Civil Service	Walkover	Harrow Chequers
24 October 1874	Upton Park	0–3	Barnes	1,500
31 October 1874	Wanderers	16–0	Farningham	1,925
31 October 1874	Oxford University	6–0	Brondesbury	1,163
	Windsor Home Park	Walkover	Uxbridge
5 November 1874	Old Etonians	0–0	Swifts	700
	Shropshire Wanderers	Walkover	Sheffield
31 October 1874	Woodford Wells	1–0	High Wycombe	600
10 October 1874	Pilgrims	3–1	South Norwood	700
14 November 1874	Cambridge University	0–0	Crystal Palace	500

Replays

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
28 November 1874	Leyton	0–5	Southall	600
14 November 1874	Swifts	1–1	Old Etonians	750
26 November 1874	Old Etonians	3–0	Swifts	700
21 November 1874	Cambridge University	2–1	Crystal Palace	500

Second round

The 15 teams that progressed from the First Round took part in the Second Round. Due to the odd number of teams, Old Etonians were given a bye to the Third Round. Oxford University were awarded a walkover in their tie against Windsor Home Park. In all but one of the fixtures, the losing teams failed to score. Two matches saw the biggest win of the round: both Royal Engineers and Wanderers beat their respective opponents 5–0. None of the ties required replays.

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
5 December 1874	Royal Engineers	5–0	Cambridge University	2,500
5 December 1874	Maidenhead	2–1	Reigate Priory	1,377
5 December 1874	Clapham Rovers	2–0	Pilgrims	3,000
21 November 1874	Wanderers	5–0	Barnes	2,000
	Oxford University	Walkover	Windsor Home Park
	Old Etonians	Bye
14 November 1874	Shropshire Wanderers	1–0	Civil Service	700
5 December 1874	Woodford Wells	3–0	Southall	600

Third round

The eight teams that progressed from the Second Round took part in the Third Round. There was no need for any team to be given a bye to the next round, and there were no walkovers. Only one tie required a replay, in which Shropshire Wanderers recorded the biggest win of the round: a 2–0 win over Woodford Wells.

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
30 January 1875	Royal Engineers	3–2	Clapham Rovers	2,500
30 January 1875	Wanderers	1–2	Oxford University	2,000
23 January 1875	Old Etonians	1–0	Maidenhead	700
23 January 1875	Shropshire Wanderers	1–1	Woodford Wells	700

Replay

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
6 February 1875	Woodford Wells	0–2	Shropshire Wanderers	600

Semi-finals

The four winning teams from the Third Round took part in the Semi-finals. Old Etonians beat Shropshire Wanderers at the first attempt, but Royal Engineers required a replay to beat Oxford University after a 1–1 draw; they won the replay 1–0.

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
27 February 1875	Royal Engineers	1–1	Oxford University	2,500
27 February 1875	Old Etonians	1–0	Shropshire Wanderers	700

Replay

Date	Home	Score	Away	Attendance
5 March 1875	Royal Engineers	1–0	Oxford University	2,500

Final

The 1875 FA Cup Final was played on 13 March 1875 between Royal Engineers and Old Etonians at Kennington Oval in London. The match was refereed by cup founder C. W. Alcock of Wanderers F.C. It finished as a 1–1 draw, with goals from Henry Renny-Tailyour for Royal Engineers and Alexander Bonsor for Old Etonians, which meant that there would have to be a replay.

13 March 1875	Royal Engineers	1–1	Old Etonians	Kennington Oval, London Attendance: 2,000 Referee: C. W. Alcock (Wanderers F.C.)
	Renny-Tailyour		Bonsor

Replay

The replay was played three days later, also at Kennington Oval and refereed by C. W. Alcock. Goals from Henry Renny-Tailyour and William Stafford gave Royal Engineers a 2–0 win and their first FA Cup title in three attempts.

16 March 1875	Royal Engineers	2–0	Old Etonians	Kennington Oval, London Attendance: 3,000 Referee: C. W. Alcock (Wanderers F.C.)
	Renny-Tailyour Stafford