2010–11 FA Cup
Encyclopedia
The 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup
for short. A total of 806 clubs applied to enter of which 759 were accepted, a slight drop compared to the 762 clubs accepted into the 2009–10 competition
.
The competition commenced on 14 August 2010 with the Extra preliminary round
and concluded on 14 May 2011 with the Final
, held at Wembley Stadium
. Unusually, this will not be the last game of the English domestic season nor the only game played on that day. Wembley Stadium is also hosting the 2011 Champions League Final
on 28 May, forcing the FA Cup Final to be played at least two weeks earlier. This means the Final will be played on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League
season and, apart from the finalists who were scheduled to play a league match against each other, a full programme of matches will be played.
The defending champions were Chelsea
, who retained their title in the 2010 final
against Portsmouth
, but they lost to Everton
in the fourth round. The tournament winners were Manchester City, who defeated Stoke City in the final with Yaya Touré scoring the only goal of the match in the 74th minute.
The FA Cup winners are normally entitled to a place in the next season's UEFA Europa League unless they have already qualified for that tournament or for the UEFA Champions League
; because Manchester City qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League
via their top-four finish in the 2010–11 Premier League
, Stoke qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League
as runners-up.
:
, had to compete in the qualifying rounds.
and Two
enter at this stage, along with the winners from the Fourth Round Qualifying. The draw was made on 24 October 2010 with ties to be played on the weekend of 6–7 November 2010 apart from Rochdale
vs FC United of Manchester which was the only match played on 5 November 2010. It was broadcast on ESPN
kicking off its FA Cup campaign with the Northern Premier League club shocking their League One counterparts 3–2. ESPN's next match was on 6 November 2010, where Cambridge United
and Huddersfield Town
played out a scoreless draw. ITV1's first coverage was Southport
vs Sheffield Wednesday
on 7 November 2010 with the League One side trouncing their Conference National opponents 5–2.
Tipton Town
of the Midland Football Alliance
and Hythe Town
of the Kent League
, both from the ninth tier
, were the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition at this stage. Both suffered heavy defeats by league opposition.
v Yeovil Town
and Notts County
v AFC Bournemouth
were both postponed on their original date, 26 November, and again on 7 December. They were finally played on 14 December.
FC United of Manchester
of the Northern Premier League Premier Division
and Swindon Supermarine
of the Southern League Premier Division, both from the seventh tier, were the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition at this stage. Swindon Supermarine were narrowly defeated 1–0 by Colchester United
, but FC United of Manchester managed to force a replay after a 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion
.
The draw for the second round was notable for the potential meeting of AFC Wimbledon
and MK Dons. This would have been the first time the two clubs had met however MK Dons were beaten by Stevenage in their first-round replay.
of Oasis
and Sergio Pizzorno
of Kasabian. Premier League and Football League Championship
teams entered at this stage, joining the winners from the second round and completing the entrants. The lowest ranked team in this round was Dover Athletic
of the Conference South
, the sixth tier of English football. The tie between Wycombe Wanderers and Hereford United was played later than usual due to the fact that the second round replay between Lincoln City and Hereford was delayed. Arsenal
narrowly avoided an upset by scoring a stoppage time penalty in their 1-1 draw with Championship side Leeds United. The highly anticipated match in the third round between Manchester United and Liverpool
saw United beat Liverpool 1-0 with a Ryan Giggs
second minute penalty. Championship side Leeds United failed to maintain their good showing against Arsenal by losing 3-1. Also Newcastle suffered a massive upset, losing 3-1 to League Two Stevenage.
of the Conference National
, the fifth tier of English football. Of the other 31 teams, 15 were from the Premier League, 6 were from The Championship
, 6 were from League One
, and 4 were from League Two
. Three matches went to a replay, Everton
v Chelsea
, Bolton Wanderers
v Wigan Athletic
and Manchester City
v Notts County
.
of the Conference National
, the fifth tier of English football. They were the first non-League side to make the fifth round since 1994. Of the other 15 teams, 10 were from the Premier League, 2 from The Championship
and 3 from League One
. One match went to a replay, Leyton Orient
v Arsenal
.
of The Championship
defeated Everton
in the Fifth Round, and are the last non-Premier League team remaining in the competition, for the second year running. All 7 other teams are from the Premier League.
and Fabio Capello
at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 13 March 2011, after the result of the Stoke game, but before the end of the Manchester City game. Ties were played on 16/17 April at Wembley. With Manchester City's victory over Reading, it meant that the Semi-Finals of the Cup would be an all-Premier League affair, and in addition, Wembley Stadium
would host its first ever Manchester derby
game.
