The FA Amateur Cup was an Englishfootball competition for amateur clubs. It commenced in 1893 and ended in 1974 when The Football Association abolished official amateur status.
History
N.L. Jackson of Corinthian F.C. was a prime mover in the creation of the Amateur Cup.
Following the legalisation of professionalism within football, professional teams quickly came to dominate the sport's main national knock-out tournament, the FA Cup. In response to this, the committee of the country's oldest club, Sheffield F.C., suggested in 1892 the organisation of a separate national cup solely for amateur teams, and even offered to pay for the trophy itself.[1]The Football Association (the FA) declined the club's offer, but a year later decided to organise just such a competition.[1] N.L. Jackson of Corinthian F.C. was appointed chairman of the Amateur Cup sub-committee and arranged for the purchase of a trophy valued at £30.00, and the first tournament took place during the 1893–94 season.[1]
It ended in 1974 when the FA abolished the distinction between professional and amateur clubs. Two new competitions, the FA Trophy and the FA Vase were created in its place.
Bill Regan (Romford 1948-49) is believed to have been the first ever American-born individual to play in the FA Amateur Cup final which was itself the first to have been played at Wembley Stadium.[citation needed]
Structure
The first tournament attracted 81 entrants, with three qualifying rounds used to reduce the number down to 32 for the first round proper.[2] The following season the FA fixed the number of entrants at 32, with three rounds preceding the semi-finals and final. The previous season's semi-finalists were invited to enter, along with 28 other leading clubs chosen by the FA.[3] This remained the standard format until 1907, when the number of entrants was doubled to 64 and the number of rounds prior to the semi-finals increased to four. The competition continued under this format until it was discontinued in 1974.
