The 2009âÂÂ10 FA Cup (known as The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON for sponsorship reasons) was the 129th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; the FA Cup. As in the previous year, 762 clubs were accepted for the competition. One club, Newcastle Blue Star, folded before the fixtures were released. As they were scheduled to enter the competition in the first round qualifying, their opponents in this round received a walkover.
The competition commenced on 15 August 2009 with the Extra preliminary round and concluded on 15 May 2010 with the Final, held at Wembley Stadium. The final was contested by 2009 winners Chelsea and 2008 winners Portsmouth. Originally, the winners were to qualify for the play-off round of the 2010âÂÂ11 UEFA Europa League. However, as Chelsea won the 2009âÂÂ10 Premier League (and did not need the FA Cup winners' berth), and Portsmouth failed to apply for a UEFA licence for the 2010âÂÂ11 season in time (making them ineligible to compete in UEFA competitions), the berth was given to Liverpool, the seventh-placed team in the Premier League. Chelsea won 1âÂÂ0 in the final to retain the trophy.
The calendar for the 2009âÂÂ10 FA Cup, as announced by The Football Association:
All teams that entered the competition, but were not members of the Premier League or The Football League, had to compete in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 32 places available in the first round proper.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Hinckley United, Nuneaton Town, Wrexham, Gateshead, Rushden & Diamonds, Mansfield Town, Stourbridge, AFC Telford United, Ilkeston Town, Cambridge United, Kettering Town, Northwich Victoria, Barrow, Fleetwood Town, York City, Woking, Lowestoft Town, Salisbury City, AFC Wimbledon, Forest Green Rovers, Oxford City, Bromley, Stevenage Borough, Wealdstone, Eastleigh, Staines Town, Luton Town, Oxford United, Bath City, Paulton Rovers, Tooting & Mitcham United and Sutton United.
Stourbridge, Eastleigh and Paulton Rovers were appearing in the competition proper for the first time. Of the others, Gateshead and Ilkeston Town had last featured at this stage in 2000âÂÂ01, Oxford City had last done so in 1999-2000, Wealdstone had last done so in 1986-87 and Lowestoft Town and Tooting & Mitcham United had last done so in 1977-78.
Teams from Leagues One and Two entered at this stage, along with the 32 non-league clubs from the qualifying rounds. The draw was made on 25 October 2009 with ties played in the week beginning 6 November 2009.
Lowestoft Town and Paulton Rovers of the eighth tier were the lowest ranked teams left in the competition at this stage, but both failed to make it through to the second round.
The matches took place on 28 and 29 November 2009 and involved the 40 winning teams from the previous round.
Bath City and Staines Town from the Conference South, and Northwich Victoria from the Conference North (6th tier) were the lowest ranked teams left at this stage, but none made it through to the third round.
â â After extra time
The draw was held on Sunday 29 November 2009 at Wembley Stadium. Premier League and Football League Championship teams entered at this stage, joining the winners from the previous round and completing the entrants. The majority of fixtures took place on 2 and 3 January 2010, with snow postponing several matches until mid-January.
Barrow, Forest Green Rovers, Luton Town and York City from the Conference National (5th tier) were the only non-league teams left at this stage, but none made it through to the fourth round.
Manchester United were knocked out in the third round for the first time since they lost to AFC Bournemouth in 1984, when they lost to third-tier rivals Leeds United. It was also Manchester United's first defeat to a lower league side since defeat at Bournemouth. They were joined by rivals and fellow 'Big Four' club Liverpool, who lost at home to second-flight Reading in a replay.
â â After extra time
The draw was held on Sunday 3 January 2010 at Wembley Stadium. Fixtures took place over the weekend of 23 and 24 January 2010.
Accrington Stanley and Notts County from League Two (4th tier) were the lowest ranked teams left at this stage; Accrington Stanley did not proceed further, whilst Notts County defeated Wigan Athletic in a replay at the DW Stadium.
The draw was conducted by Geoff Thomas and Stephanie Moore MBE on Sunday 24 January 2010 at Wembley Stadium. Fixtures took place over the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2010. Notts County from the Football League Two (4th tier) were the lowest-ranked team left at this stage, but they went out 4âÂÂ0 to Premier League side Fulham.