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
for short. A total of 806 clubs applied to enter of which 759 were accepted, a slight drop compared to the 762 clubs accepted into the 2009–10 competition
2009–10 FA Cup
The 2009–10 FA Cup was the 129th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. As in the previous year, 762 clubs were accepted for the competition. One club, Newcastle Blue Star, folded before the fixtures were released...
.
The competition commenced on 14 August 2010 with the Extra preliminary round
2010–11 FA Cup Qualifying Rounds
The 2010–11 FA Cup is the 130th season of the longest-running association football cup competition. 759 clubs were accepted for the competition, down three from the previous year's 762. The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down the English football league system means that...
and concluded on 14 May 2011 with the Final
2011 FA Cup Final
The 2011 FA Cup Final was the 130th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 14 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London. The clubs contesting the 2011 final were Premier League clubs Manchester City and Stoke City, with the victors guaranteed...
, held at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. Unusually, this will not be the last game of the English domestic season nor the only game played on that day. Wembley Stadium is also hosting the 2011 Champions League Final
2011 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2011 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played on 28 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London that decided the winner of the 2010–11 season of the UEFA Champions League. The winners received the European Champion Clubs' Cup...
on 28 May, forcing the FA Cup Final to be played at least two weeks earlier. This means the Final will be played on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
season and, apart from the finalists who were scheduled to play a league match against each other, a full programme of matches will be played.
The defending champions were Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, who retained their title in the 2010 final
2010 FA Cup Final
The 2010 FA Cup Final was the 129th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 15 May 2010, at Wembley Stadium, London...
against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, but they lost to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the fourth round. The tournament winners were Manchester City, who defeated Stoke City in the final with Yaya Touré scoring the only goal of the match in the 74th minute.
The FA Cup winners are normally entitled to a place in the next season's UEFA Europa League unless they have already qualified for that tournament or for the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
; because Manchester City qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
The 2011–12 UEFA Champions League is the 57th season of the European Cup, Europe's premier football tournament, and the 20th season in its current Champions League format. The final venue will be the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany...
via their top-four finish in the 2010–11 Premier League
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
, Stoke qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League
2011–12 UEFA Europa League
The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...
as runners-up.
Teams
| Round | Clubs remaining | Clubs involved | Winners from previous round | New entries this round | Leagues entering at this round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Preliminary Round | 759 | 402 | none | 402 | Levels 9 and 10 in football league pyramid English football league system The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing... |
| Preliminary Round | 558 | 332 | 201 | 131 | Northern Premier League Division One North Northern Premier League Division One North Division One North is one of the two second-tier divisions of the Northern Premier League. It is at tier 4 of the National League System, tier 8 of the English football league system... Northern Premier League Division One South Northern Premier League Division One South Division One South is one of the two second-tier divisions of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 4 of the National League System, placing it seven divisions below the Premier League... Southern Football League Division One Central Southern Football League Division One South & West Isthmian League Division One North Isthmian League Division One South |
| First Round Qualifying | 392 | 232 | 166 | 66 | Northern Premier League Premier Division Northern Premier League Premier Division The Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the Premier League... Southern Football League Premier Division Isthmian League Premier Division |
| Second Round Qualifying | 276 | 160 | 116 | 44 | Conference North Conference North The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of... Conference South Conference South Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National... |
| Third Round Qualifying | 196 | 80 | 80 | none | none |
| Fourth Round Qualifying | 156 | 64 | 40 | 24 | Conference National Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
| First Round Proper | 124 | 80 | 32 | 48 | Football League One Football League One Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system.... Football League Two Football League Two Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system.... |
| Second Round Proper | 84 | 40 | 40 | none | none |
| Third Round Proper | 64 | 64 | 20 | 44 | Premier League Football League Championship Football League Championship The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League... |
| Fourth Round Proper | 32 | 32 | 32 | none | none |
