The 1968–69 FA Cup was the 88th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Manchester City won the competition for the fourth time, beating Leicester City 1–0 in the final at Wembley, through a goal from Neil Young.

1968–69 FA Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Wales
Defending championsWest Bromwich Albion
Final positions
ChampionsManchester City
(4th title)
Runner-upLeicester City

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 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. The 1968–69 tournament was remarkable in that no second replays were required at any point throughout the main event.

Calendar

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Round Date
Preliminary round Saturday, 7 September 1968
First round qualifying Saturday, 21 September 1968
Second round qualifying Saturday, 5 October 1968
Third round qualifying Saturday, 19 October 1968
Fourth round qualifying Saturday, 2 November 1968
First round proper Saturday, 16 November 1968
Second round proper Saturday, 7 December 1968
Third round proper Saturday, 4 January 1969
Fourth round proper Saturday, 25 January 1969
Fifth round proper Saturday, 8 February 1969
Sixth round proper Saturday, 1 March 1969
Semi-finals Saturday, 22 March 1969
Final Saturday, 26 April 1969

Results

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First round proper

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At this stage clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined 30 non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round, Leytonstone and Chesham United given byes. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 16 November 1968. Ten were drawn and went to replays two, three or four days later.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Chesterfield 2–0 Skelmersdale United 16 November 1968
2 Darlington 2–0 Grimsby Town 16 November 1968
3 Dartford 3–1 Aldershot 16 November 1968
4 Hartlepool 1–1 Rotherham United 16 November 1968
Replay Rotherham United 3–0 Hartlepool 19 November 1968
5 Barnet 1–1 Brentwood Town 16 November 1968
Replay Brentwood Town 1–0 Barnet 18 November 1968
6 Grantham 2–1 Chelmsford City 16 November 1968
7 Weymouth 2–1 Yeovil Town 16 November 1968
8 Reading 1–0 Plymouth Argyle 16 November 1968
9 Macclesfield Town 1–3 Lincoln City 16 November 1968
10 Luton Town 6–1 Ware F.C. 16 November 1968
11 Swindon Town 1–0 Canterbury City 16 November 1968
12 Shrewsbury Town 1–1 Port Vale 16 November 1968
Replay Port Vale 3–1 Shrewsbury Town 18 November 1968
13 Doncaster Rovers 1–0 Notts County 16 November 1968
14 Wrexham 4–2 Oldham Athletic 16 November 1968
15 Tranmere Rovers 0–1 Southport 16 November 1968
16 Stockport County 3–0 Bradford Park Avenue 16 November 1968
17 Oxford City 2–3 Swansea Town 16 November 1968
18 Leytonstone 0–1 Walsall 16 November 1968
19 Bangor City 2–3 Morecambe 16 November 1968
20 Barnsley 0–0 Rochdale 16 November 1968
Replay Rochdale 0–1 Barnsley 18 November 1968
21 Brentford 2–0 Woking 16 November 1968
22 Bristol Rovers 3–1 Peterborough United 16 November 1968
23 Northampton Town 3–1 Margate 16 November 1968
24 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–2 Kidderminster Harriers 16 November 1968
Replay Kidderminster Harriers 0–1 Brighton & Hove Albion 20 November 1968
25 Bradford City 1–2 Chester 16 November 1968
26 Goole Town 1–3 Barrow 16 November 1968
27 Altrincham 0–1 Crewe Alexandra 16 November 1968
28 Southend United 9–0 King's Lynn 16 November 1968
29 Exeter City 0–0 Newport County 16 November 1968
Replay Newport County 1–3 Exeter City 18 November 1968
30 Mansfield Town 4–1 Tow Law Town 16 November 1968
31 Wealdstone 1–1 St Albans City 16 November 1968
Replay St Albans City 1–0 Wealdstone 19 November 1968
32 Cheltenham Town 0–4 Watford 16 November 1968
33 Workington 2–0 Scunthorpe United 16 November 1968
34 Hereford United 0–0 Torquay United 16 November 1968
Replay Torquay United 4–2 Hereford United 20 November 1968
35 Bury Town 0–0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 16 November 1968
Replay Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–0 Bury Town 20 November 1968
36 South Shields 0–6 York City 16 November 1968
37 Colchester United 5–0 Chesham United 16 November 1968
38 Bilston 1–3 Halifax Town 16 November 1968
39 Waterlooville 1–2 Kettering Town 16 November 1968
40 Orient 1–1 Gillingham 16 November 1968
Replay Gillingham 2–1 Orient 20 November 1968

