The 1920–21 FA Cup was the 46th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down the English football league system meant that the competition started with an extra Preliminary and preliminary rounds prior to six qualifying rounds. The 12 victorious teams from the Sixth round qualifying (from the 466 who contested the qualifying phase) progressed to the first round proper.
Rounds: draw and playing dates and number of teams
Round
Draw Date
Date Played
Teams from Previous Round
Additional Teams
Total Teams
Ties Played
Extra preliminary round
28 May 1920
11 September 1920
–
142
142
71
Preliminary round
25 September 1920
71
263
334
167
First qualifying round
9 October 1920
167
25
192
96
Second qualifying round
11–14 October 1920
23 October 1920
96
0
96
48
Third qualifying round
28 October 1920
6 November 1920
48
0
48
24
Fourth qualifying round
8 November 1920
20 November 1920
24
24
48
24
Fifth qualifying round
22 November 1920
4 December 1920
24
0
24
12
Sixth qualifying round
6 December 1920
18 December 1920
12
12
24
12
Extra preliminary to third qualifying round
The five rounds from the extra preliminary to the third qualifying involved 430 teams from England and Wales. These were arranged into 24 geographically based divisions which thereby created matches against local rival clubs and limited the travelling required. Through a series of knock-out matches one team from each division progressed to the fourth qualifying round.
Key to abbreviations in tables below
R=Replay (after first match being a draw)
R2= Second Replay (usually played on a neutral ground)
§=The away club agreed to switch the tie from their home ground
†= result awarded (reason as indicated)
Division 1 (Northumberland / Tyneside / Wearside)
The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 18 teams, of which 4 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
Division 3 (County Durham / North Yorkshire / East Riding of Yorkshire)
The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 14 teams from which 6 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 2 teams: Cleator Moor Celtic and Carlisle United.
The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams: Chorley, Leyland and Horwich RMI.
The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties with drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams; Monks Hall, Altrincham and Runcorn.
The division comprised 18 teams, of which 4 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 26 teams, of which 20 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
Division 9 (East Riding of Yorkshire / North Lincolnshire)
The division comprised 28 teams, of which 24 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties..
The division comprised 23 teams, of which 14 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 26 teams, of which 20 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
This was the only division in which a team drawn into the extra preliminary round won the division – indeed Worksop Town eventually progressed to the Sixth qualifying round.
Division 13 (Nottinghamshire / South Lincolnshire)
The division comprised 18 teams, of which 4 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
Division 15 (South Lincolnshire / Northamptonshire / Bedfordshire)
The division comprised 19 teams, of which 6 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams; Colchester Town, Lynn Town and Cambridge Town.
The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for three teams: Gnome Athletic, Hoffmanns Athletic and Clapton.
The division comprised 14 teams from which 6 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 2 teams: Wimbledon and Guildford.
The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for 3 teams: Boscombe, Portsmouth Amateurs and Bournemouth Tramways.
The division comprised 26 teams, of which 20 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The division comprised 17 teams, of which 2 of the generally smaller teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.
The 24 teams qualifying from the Divisions were joined in the draw by 24 (generally stronger) teams who entered the competition at this stage. The ties were drawn on a regional basis.
The 12 victorious teams from the previous round were joined in the draw by 12 teams (mostly from Football League Division 2 and Division 3 South) who entered the competition at this stage. Ties were no longer regionally based.