| Fifth Round Proper | 16 | 16 | 16 | none | none |
| Sixth Round Proper | 8 | 8 | 8 | none | none |
| Semi-Finals | 4 | 4 | 4 | none | none |
| Final | 2 | 2 | 2 | none | none |
Calendar
The calendar for the 2010–11 FA Cup, as announced by The Football AssociationThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
:
| Round | Main date | Number of fixtures | Clubs | New entries this round | Prize money | Player of the Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Preliminary Round | 14 August 2010 | 201 | 759 → 558 | 402: 358th–759th | £750 | n/a |
| Preliminary Round | 28 August 2010 | 166 | 558 → 392 | 131: 227th–357th | £1,500 | n/a |
| First Round Qualifying | 11 September 2010 | 116 | 392 → 276 | 66: 161st–226th | £3,000 | Sam Styles (Oxhey Jets Oxhey Jets F.C. Oxhey Jets F.C. are a football club based in the Watford suburb of South Oxhey, England. They were established in 1972 and joined the Herts County League Division One in 1981. In the 2005-06 season, they entered the FA Cup competition for the first time... ) |
| Second Round Qualifying | 25 September 2010 | 80 | 276 → 196 | 44: 117th–160th | £4,500 | Sam Higgins (Chelmsford City Chelmsford City F.C. Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:... ) |
| Third Round Qualifying | 9 October 2010 | 40 | 196 → 156 | none | £7,500 | Justin Marsden (Nuneaton Town) |
| Fourth Round Qualifying | 23 October 2010 | 32 | 156 → 124 | 24: 93rd–116th | £12,500 | Amari Morgan-Smith (Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... ) |
| First round proper | 6 November 2010 | 40 | 124 → 84 | 48: 45th–92nd | £18,000 | Jake Cottrell (FC United of Manchester F.C. United of Manchester F.C. United of Manchester is an English semi-professional football club based in Bury, Greater Manchester that plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. It was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters opposed to American businessman Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover of the... ) |
| Second round proper | 27 November 2010 | 20 | 84 → 64 | none | £27,000 | Sam Ashton Sam Ashton Samuel Seth Ashton is an English footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for English non-League side Skelmersdale United. He has previously played for Bolton Wanderers and F.C... (FC United of Manchester) |
| Third round proper | 8 January 2011 | 32 | 64 → 32 | 44: 1st–44th | £67,500 | Kasper Schmeichel Kasper Schmeichel Kasper Peter Schmeichel is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, and son of Peter Schmeichel. He plays in the Npower Championship for Leicester City. He played 17 games for the Denmark under-21 national team... (Leeds United) |
| Fourth round proper | 29 January 2011 | 16 | 32 → 16 | none | £90,000 | Neal Bishop Neal Bishop Neal Robert Bishop is an English footballer who plays for Notts County as a midfielder.-Career:Born in Stockton-on-Tees, North East England, Bishop began his career with Middlesbrough in their youth system. After being released by Middlesbrough as a teenager he moved to Northern League side... (Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... ) |
| Fifth round proper | 19 February 2011 | 8 | 16 → 8 | none | £180,000 | Matthew Mills Matthew Mills Matthew Claude "Matt" Mills is an English footballer who currently plays for and is the current captain of Leicester City in the Npower Championship.-Southampton and Manchester City:... (Reading F.C. Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... ) |
| Sixth round proper | 12–13 March 2011 | 4 | 8 → 4 | none | £360,000 | Kevin Davies Kevin Davies Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009.... (Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... ) |
| Semi-Finals | 16–17 April 2011 | 2 | 4 → 2 | none | £450,000 | Joe Hart Joe Hart Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team.... (Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... ) |
| Final | 14 May 2011 | 1 | 2 → 1 | none | Winner £1,800,000 runner-up £900,000 |
Mario Balotelli Mario Balotelli Mario Balotelli is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for English team Manchester City and the Italian national team.He started his professional football career at Lumezzane and only played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona, and subsequently... (Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... ) |
Qualifying Rounds
All of the teams that entered the competition, but were not members of the Premier League or The Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, had to compete in the qualifying rounds.
First Round Proper
Teams from Leagues OneFootball League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
and Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
enter at this stage, along with the winners from the Fourth Round Qualifying. The draw was made on 24 October 2010 with ties to be played on the weekend of 6–7 November 2010 apart from Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
vs FC United of Manchester which was the only match played on 5 November 2010. It was broadcast on ESPN
ESPN (UK)
ESPN is a sports television channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland owned by American sports broadcaster ESPN Inc. The channel launched on 3 August 2009...
kicking off its FA Cup campaign with the Northern Premier League club shocking their League One counterparts 3–2. ESPN's next match was on 6 November 2010, where Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
and Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
played out a scoreless draw. ITV1's first coverage was Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
vs Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on 7 November 2010 with the League One side trouncing their Conference National opponents 5–2.
Tipton Town
Tipton Town F.C.
