1972–73 FA Cup

1972–73 FA Cup
Country England
Champions Sunderland
Runner-up Leeds United
← 1971–72 1973–74 →

The 1972–73 FA Cup was the 92nd season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Second Division Sunderland won the competition for the second and (as of 2008) final time, beating Leeds United 1–0 in the final at Wembley, London with a goal from Ian Porterfield.

Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. Some matches, however, might be rescheduled for the Sunday or other days if there were clashes with games for other competitions or the weather was inclement. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If the replayed match was drawn further replays would be held until a winner was determined. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played.

Contents

Calendar

Round Date
Preliminary Round Saturday 2 September 1972
First Round Qualifying Saturday 16 September 1972
Second Round Qualifying Saturday 7 October 1972
Third Round Qualifying Saturday 21 October 1972
Fourth Round Qualifying Saturday 4 November 1972
First Round Proper Saturday 18 November 1972
Second Round Proper Saturday 9 December 1972
Third Round Proper Saturday 13 January 1973
Fourth Round Proper Saturday 3 February 1973
Fifth Round Proper Saturday 24 February 1973
Sixth Round Proper Saturday 17 March 1973
Semi-Finals Saturday 7 April 1973
Final Saturday 5 May 1973

Results

First Round Proper

At this stage clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined those non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 18 November 1972. Nine matches were drawn, of which one went to a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Enfield 1–1 Bishop's Stortford 18 November 1972
Replay Bishop's Stortford 1–0 Enfield 21 November 1972
2 Chesterfield 4–2 Rhyl 18 November 1972
3 Darlington 1–1 Wrexham 18 November 1972
Replay Wrexham 5–0 Darlington 22 November 1972
4 Hartlepool 0–0 Scunthorpe United 18 November 1972
Replay Scunthorpe United 0–0 Hartlepool 21 November 1972
Replay Hartlepool 1–2 Scunthorpe United 27 November 1972
5 Bournemouth 5–1 Cambridge United 18 November 1972
6 Banbury United 0–2 Barnet 18 November 1972
7 Rochdale 1–2 Bangor City 18 November 1972
8 Tonbridge 0–5 Charlton Athletic 18 November 1972
9 Watford 4–2 Guildford City 18 November 1972
10 Yeovil Town 2–1 Brentford 18 November 1972
11 Walsall 3–3 Kettering Town 18 November 1972
Replay Kettering Town 1–2 Walsall 22 November 1972
12 Gillingham 1–2 Reading 18 November 1972
13 Bolton Wanderers 1–1 Chester 18 November 1972
Replay Chester 0–1 Bolton Wanderers 22 November 1972
14 Grimsby Town 2–1 Wigan Athletic 18 November 1972
15 Crewe Alexandra 1–0 Stafford Rangers 18 November 1972
16 Lincoln City 2–2 Blackburn Rovers 18 November 1972
Replay Blackburn Rovers 4–1 Lincoln City 27 November 1972
17 Doncaster Rovers 3–1 Bury 18 November 1972
18 Stockport County 1–0 Workington 18 November 1972
19 Barnsley 1–1 Halifax Town 18 November 1972
Replay Halifax Town 2–1 Barnsley 21 November 1972
20 South Liverpool 0–2 Tranmere Rovers 18 November 1972
21 Plymouth Argyle 1–0 Hendon 18 November 1972
22 Bradford City 3–0 Grantham 18 November 1972
23 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Scarborough 18 November 1972
Replay Scarborough 2–1 Oldham Athletic 22 November 1972
24 Spennymoor United 1–1 Shrewsbury Town 18 November 1972
Replay Shrewsbury Town 3–1 Spennymoor United 21 November 1972
25 Altrincham 0–1 Notts County 18 November 1972
26 Southend United 0–2 Aldershot 18 November 1972
27 Port Vale 2–1 Southport 18 November 1972
28 Newport County 5–1 Alton Town 18 November 1972
29 Margate 1–0 Swansea City 18 November 1972
30 Torquay United 3–0 Hereford United 18 November 1972
31 York City 2–1 Mansfield Town 18 November 1972
32 Rotherham United 4–0 South Shields 18 November 1972
33 Hayes 1–0 Bristol Rovers 18 November 1972
34 Boston United 1–2 Lancaster City 18 November 1972
35 Peterborough United 1–0 Northampton Town 18 November 1972
36 Colchester United 6–0 Bognor Regis Town 18 November 1972
37 Chelmsford City 2–0 Hillingdon Borough 18 November 1972
38 Walton & Hersham 2–1 Exeter City 18 November 1972
39 Barnstaple Town 0–2 Bilston 18 November 1972
40 Telford United 3–2 Nuneaton Borough 18 November 1972

