List of Scottish football clubs in the FA Cup

The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout competition in English association football. It is the oldest football competition in the world, having commenced in 1871.[1] Although the Cup is organised by The Football Association, the governing body of the sport in England, and is open only to clubs playing in FA-affiliated leagues in the modern era, all of which are based in England,[2] a number of teams from Scotland have also entered, primarily in the competition's early years.

The first Scottish club to enter was Queen's Park, who accepted an invitation to take part in the very first competition after a number of the clubs which had originally entered withdrew.[3] The Glasgow team were by far the dominant force in Scottish football, and no other team had even managed to score a goal against them.[4] Because of a combination of byes and the withdrawal of opponents, "Queen's" reached the semi-finals without playing a match, but after holding Wanderers to a draw the Scottish club was forced to withdraw as the funds could not be raised to return for a replay.[3] The following season Queen's entered the competition again and, to ease the travelling expenses required to take part in a competition in which virtually every other team was based in the home counties, were afforded byes all the way to the semi-finals.[3] At this stage the club was drawn against Oxford University, whereupon the Scots withdrew from the competition,[5] although one account states that Queen's in fact beat Oxford only to then withdraw as the team could not afford to travel to London for the final.[3] In 1873, the newly-formed Scottish Football Association launched the Scottish Cup,[6] but Queen's Park continued to enter the FA Cup draw, although for unknown reasons the club withdrew each time without playing.[7][8][9][10][11]

In 1883, Queen's returned to the FA Cup and reached the final, scoring resounding wins over Crewe Alexandra (10–0) and Manchester F.C. (15–0) en route, only to be defeated by Blackburn Rovers.[12] The match against Manchester was the first FA Cup tie to be staged in Scotland, hosted at Titwood, the home of Clydesdale CC.[13] A year later Queens met Blackburn Rovers in the final once again, with the English team again emerging victorious.[14] The 1885–86 competition saw the first participation by other Scottish clubs, as Queen's were joined by Partick Thistle, Third Lanark, Rangers and Heart of Midlothian, although the latter two withdrew without playing a match.[15] These clubs all returned for the 1886–87 competition, along with newcomers Renton and Cowlairs.[16]

In 1887, the Scottish Football Association banned its members from taking any further part in the FA Cup.[17] No more Scottish clubs participated until Gretna F.C. entered the competition in the 1980s. Because the town of Gretna is located extremely close to the border, the local football club had opted to play in the English football league system and by the 1980s had reached the Northern Premier League,[18] making the team eligible to enter the FA Cup. Gretna played in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup for nineteen seasons, making the first round proper twice, until the club joined the Scottish Football League in 2002.[18]