Tipton Town F.C. is a football club based in Tipton, West Midlands, England, currently playing in the Midland Football Alliance.-History:The club was originally formed in 1948 under the name of Ocker Hill United and played in the Wolverhampton and District Amateur League...
of the Midland Football Alliance
Midland Football Alliance
The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
and Hythe Town
Hythe Town F.C.
Hythe Town F.C. is an English football club based in Hythe in Kent, and playing in the Isthmian League Division One South in the English football league system. They were FA Vase semi-finalists in 1990.The club is nicknamed The Reds...
of the Kent League
Kent League
The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:...
, both from the ninth tier
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
, were the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition at this stage. Both suffered heavy defeats by league opposition.
Second Round Proper
The matches in the Second round proper were scheduled to take place on 26, 27 and 29 November 2010 with replays scheduled for 7, 8 and 9 December . Hartlepool UnitedHartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
v Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
and Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
v AFC Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
were both postponed on their original date, 26 November, and again on 7 December. They were finally played on 14 December.
FC United of Manchester
F.C. United of Manchester
F.C. United of Manchester is an English semi-professional football club based in Bury, Greater Manchester that plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. It was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters opposed to American businessman Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover of the...
of the Northern Premier League Premier Division
Northern Premier League Premier Division
The Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the Premier League...
and Swindon Supermarine
Swindon Supermarine F.C.
Swindon Supermarine F.C. are a football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. Currently they are members of the Southern League Premier Division...
of the Southern League Premier Division, both from the seventh tier, were the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition at this stage. Swindon Supermarine were narrowly defeated 1–0 by Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, but FC United of Manchester managed to force a replay after a 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
.
The draw for the second round was notable for the potential meeting of AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
and MK Dons. This would have been the first time the two clubs had met however MK Dons were beaten by Stevenage in their first-round replay.
Third Round Proper
The draw for the Third Round took place on 28 November 2010 at Wembley Stadium, which was made by Noel GallagherNoel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
of Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
and Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Lorenzo "Serge" Pizzorno is a British guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with the indie rock band Kasabian. He became Kasabian's lead song-writer after the departure of Christopher Karloff....
of Kasabian. Premier League and Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
teams entered at this stage, joining the winners from the second round and completing the entrants. The lowest ranked team in this round was Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic F.C.
Dover Athletic Football Club is an association football team based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover, whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club...
of the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
, the sixth tier of English football. The tie between Wycombe Wanderers and Hereford United was played later than usual due to the fact that the second round replay between Lincoln City and Hereford was delayed. Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
narrowly avoided an upset by scoring a stoppage time penalty in their 1-1 draw with Championship side Leeds United. The highly anticipated match in the third round between Manchester United and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
saw United beat Liverpool 1-0 with a Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
second minute penalty. Championship side Leeds United failed to maintain their good showing against Arsenal by losing 3-1. Also Newcastle suffered a massive upset, losing 3-1 to League Two Stevenage.
Fourth Round Proper
The draw for the Fourth Round took place on Sunday 9 January 2011. The lowest ranked team left in the competition was Crawley TownCrawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
of the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, the fifth tier of English football. Of the other 31 teams, 15 were from the Premier League, 6 were from The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, 6 were from League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, and 4 were from League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. Three matches went to a replay, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
v Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
v Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
and Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
v Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
Fifth Round Proper
The draw for the Fifth Round took place on Sunday 30 January 2011. For the second consecutive round, the lowest ranked team left in the competition was Crawley TownCrawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
of the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, the fifth tier of English football. They were the first non-League side to make the fifth round since 1994. Of the other 15 teams, 10 were from the Premier League, 2 from The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and 3 from League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. One match went to a replay, Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
v Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Sixth Round Proper
The draw for the Sixth Round took place on Sunday 20 February 2011. ReadingReading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
of The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
defeated Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the Fifth Round, and are the last non-Premier League team remaining in the competition, for the second year running. All 7 other teams are from the Premier League.
Semi-finals
The draw for the semi-finals was conducted by Hope PowellHope Powell
Hope Patricia Powell, CBE is the coach of the England women's national football team. Powell is an ‘A’ License coach and in 2003 became the first woman to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence - the highest coaching award available.-Early life:Powell was educated at Bethany School and went on to take A...
and Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 13 March 2011, after the result of the Stoke game, but before the end of the Manchester City game. Ties were played on 16/17 April at Wembley. With Manchester City's victory over Reading, it meant that the Semi-Finals of the Cup would be an all-Premier League affair, and in addition, Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
would host its first ever Manchester derby
Manchester derby
The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...
game.