1922–23 FA Cup Qualifying Rounds

The 1922–23 FA Cup was the 48th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short.

The qualifying phase of the competition comprised eight rounds: an extra preliminary, preliminary and six sequentially numbered qualifying rounds. Twelve clubs won through to the first round proper draw from the 495 clubs who played in the qualifying rounds (including forty-eight in total who joined in qualifying rounds four and five).

Rounds: draw information

For each successive round a draw was made pairing two teams for each tie. The default venue was the stadium of first of the two teams drawn; agreement was required from the FA to switch the venue; the FA could order a venue change if the appointed stadium was unsuitable. For matches where scores were level after ninety minutes a replay was arranged at the stadium of the team initially drawn as the away team; a thirty-minute extra time period was played if the scores were level after ninety minutes. If the replayed match was drawn further replays, with extra time if necessary, were held at neutral venues until a winner was determined.

Initially and through to the third qualifying round the draw was arranged into twenty-four geographic based divisions. As a large number of clubs entered the tournament from lower down the English football league system the competition started with an extra preliminary and preliminary rounds prior to the first qualifying round; matches were played in the divisions until the third qualifying round. For qualifying rounds four and five, stronger non-League and lower division Football League clubs were added to the draw. The final, sixth qualifying round, stage did not add any additional clubs to the draw and produced twelve clubs (from the 495 who contested the qualifying phase) to proceed to the first round proper.

Extra preliminary to third qualifying round

The five rounds from the extra preliminary to the third qualifying involved 447 clubs 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.

The number of clubs in each division varied: there were thirty-two clubs in division 8 who all therefore played in the extra preliminary round, but only thirteen clubs in divisions 16 and 17 which commenced at the preliminary round with three clubs receiving byes into the first qualifying round.

Division 1 (Northumberland / Tyneside / Wearside)

The division comprised 21 teams, of which 10 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

The Felling Colliery club, members of the Northern Alliance, who had been the beneficiaries of home draws in each of their four ties (although they had required a replay to win their third qualifying tie), progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 2 (County Durham / Tyneside / Wearside)

The division comprised 23 teams, of which 14 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

West Stanley, members of the North Eastern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 3 (County Durham / North Yorkshire / East Riding of Yorkshire)

The division comprised 19 teams, of which 6 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Cockfield, members of the Northern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 4 (Cumbria)

The division comprised 16 teams, all of which were drawn into the preliminary round.

Workington, members of the North Eastern League, who had been drawn as the away team in their four ties (but owing to two switches of venue played away only twice), progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round in which they were again drawn as the away team and defeated at Third Division North club Barrow.

Division 5 (Lancashire)

The division comprised 14 teams from which 6 preliminary round ties with drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for two clubs, Fleetwood and Lancaster Town.

Fleetwood, members of the Lancashire Combination, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 6 (Lancashire / Derbyshire)

The division comprised 16 teams all of which were drawn into the preliminary round.

Eccles United, members of the Lancashire Combination, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 7 (Cheshire)

The division comprised 15 teams, of which 14 were drawn into the preliminary with Harrowby receiving a bye to the first qualifying round.

New Brighton, members of the Lancashire Combination, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. They won their next three qualifying matches before being eliminated in the first round proper at The Wednesday.

Division 8 (West Midlands, Herefordshire and north Wales Border)

The division comprised 32 teams from the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, South Warwickshire, Worcestershire and north Wales Border. All the teams were drawn into the extra preliminary round.

Wellington St George's, a Junior status club of the Birmingham Combination, who had been the beneficiaries of home draws in each of their five ties, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. They were drawn at home for their next two ties both of which were against Third Division North clubs: defeating Tranmere Rovers before being eliminated by Walsall.

Division 9 (East Nottinghamshire / East Riding of Yorkshire / North Riding of Yorkshire border / Lincolnshire)

The division comprised 15 teams of which 14 were drawn into the preliminary round; Midland League club Scunthorpe & Lindsey United who received a bye to the first qualifying round progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 10 (West Riding of Yorkshire)

The division comprised 15 teams, of which 14 were drawn into the preliminary with Castleford Town receiving a bye to the first qualifying round.

