When Oxford Upset Wanderers

The 1874 FA Cup

When Oxford Upset Wanderers

As you might already know, Wanderers won the first two FA Cup competitions.

The 1872 victory came after only two wins due to an odd rule at the time allowing both clubs to advance after a draw. And, in 1873, Wanderers were given a bye straight to the final round, where they defeated Oxford University 2-0.

Wanderers wound up skipping straight to the 3rd round of the 1873-74 FA Cup after two forfeited “walkover” matches. And that led them straight to a rematch of the 1873 Final.

First of all, though, I have to state my admiration for those who do extensive research into old UK newspapers. Articles like this simply make my head spin:

From The Morning Post, December 5, 1873, page 7

The first Oxford - Wanderers match on December 7 resulted in a draw:

From Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, December 8, 1873, page 4

Now, the replay appears to have been played on January 31, 1874, though I wasn’t able to find a mention of it anywhere until February:

From The Morning Post, Februray 5, 1874, page 6

Incidentally, one reason why it’s so difficult to find coverage is because rugby and football were both called “football” in those days. See this blurb for an example:

From The Standard, January 19, 1874, page 6