Performance of Scottish clubs by season

Season Club Round reached Notes Ref
1871–72 Queen's Park Semi-finals Reached the semi-finals without playing a match, held Wanderers to a draw, but withdrew rather than play a replay [19]
1872–73 Queen's Park Semi-finals Received byes to the semi-finals but either withdrew immediately or beat Oxford University and then withdrew [3][5]
1876–77 Queen's Park 3rd round Received byes to 3rd round but then withdrew [7]
1879–80 Queen's Park 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [8]
1880–81 Queen's Park 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [9]
1881–82 Queen's Park 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [10]
1882–83 Queen's Park 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [11]
1883–84 Queen's Park Final Defeated in the final by Blackburn Rovers [12]
1884–85 Queen's Park Final Defeated in the final by Blackburn Rovers [14]
1885–86 Queen's Park 2nd round Reached 2nd round but withdrew [15]
1885–86 Third Lanark 2nd round Reached 2nd round but then withdrew [15]
1885–86 Partick Thistle 1st round [15]
1885–86 Heart of Midlothian 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [15]
1885–86 Rangers 1st round Withdrew without playing a match [15]
1886–87 Rangers Semi-finals [16]
1886–87 Partick Thistle 5th round [16]
1886–87 Cowlairs 3rd round [16]
1886–87 Renton 3rd round Defeated holders Blackburn Rovers in 2nd round [16]
1886–87 Third Lanark 2nd round [16]
1886–87 Heart of Midlothian 1st round [16]
1886–87 Queen's Park 1st round [16]
1983–84 Gretna 2nd qualifying round [18]
1984–85 Gretna 3rd qualifying round [18]
1985–86 Gretna 3rd qualifying round [18]
1986–87 Gretna 4th qualifying round [18]
1987–88 Gretna 2nd qualifying round [18]
1988–89 Gretna 2nd qualifying round [18]
1989–90 Gretna 1st qualifying round [18]
1990–91 Gretna 3rd qualifying round [18]
1991–92 Gretna 1st round [18]
1992–93 Gretna 1st qualifying round [18]
1993–94 Gretna 1st round The most recent appearance of a Scottish team in the FA Cup proper [18]
1994–95 Gretna 1st qualifying round [18]
1995–96 Gretna Preliminary round [18]
1996–97 Gretna 1st qualifying round [18]
1997–98 Gretna 3rd qualifying round [18]
1998–99 Gretna 1st qualifying round [18]
1999–00 Gretna 2nd qualifying round [18]
2000–01 Gretna Preliminary round [18]
2001–02 Gretna 2nd qualifying round [18]
2002–03 Gretna 1st qualifying round Withdrew without playing a match [18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Greg Lalas (2008-05-15). "Open up and say ... Ahhhh!". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/greg_lalas/09/04/open.cup/index.html. Retrieved 2007-09-04. 
  2. ^ "Rules of the FA Challenge Cup Competition" (PDF). The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2008-06-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20080625101834/http://www.thefa.com/NR/rdonlyres/EAB1CE14-3F47-4B83-A8EB-B364E6CF8BC0/117862/FACupRules200708.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-15. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Soar, Phil; Martin Tyler. Encyclopedia of British Football. pp. p. 154. 
  4. ^ Soar, Phil; Martin Tyler (1983). Encyclopedia of British Football. Willow Books. pp. p.64. ISBN 0-0021-8049-9. 
  5. ^ a b "FA Cup 1872–73". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216072039/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1872-73.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  6. ^ "Scottish Cup 1873–74". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20080908094238/http://www.fchd.info/cups/scottishcup1873-74.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-14. 
  7. ^ a b "FA Cup 1876–77". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216072059/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1876-77.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  8. ^ a b "FA Cup 1879–80". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071739/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1879-80.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  9. ^ a b "FA Cup 1880–81". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071747/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1880-81.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  10. ^ a b "FA Cup 1881–82". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216072110/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1881-82.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  11. ^ a b "FA Cup 1882–83". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071751/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1882-83.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  12. ^ a b "FA Cup 1883–84". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071759/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1883-84.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  13. ^ James, Gary (2008). Manchester – A Football History. Halifax: James Ward. pp. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-9558127-0-5. 
  14. ^ a b "FA Cup 1884–85". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071803/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1884-85.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  15. ^ a b c d e f "FA Cup 1885–86". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216071808/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1885-86.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h "FA Cup 1886–87". The Football Club History Database. http://web.archive.org/web/20100216072116/http://www.fchd.info/cups/facup1886-87.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  17. ^ "Ask Albert – Number 5". BBC Sport. 2001-02-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/1179349.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Gretna". The Football Club History Database. http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/GRETNA.HTM. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
  19. ^ "FA Cup 1871–72". The Football Club History Database. http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/cups/facup1871-72.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13. 
Seasons
1871–72 · 1872–73 · 1873–74 · 1874–75 · 1875–76 · 1876–77 · 1877–78 · 1878–79 · 1879–80 · 1880–81 · 1881–82 · 1882–83 · 1883–84 · 1884–85 · 1885–86 · 1886–87 · 1887–88 · 1888–89 · 1889–90 · 1890–91 · 1891–92 · 1892–93 · 1893–94 · 1894–95 · 1895–96 · 1896–97 · 1897–98 · 1898–99 · 1899–1900 · 1900–01 · 1901–02 · 1902–03 · 1903–04 · 1904–05 · 1905–06 · 1906–07 · 1907–08 · 1908–09 · 1909–10 · 1910–11 · 1911–12 · 1912–13 · 1913–14 · 1914–15 · 1919–20 · 1920–21 · 1921–22 · 1922–23 · 1923–24 · 1924–25 · 1925–26 · 1926–27 · 1927–28 · 1928–29 · 1929–30 · 1930–31 · 1931–32 · 1932–33 · 1933–34 · 1934–35 · 1935–36 · 1936–37 · 1937–38 · 1938–39 · 1945–46 · 1946–47 · 1947–48 · 1948–49 · 1949–50 · 1950–51 · 1951–52 · 1952–53 · 1953–54 · 1954–55 · 1955–56 · 1956–57 · 1957–58 · 1958–59 · 1959–60 · 1960–61 · 1961–62 · 1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68 · 1968–69 · 1969–70 · 1970–71 · 1971–72 · 1972–73 · 1973–74 · 1974–75 · 1975–76 · 1976–77 · 1977–78 · 1978–79 · 1979–80 · 1980–81 · 1981–82 · 1982–83 · 1983–84 · 1984–85 · 1985–86 · 1986–87 · 1987–88 · 1988–89 · 1989–90 · 1990–91 · 1991–92 · 1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–2000 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11 · 2011–12
Finals
1872 · 1873 · 1874 · 1875 · 1876 · 1877 · 1878 · 1879 · 1880 · 1881 · 1882 · 1883 · 1884 · 1885 · 1886 · 1887 · 1888 · 1889 · 1890 · 1891 · 1892 · 1893 · 1894 · 1895 · 1896 · 1897 · 1898 · 1899 · 1900 · 1901 · 1902 · 1903 · 1904 · 1905 · 1906 · 1907 · 1908 · 1909 · 1910 · 1911 · 1912 · 1913 · 1914 · 1915 · 1920 · 1921 · 1922 · 1923 · 1924 · 1925 · 1926 · 1927 · 1928 · 1929 · 1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949 · 1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012