Wath Athletic, members of the Midland League, who had been involved in three replays in the four rounds in which they played, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 11 (Southern West Riding of Yorkshire)

The draw for the division comprised 17 teams of which 2 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Rotherham Town, members of the Midland League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 12 (Derbyshire)

The division comprised 16 teams drawn into 8 preliminary round ties.

Alfreton Town, members of the Central Alliance, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 13 (Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire border)

The division comprised 18 teams, of which four were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Mansfield Town, members of the Midland League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 14 (Leicestershire and adjacent area)

The division comprised 18 teams from Leicestershire, southern Derbyshire, Staffordshire border and northern Warwickshire. Four of these were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Coalville Swifts, members of the Leicestershire Senior League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 15 (Northamptonshire / southern Lincolnshire / northern Bedfordshire)

The division comprised 17 teams, of which two were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Higham Ferrers Town, members of the Northamptonshire League, who played in eight matches (including two second replays) in the four rounds in which they competed, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. In that round, owing to a void match they played twice against King's Lynn before, in the next round, being eliminated by Chesterfield.

Division 16 (Norfolk / Suffolk / Cambridgeshire / NE Essex)

The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for three teams; Cambridge Town, Harwich & Parkeston and Norwich CEYMS.

King's Lynn, members of the Norfolk & Suffolk League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 17 (Essex / East London)

The division comprised 13 teams from which 5 preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in byes to the first qualifying round for three teams; Clapton, Grays Athletic and Walthamstow Grange.

Clapton, members of the Isthmian League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 18 (Bedfordshire / Hertfordshire / Middlesex)

The division comprised 27 teams, of which 22 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Edmonton, members of the London League, who in the five rounds in which they competed had played in seven matches and additionally been the beneficiary of a replay walkover, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round, in which they again played in a replay, losing to Ilford.

Division 19 (Berkshire / Buckinghamshire / Oxfordshire)

The division comprised 15 teams from which seven preliminary round ties were drawn, resulting in a bye to the first qualifying round for Slough.

Chesham United, members of the Spartan League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 20 (Surrey / northern Hampshire)

The division comprised 27 teams, of which 22 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Guildford United, members of the Southern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 21 (Kent / Sussex)

The division comprised 24 teams, of which 16 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Sittingbourne, members of the Kent League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 22 (Hampshire / Dorset / Isle of Wight / Wiltshire)

The division comprised 20 teams from which 4 extra preliminary round ties were drawn, to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Boscombe, members of the Southern League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 23 (Devon / Gloucestershire / Somerset / Wiltshire)

The division comprised 20 teams, of which 8 were drawn into the extra preliminary round to reduce the number to 16 teams required for 8 preliminary round ties.

Welton Rovers, members of the Western League, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round.

Division 24 (Bristol / Gloucestershire / Somerset / south Wales / northern Wiltshire)

The division comprised 16 teams all of which were drawn into the preliminary round.

Bath City, members of the Southern League, who had been the beneficiaries of home draws in each of their four ties, progressed from the division to the fourth qualifying round. They won their next three qualifying matches before being eliminated in the first round proper at Wigan Borough.

Fourth qualifying round

There were forty-eight clubs included in the fourth qualifying round draw: the twenty-four teams from the qualifying divisions (identified below by the inclusion of their divisional number) were joined by twelve non-League clubs who were not part of the earlier qualifying rounds (Barking, Blyth Spartans, Carlisle United, Dulwich Hamlet, Ilford, London Caledonians, Oxford City, Maidstone United, South Bank, St Albans City, Tufnell Park and Worksop Town) and twelve clubs from the Football League: ten from the Third Division North ( Barrow, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra, Durham City, Halifax Town, Lincoln City, Nelson, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Borough) and two from the Third Division South (Exeter City and Southend United).

