The 1950âÂÂ51 FA Cup was the 70th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Newcastle United won the competition for the fourth time, beating Blackpool 2âÂÂ0 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. 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 at neutral venues 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.
Most teams that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 25 places available in the first round. This season, newly-elected Third Division clubs Colchester United, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United and Shrewsbury Town were also entered in the qualifying rounds, although Shrewsbury Town had to forfeit their preliminary round match against Oswestry Town as it clashed with a League fixture against York City. Colchester and Scunthorpe were entered in the fourth qualifying round, and were (as of 2025) the last Football League clubs to compete in qualifying round fixtures.
The 25 winners from the fourth qualifying round were Ashington, North Shields, Bishop Auckland, Scarborough, Cleator Moor Celtic, Nelson, Witton Albion, Rhyl, Bromsgrove Rovers, Hereford United, Linby Colliery, Worcester City, Gainsborough Trinity, Dartford, Tooting & Mitcham United, Guildford City, Walthamstow Avenue, Tonbridge, Chelmsford City, Bromley, Glastonbury, Cheltenham Town, Llanelli, Gloucester City and Colchester United.
Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Cleator Moor Celtic, Linby Colliery, Tonbridge and Glastonbury. Of the others, Nelson had not featured at this stage since 1932âÂÂ33, Ashington since 1929-30, Worcester City since 1928-29 and Llanelli since 1923-24. With the FA tightening Cup entry requirements in the following seasons, it would also be Cleator Moor Celtic's last appearance at any stage of the competition for 38 years.
Linby Colliery was also the only club to progress from the extra preliminary round to the main draw, defeating Parliament Street Methodists, Retford Town, Shirebrook, Boston United, Spalding United and Nuneaton Borough in order to qualify.
At this stage 42 of 48 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 24 non-league clubs and Colchester United who came through the qualifying rounds. Gateshead, Northampton Town and Stockport County were given byes to the third round. The fourth of the new clubs admitted to the League this season, Gillingham entered in this round as did non-league Willington, who were the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup.
Matches were played on Saturday, 25 November 1950. Six matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week.
The matches were played on Saturday, 9 December 1950. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place on the following Wednesday. One second replay was played on Monday, 18 December 1950.
The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage along with Gateshead, Northampton Town and Stockport County.
The matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 6 January 1951, though two were postponed until later the same week. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. For the first time since 1924âÂÂ25, no teams from the qualifying rounds reached this stage (or its pre-1925 equivalent).
The matches were played on Saturday, 27 January 1951. Two matches were drawn, the replays being played on Wednesday, 31 January 1951.
The matches were played on Saturday, 10 February 1951. One match was drawn and replayed the following Wednesday.
The final took place on Saturday, 28 April 1951 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Newcastle United over Blackpool by 2âÂÂ0, with both goals scored by Jackie Milburn. The attendance was 100,000.