The Football Association Challenge Cup was created in 1871, the first organised Association Football competition in the world. Thirteen clubs entered that first competition, although three withdrew without playing a game. In the final held at Kennington Oval on March 16th, 1872, Wanderers beat the Royal Engineers by a single goal, scored by Morton Betts under the pseudonym A H Chequer, as he was formerly a member of the Harrow Chequers Club.
Of the 13 original entrants, Queen's Park (from Glasgow) are now members of the Scottish League (Scottish teams entered the F.A. Cup until 1887). Marlow and Maidenhead (now Maidenhead United) are still around, and each have only missed a single season in the history of the Competition. The football team of the Civil Service now play in the Amateur Football Alliance. The Crystal Palace team from 1871-1872 is not connected to the modern day Crystal Palace.
There were several occurences in this first competition that would be considered bizzare today. Drawn matches resulted in both teams being allowed through to the next round, although for some reason the second round match between Hampstead Heathens and Barnes did go to a replay. Queen's Park and Donnington School could not agree a date for their first round match, so both teams were allowed through to the second round where they were drawn together again - this time the School side scratched. Finally, Queen's Park could not afford to travel back to London for a semi-final replay, so their opponents Wanderers were given a walk-over to the final
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