Second Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 9 December 1972, with the exception of the Walsall–Charlton Athletic game which was played three days later. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Bournemouth 0–0 Colchester United 9 December 1972
Replay Colchester United 0–2 Bournemouth 11 December 1972
2 Barnet 1–1 Bilston 9 December 1972
Replay Bilston 0–1 Barnet 12 December 1972
3 Watford 2–0 Aldershot 9 December 1972
4 Yeovil Town 0–2 Plymouth Argyle 9 December 1972
5 Reading 0–0 Hayes 9 December 1972
Replay Hayes 0–1 Reading 12 December 1972
6 Walsall 1–2 Charlton Athletic 12 December 1972
7 Notts County 2–1 Lancaster City 9 December 1972
8 Blackburn Rovers 0–1 Crewe Alexandra 9 December 1972
9 Bolton Wanderers 3–0 Shrewsbury Town 9 December 1972
10 Grimsby Town 2–2 Chesterfield 9 December 1972
Replay Chesterfield 0–1 Grimsby Town 13 December 1972
11 Scarborough 1–2 Doncaster Rovers 9 December 1972
12 Bangor City 2–3 York City 9 December 1972
13 Bradford City 2–1 Tranmere Rovers 9 December 1972
14 Scunthorpe United 3–2 Halifax Town 9 December 1972
15 Port Vale 1–0 Wrexham 9 December 1972
16 Torquay United 0–1 Newport County 9 December 1972
17 Bishop's Stortford 2–2 Peterborough United 9 December 1972
Replay Peterborough United 3–1 Bishop's Stortford 11 December 1972
18 Rotherham United 0–1 Stockport County 9 December 1972
19 Chelmsford City 5–0 Telford United 9 December 1972
20 Walton & Hersham 0–1 Margate 9 December 1972

Third Round Proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 13 January 1973, with the exception of the Reading–Doncaster Rovers game, which was played on the following Wednesday. Eleven matches were drawn, of which two required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Burnley 0–0 Liverpool 13 January 1973
Replay Liverpool 3–0 Burnley 16 January 1973
2 Watford 0–1 Sheffield United 13 January 1973
3 Reading 2–0 Doncaster Rovers 17 January 1973
4 Notts County 1–1 Sunderland 13 January 1973
Replay Sunderland 2–0 Notts County 16 January 1973
5 Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 Fulham 13 January 1973
6 Grimsby Town 0–0 Preston North End 13 January 1973
Replay Preston North End 0–1 Grimsby Town 15 January 1973
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Manchester United 13 January 1973
8 West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Nottingham Forest 13 January 1973
Replay Nottingham Forest 0–0 West Bromwich Albion 22 January 1973
Replay West Bromwich Albion 3–1 Nottingham Forest 29 January 1973
9 Luton Town 2–0 Crewe Alexandra 13 January 1973
10 Everton 3–2 Aston Villa 13 January 1973
11 Swindon Town 2–0 Birmingham City 13 January 1973
12 Stockport County 0–0 Hull City 13 January 1973
Replay Hull City 2–0 Stockport County 23 January 1973
13 Newcastle United 2–0 Bournemouth 13 January 1973
14 Manchester City 3–2 Stoke City 13 January 1973
15 Queens Park Rangers 0–0 Barnet 13 January 1973
Replay Barnet 0–3 Queens Park Rangers 16 January 1973
16 Portsmouth 1–1 Bristol City 13 January 1973
Replay Bristol City 4–1 Portsmouth 16 January 1973
17 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–2 Chelsea 13 January 1973
18 Norwich City 1–1 Leeds United 13 January 1973
Replay Leeds United 1–1 Norwich City 17 January 1973
Replay Norwich City 0–5 Leeds United 29 January 1973
19 Plymouth Argyle 1–0 Middlesbrough 13 January 1973
20 Bradford City 2–1 Blackpool 13 January 1973
21 Millwall 3–0 Newport County 13 January 1973
22 Carlisle United 2–2 Huddersfield Town 13 January 1973
Replay Huddersfield Town 0–1 Carlisle United 16 January 1973
23 Crystal Palace 2–0 Southampton 13 January 1973
24 Scunthorpe United 2–3 Cardiff City 13 January 1973
25 Port Vale 0–1 West Ham United 13 January 1973
26 Margate 0–6 Tottenham Hotspur 13 January 1973
27 Charlton Athletic 1–1 Bolton Wanderers 13 January 1973
Replay Bolton Wanderers 4–0 Charlton Athletic 17 January 1973
28 Arsenal 2–2 Leicester City 13 January 1973
Replay Leicester City 1–2 Arsenal 17 January 1973
29 York City 0–1 Oxford United 13 January 1973
30 Peterborough United 0–1 Derby County 13 January 1973
31 Chelmsford City 1–3 Ipswich Town 13 January 1973
32 Orient 1–4 Coventry City 13 January 1973