Second round proper

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The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 December 1968. Nine matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Chester 1–1 Lincoln City 7 December 1968
Replay Lincoln City 2–1 Chester 11 December 1968
2 Chesterfield 2–1 Wrexham 7 December 1968
3 Darlington 0–0 Barnsley 7 December 1968
Replay Barnsley 1–0 Darlington 10 December 1968
4 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 0–0 Bristol Rovers 7 December 1968
Replay Bristol Rovers 1–0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 10 December 1968
5 Grantham 0–2 Swindon Town 7 December 1968
6 Watford 1–0 Brentford 7 December 1968
7 Weymouth 1–1 Swansea Town 7 December 1968
Replay Swansea Town 2–0 Weymouth 10 December 1968
8 Reading 0–0 Torquay United 7 December 1968
Replay Torquay United 1–2 Reading 11 December 1968
9 Luton Town 3–1 Gillingham 7 December 1968
10 Doncaster Rovers 2–1 Southport 7 December 1968
11 Stockport County 2–0 Barrow 7 December 1968
12 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–2 Northampton Town 7 December 1968
13 Southend United 10–1 Brentwood Town 7 December 1968
14 St Albans City 1–1 Walsall 7 December 1968
Replay Walsall 3–1 St Albans City 10 December 1968
15 Port Vale 0–0 Workington 7 December 1968
Replay Workington 1–2 Port Vale 11 December 1968
16 Halifax Town 1–1 Crewe Alexandra 7 December 1968
Replay Crewe Alexandra 1–3 Halifax Town 11 December 1968
17 York City 2–0 Morecambe 7 December 1968
18 Kettering Town 5–0 Dartford 7 December 1968
19 Rotherham United 2–2 Mansfield Town 7 December 1968
Replay Mansfield Town 1–0 Rotherham United 9 December 1968
20 Colchester United 0–1 Exeter City 7 December 1968

Third round proper

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The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 4 January 1969. Seven matches were drawn and went to replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Burnley 3–1 Derby County 4 January 1969
2 Bury 1–2 Huddersfield Town 4 January 1969
3 Liverpool 2–0 Doncaster Rovers 4 January 1969
4 Preston North End 3–0 Nottingham Forest 4 January 1969
5 Watford 2–0 Port Vale 4 January 1969
6 Walsall 0–1 Tottenham Hotspur 4 January 1969
7 Blackburn Rovers 2–0 Stockport County 4 January 1969
8 Aston Villa 2–1 Queens Park Rangers 4 January 1969
9 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Leeds United 4 January 1969
Replay Leeds United 1–3 Sheffield Wednesday 8 January 1969
10 Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Northampton Town 4 January 1969
11 Middlesbrough 1–1 Millwall 4 January 1969
Replay Millwall 1–0 Middlesbrough 6 January 1969
12 West Bromwich Albion 3–0 Norwich City 4 January 1969
13 Sunderland 1–4 Fulham 4 January 1969
14 Everton 2–1 Ipswich Town 4 January 1969
15 Swindon Town 0–2 Southend United 4 January 1969
16 Newcastle United 4–0 Reading 4 January 1969
17 Manchester City 1–0 Luton Town 4 January 1969
18 Barnsley 1–1 Leicester City 4 January 1969
Replay Leicester City 2–1 Barnsley 8 January 1969
19 Bristol Rovers 1–1 Kettering Town 4 January 1969
Replay Kettering Town 1–2 Bristol Rovers 8 January 1969
20 Coventry City 3–1 Blackpool 4 January 1969
21 Portsmouth 3–0 Chesterfield 4 January 1969
22 West Ham United 3–2 Bristol City 4 January 1969
23 Hull City 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 January 1969
24 Chelsea 2–0 Carlisle United 4 January 1969
25 Exeter City 1–3 Manchester United 4 January 1969
26 Mansfield Town 2–1 Sheffield United 4 January 1969
27 Cardiff City 0–0 Arsenal 4 January 1969
Replay Arsenal 2–0 Cardiff City 7 January 1969
28 Swansea Town 0–1 Halifax Town 4 January 1969
29 Charlton Athletic 0–0 Crystal Palace 4 January 1969
Replay Crystal Palace 0–2 Charlton Athletic 8 January 1969
30 York City 0–2 Stoke City 4 January 1969
31 Birmingham City 2–1 Lincoln City 4 January 1969
32 Oxford United 1–1 Southampton 4 January 1969
Replay Southampton 2–0 Oxford United 8 January 1969