â â After extra time
The draw was conducted by former England striker Luther Blissett and TV presenter Tim Lovejoy on 14 February 2010 at Football Association headquarters at Wembley Stadium. Fixtures took place over the weekend of 6 and 7 March 2010. Reading from the Championship (2nd tier) were the lowest ranked team left at this stage.
The draw was conducted by David Ginola and Jason Cundy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 7 March 2010. Both matches took place at Wembley Stadium over the weekend of 10 and 11 April.
The final was played on 15 May 2010 at Wembley Stadium, London
In the United Kingdom, ITV were the sole network broadcasters for the season as subscription broadcasters Setanta Sports entered administration and ceased operations before the start of the season. S4C broadcast in Wales, The Football Association streamed select games live on its website for free.
The matches shown live on ITV were:
⢠Paulton Rovers 0âÂÂ7 Norwich City (R1)
⢠Northwich Victoria 1âÂÂ0 Charlton Athletic (R1)
⢠Rochdale 0âÂÂ2 Luton Town (R1 Replay)
⢠Northwich Victoria 1âÂÂ3 Lincoln City (R2)
⢠Kettering Town 1âÂÂ1 Leeds United (R2)
⢠Leeds United 5âÂÂ1 Kettering Town (R2 Replay)
⢠Reading 1âÂÂ1 Liverpool (R3)
⢠Manchester United 0âÂÂ1 Leeds United (R3)
⢠West Ham United 1âÂÂ2 Arsenal (R3)
⢠Coventry City 1âÂÂ2 Portsmouth (R3 Replay)
⢠Liverpool 1âÂÂ2 Reading (R3 Replay)
⢠Preston North End 0âÂÂ2 Chelsea (R4)
⢠Tottenham Hotspur 2âÂÂ2 Leeds United (R4)
⢠Stoke City 3âÂÂ1 Arsenal (R4)
⢠Scunthorpe United 2âÂÂ4 Manchester City (R4)
⢠Crystal Palace 3âÂÂ1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (R4 Replay)
⢠Leeds United 1âÂÂ3 Tottenham Hotspur (R4 Replay)
⢠Southampton 1âÂÂ4 Portsmouth (R5)
⢠Manchester City 1âÂÂ1 Stoke City (R5)
⢠Bolton Wanderers 1âÂÂ1 Tottenham Hotspur (R5)
⢠Crystal Palace 2âÂÂ2 Aston Villa (R5)
⢠Stoke City 3âÂÂ1 Manchester City (R5 Replay)
⢠Portsmouth 2âÂÂ0 Birmingham City (QF)
⢠Fulham 0âÂÂ0 Tottenham Hotspur (QF)
⢠Reading 2âÂÂ4 Aston Villa (QF)
⢠Chelsea 2âÂÂ0 Stoke City (QF)
⢠Tottenham Hotspur 3âÂÂ1 Fulham (QF Replay)
⢠Aston Villa 0âÂÂ3 Chelsea (SF)
⢠Tottenham Hotspur 0âÂÂ2 Portsmouth (SF)
⢠Chelsea 1âÂÂ0 Portsmouth (Final)
The matches shown live on S4C were:
⢠Bristol City 1âÂÂ1 Cardiff City (R3)
⢠Cardiff City 1âÂÂ0 Bristol City (R3 Replay)
⢠Chelsea 4âÂÂ1 Cardiff City (R5)
The matches shown live on the website of The Football Association were:
⢠Oldham Athletic 0âÂÂ2 Leeds United (R1)
⢠Millwall 4âÂÂ1 AFC Wimbledon (R1)
⢠Stevenage 0âÂÂ1 Port Vale (R1 Replay)
⢠Carlisle United 3âÂÂ1 Norwich City (R2)
⢠Millwall 4âÂÂ0 Staines Town (R2 Replay)
⢠Tranmere Rovers 0âÂÂ1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (R3)
⢠Bristol City 1âÂÂ1 Cardiff City (R3)
⢠Reading 1âÂÂ0 Burnley (R4)
⢠Chelsea 4âÂÂ1 Cardiff City (R5)
⢠Tottenham Hotspur 4âÂÂ0 Bolton Wanderers (R5 Replay)
International broadcasters