The ties were drawn on a regional basis and included fourteen in which both participants were non-League clubs; two in which both clubs were from the Football League; and eight in which non-League clubs were paired with Football League clubs. In the latter group two non-League clubs were successful, both over Third Division North opposition: Wellington St George's, a Junior status club from the Birmingham Combination, defeated Tranmere Rovers; and New Brighton of the Lancashire Combination were victors in a replay at Crewe Alexandra.

From the twenty-four ties sixteen non-League clubs (including nine from the qualifying divisions), six Third Division North clubs and two Third Division South progressed into the next round.

Fifth qualifying round

The draw comprised forty-eight teams, the twenty-four victorious teams from the previous round together with one additional non-League team (Bishop Auckland), eleven teams from the Third Division South (Aberdare Athletic, Brentford, Bristol Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Gillingham, Merthyr Town, Newport County, Northampton Town, Norwich City, Reading and Swansea Town), nine from the Third Division North (Accrington Stanley, Ashington, Darlington, Grimsby Town, Hartlepools United, Southport, Stalybridge Celtic, Walsall and Wrexham) and three from the Football League Second Division (Coventry City, Port Vale and Stockport County).

The ties were on a wider regional basis than previously. They included four ties featuring only non-League clubs, eleven in which both clubs were from the Football League, and nine in which non-League and Football League clubs were paired together. In the latter group four non-League clubs were successful over Football League opposition: New Brighton of the Lancashire Combination were home victors over Second Division club Coventry City; Bath City of the Southern League playing away defeated Division Three South club Exeter City; and two clubs who joined the competition at the fourth qualifying round defeated Division Three North opposition: Blyth Spartans of the North Eastern League in a local derby playing at home defeated near neighbours Ashington (who two seasons previously had been members of the same league); and Worksop Town of the Midland League won away at Grimsby Town F.C., Grimsby Town. Neither of the other two Second Division clubs survived, both defeated by Division Three North clubs: Port Vale playing at home lost to Wrexham and Stockport County lost away at Barrow. Qualifying club Higham Ferrers exited the competition in this round having played eleven live and one void matches over the six rounds in which they played. Also eliminated, by Walsall, were Wellington St George's, the final team remaining in the competition to have played in the extra preliminary round.

From the twenty-four ties eight non-League clubs (including four from the qualifying divisions), nine clubs from the Third Division North and seven from the Third Division South progressed into the next round.

Sixth qualifying round

The draw comprised the twenty-four victorious teams from the previous round – eight non-League clubs (including four from the qualifying divisions), nine clubs from the Third Division North and seven from the Third Division South – who were drawn into twelve ties which were no longer regionally based.

One tie featured only non-League clubs; in this New Brighton of the Lancashire Combination, who had come through from the preliminary round and accounted for Football League clubs (Crewe Alexandra and Coventry City) in the previous two rounds, defeated Isthmian League club Clapton who had progressed from the first qualifying round. There were six ties involving pairings of non-League and Football League clubs, from which three non-League clubs progressed: Southern League club Bath City, a survivor from the preliminary round triumphed in a home replay over Barrow; Blyth Spartans of the North Eastern League who entered the competition at the fourth qualifying round journeyed to Kent and were victors over Gillingham of Division Three South; Midland League members Worksop Town, who had similarly commenced their campaign at the fourth qualifying round won a home tie beating Chesterfield. The remaining five ties were all contested by Football League clubs.

From the twelve ties in addition to the four non-League clubs (Blyth Spartans, Worksop Town, New Brighton and Bath City – the latter two from the qualifying divisions), four clubs each from the Third Division North (Halifax Town, Stalybridge Celtic, Wigan Borough and Wrexham) and the Third Division South (Aberdare Athletic, Charlton Athletic, Merthyr Town and Norwich City) progressed into the first round proper. The four non-League clubs were all eliminated in the next round.

1922–23 FA Cup

See 1922–23 FA Cup for details of the rounds from the first round proper onwards.

External links

Football Club History Database: FA Cup 1922–23

The FA: FA Cup Past Results ''(select year)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1922-23 FA Cup qualifying rounds
Qualifying
FA Cup qualifying rounds