FA Cup 1973-74

The FA Cup 1973–74 was the 93rd staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Liverpool won the competition for only the second time, beating Newcastle United 3–0 in the final at Wembley, London.

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.

Calendar

Third Round

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 5 January 1974. Thirteen matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay.

ixth Round

The four quarter-final ties were played on the 9th March 1974.

Newcastle United riot

The first Newcastle United–Nottingham Forest game was won 4–3 by Newcastle. However, early in the second half Nottingham Forest went 3–1 up from a dubious penalty awarded by the referee, Gordon Kew. In awarding the penalty, a Newcastle player was sent off. The Newcastle United fans in the Leazes End of the ground (now the Sir John Hall stand) were renowned for their volatility, and invaded the pitch. Two Nottingham Forest players were injured in the debacle, but the referee waited until all players were recovered and received the permission of both managers to continue the tie before restarting it. Newcastle United managed to come back and win in spite of the two-goal and one-player deficit [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-03-12&fromDate=1974-03-10&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Newcastle+United&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-11-06&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-11-06-011&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=3&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=10&date_mm_From=03&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=12&date_mm_to_range=03&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=10&date_mm_from_precise=03&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Times Online Archive] , "Glorious and Shameful Game at Newcastle" (Requires registration)] . 23 people were taken to hospital as a result of the pitch invasion, of whom two had fractured skulls. 103 people received treatment at the ground and 39 were arrested [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-03-17&fromDate=1974-03-10&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Newcastle+United&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-12-08&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-12-08-012&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=15&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=10&date_mm_From=03&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=17&date_mm_to_range=03&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=10&date_mm_from_precise=03&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Times Online Archive] , "FA Laws or the law of averages may stop Newcastle United in Cup" (Requires registration)] .

Following the riot, a written protest was sent from Nottingham Forest to the FA on the 11 March. In response, the secretary of the FA, Ted Croker, announced that a special four-man subcommittee of the Challenge Cup Committee who oversee the FA Cup competition were to investigate the incident with an eye to disqualifying Newcastle United, stating, "Newcastle could be disqualified. We do not have the power to order a replay as the game was completed." On the 14th March the subcommittee ruled that, in spite of Mr. Croker's comments, the match "was" to be replayed, at a neutral venue on Monday 18th March. If that match was drawn then extra time would be played and, if needed, a second match also at a neutral venue would be played the following Thursday. This decision was unprecedented at the time and the reaction was mixed, with Newcastle defender Frank Clark suggesting that Newcastle's comeback from two goals down and with a player sent off should have allowed them to go through outright. The Nottingham Forest captain stated, "we would have won it fair and square but for the trouble." [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-03-17&fromDate=1974-03-10&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Newcastle+United&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-15-12&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-15-12-001&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=15&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=10&date_mm_From=03&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=17&date_mm_to_range=03&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=10&date_mm_from_precise=03&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Times Online Archive] , "Decision to replay tie could invite crowds to influence results." (Requires registration)]

The first replay at Goodison Park was a nervous 0–0 draw and stayed so after extra time [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-03-20&fromDate=1974-03-19&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Newcastle+United&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-19-10&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-19-10-001&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=2&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=19&date_mm_From=03&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=20&date_mm_to_range=03&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=19&date_mm_from_precise=03&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Times Online Archive] , "The game that lived on its nerves" (Requires registration)] . Newcastle finally won the tie through a single Macdonald goal in the second replay at Goodison Park. [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-03-23&fromDate=1974-03-22&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Newcastle+United&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-22-13&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-03-22-13-001&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=4&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=22&date_mm_From=03&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=23&date_mm_to_range=03&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=22&date_mm_from_precise=03&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Times Online Archive] , "Newcastle score a deserved victory" (Requires registration)] .

Results

emifinals

The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 30 March 1974 with the Liverpool–Leicester City game being replayed three days later. Liverpool and Newcastle United won their respective matches to go on to the final at Wembley.footballbox
date=30 March 1974
time= 15:00
team1=Liverpool
score=0–0
report= [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-04-03&fromDate=1974-04-01&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Leicester+City&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-01-08&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-01-08-007&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=9&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=1&date_mm_From=04&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=3&date_mm_to_range=04&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=1&date_mm_from_precise=04&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText=# Report]
team2=Leicester City
goals1=
goals2=
stadium=Old Trafford, Manchester
attendance=
referee= Ken Burns, Stourbridge

Replay

footballbox
date=3 April 1974
time= 15:00
team1=Leicester City
score=1–3
report= [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-04-05&fromDate=1974-04-04&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Leicester+City&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-04-18&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-04-18-010&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=5&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=4&date_mm_From=04&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=5&date_mm_to_range=04&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=4&date_mm_from_precise=04&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= Report]
team2=Liverpool
goals1= Glover goal|49
goals2= Hall goal|46
Keegan goal|61
Toshack goal|86
stadium=Villa Park, Birmingham
attendance=
referee= Ken Burns, Stourbridge

footballbox
date=30 March 1974
time= 15:00
team1=Newcastle United
score=2–0
report= [http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1974-04-03&fromDate=1974-04-01&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=Leicester+City&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-01-08&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1974-04-01-08-007&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=9&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=1&date_mm_From=04&date_yyyy_From=1974&date_dd_to_range=3&date_mm_to_range=04&date_yyyy_to_range=1974&date_dd_from_precise=1&date_mm_from_precise=04&date_yyyy_from_precise=1974&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText=# Report]
team2=Burnley
goals1=Macdonald goal|65 goal
goals2=
stadium= Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
attendance=
referee= Gordon Hill, Leicester

Final

The final took place on Saturday, 4 May 1974 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Liverpool over Newcastle United by three goals to nil. Two goals were scored by Kevin Keegan and one by Steve Heighway. The attendance was 100,000.

footballbox
date=1974-05-04
15:00 BST
team1=Liverpool
score=3 – 0
team2=Newcastle United
report=
goals1=Keegan goal|57 goal|88
Heighway goal|74
goals2=
stadium=Wembley, London
attendance=100,000
referee=Gordon Kew

References

;General
* [http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/Archive/ The FA Cup Archive] at TheFA.com
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/cup2.sd?competitionid=58&seasonid=104 English FA Cup 1973/74] at Soccerbase
* [http://footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/LeagueTables/Season1973-74/F.A.Cup1973-74.html F.A. Cup results 1973/74] at Footballsite;Specific