Fourth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 3 February 1973. Five matches were drawn, of which two required a second replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Liverpool 0–0 Manchester City 3 February 1973
Replay Manchester City 2–0 Liverpool 7 February 1973
2 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Crystal Palace 3 February 1973
Replay Crystal Palace 1–1 Sheffield Wednesday 6 February 1973
Replay Sheffield Wednesday 3–2 Crystal Palace 19 February 1973
3 Bolton Wanderers 2–2 Cardiff City 3 February 1973
Replay Cardiff City 1–1 Bolton Wanderers 7 February 1973
Replay Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Cardiff City 12 February 1973
4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Bristol City 3 February 1973
5 West Bromwich Albion 2–0 Swindon Town 3 February 1973
6 Sunderland 1–1 Reading 3 February 1973
Replay Reading 1–3 Sunderland 7 February 1973
7 Derby County 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur 3 February 1973
Replay Tottenham Hotspur 3–5 Derby County 7 February 1973
8 Everton 0–2 Millwall 3 February 1973
9 Newcastle United 0–2 Luton Town 3 February 1973
10 Coventry City 1–0 Grimsby Town 3 February 1973
11 Hull City 1–0 West Ham United 3 February 1973
12 Carlisle United 2–1 Sheffield United 3 February 1973
13 Chelsea 2–0 Ipswich Town 3 February 1973
14 Arsenal 2–0 Bradford City 3 February 1973
15 Leeds United 2–1 Plymouth Argyle 3 February 1973
16 Oxford United 0–2 Queens Park Rangers 3 February 1973

Fifth Round Proper

The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 24 February 1973 with one replay played three days later.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Sheffield Wednesday 1–2 Chelsea 24 February 1973
2 Bolton Wanderers 0–1 Luton Town 24 February 1973
3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Millwall 24 February 1973
4 Derby County 4–2 Queens Park Rangers 24 February 1973
5 Manchester City 2–2 Sunderland 24 February 1973
Replay Sunderland 3–1 Manchester City 27 February 1973
6 Coventry City 3–0 Hull City 24 February 1973
7 Carlisle United 1–2 Arsenal 24 February 1973
8 Leeds United 2–0 West Bromwich Albion 24 February 1973

Sixth Round Proper

The four quarter-final ties were played on the 17 March 1973. There was one replay three days later.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Coventry City 17 March 1973
2 Sunderland 2–0 Luton Town 17 March 1973
3 Derby County 0–1 Leeds United 17 March 1973
4 Chelsea 2–2 Arsenal 17 March 1973
Replay Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea 20 March 1973

Semi-Finals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 7 April 1973 with no replays being needed. Sunderland and Leeds United won their respective matches to go on to the final at Wembley.

7 April 1973
15:00
 Sunderland 2–1 Arsenal Hillsborough, Sheffield
Referee: David Smith
Halom
Hughes		 Report George
7 April 1973
15:00
 Leeds United 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Maine Road, Manchester
Referee: Pat Partridge, County Durham
Bremner  70' Report

Final

Main article: 1973 FA Cup Final

The final took place on Saturday, 5 May 1973 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Sunderland over Leeds United by one goal to nil. The attendance was 100,000.

5 May 1973
15:00 BST
 Leeds United 0 – 1 Sunderland Wembley, London
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ken Burns (Worcestershire)
Porterfield  31'
Leeds United
Sunderland

References

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