Fourth round proper

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The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 January 1969. Six matches were drawn and went to replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Liverpool 2–1 Burnley 25 January 1969
2 Preston North End 0–0 Chelsea 25 January 1969
Replay Chelsea 2–1 Preston North End 3 February 1969
3 Southampton 2–2 Aston Villa 25 January 1969
Replay Aston Villa 2–1 Southampton 29 January 1969
4 Blackburn Rovers 4–0 Portsmouth 25 January 1969
5 Sheffield Wednesday 2–2 Birmingham City 25 January 1969
Replay Birmingham City 2–1 Sheffield Wednesday 28 January 1969
6 Bolton Wanderers 1–2 Bristol Rovers 25 January 1969
7 Everton 2–0 Coventry City 25 January 1969
8 Newcastle United 0–0 Manchester City 25 January 1969
Replay Manchester City 2–0 Newcastle United 29 January 1969
9 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 25 January 1969
10 Fulham 1–2 West Bromwich Albion 25 January 1969
11 Manchester United 1–1 Watford 25 January 1969
Replay Watford 0–2 Manchester United 3 February 1969
12 Millwall 0–1 Leicester City 25 January 1969
13 Huddersfield Town 0–2 West Ham United 25 January 1969
14 Mansfield Town 2–1 Southend United 25 January 1969
15 Arsenal 2–0 Charlton Athletic 25 January 1969
16 Stoke City 1–1 Halifax Town 25 January 1969
Replay Halifax Town 0–3 Stoke City 28 January 1969

Fifth round proper

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The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 8 February 1969. However, for the first time in history, the entire fifth round draw for the FA Cup was unable to be played due to heavy snowfall across England,[1] and the matches were replayed at various times after this date. Most took place by the following Wednesday (one of these requiring a replay), two were played a fortnight later, but the final match was not played until 1 March and required a replay two days later.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Leicester City 0–0 Liverpool 1 March 1969
Replay Liverpool 0–1 Leicester City 3 March 1969
2 Blackburn Rovers 1–4 Manchester City 24 February 1969
3 West Bromwich Albion 1–0 Arsenal 12 February 1969
4 Everton 1–0 Bristol Rovers 12 February 1969
5 Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 Aston Villa 12 February 1969
6 Chelsea 3–2 Stoke City 12 February 1969
7 Mansfield Town 3–0 West Ham United 26 February 1969
8 Birmingham City 2–2 Manchester United 11 February 1969
Replay Manchester United 6–2 Birmingham City 24 February 1969

Sixth round proper

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The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on 1 March 1969, although due to the late completion of Leicester City's fifth round tie, their match with Mansfield Town was not played until 8 March. There were no replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Manchester City 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur 1 March 1969
2 Manchester United 0–1 Everton 1 March 1969
3 Chelsea 1–2 West Bromwich Albion 1 March 1969
4 Mansfield Town 0–1 Leicester City 8 March 1969

Semi-finals

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The semi-final matches were played on Saturday 22 March and Saturday 29 March 1969.

Manchester City1–0Everton
Booth   87' Report[dead link]
Referee: W. G. Handley, Cannock

Final

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The 1969 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester City and Leicester City at Wembley on Saturday 26 April 1969. The match finished 1–0 to Manchester City who, behind West Ham United in 1975, are the second-last all-English team to win the FA Cup.

Manchester City1–0
Leicester City
Young   24' (Report)
Attendance: 100,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester City
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leicester City

References

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General
Specific
  1. ^ "The Times Archive". London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 10 February 1969. Retrieved 2 September 2008.[dead link]