The 1901 FA Cup final was an association football match between Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, 20 April 1901 at the Crystal Palace stadium in south London. It was the final match of the 1900–01 FA Cup, the 30th edition of the world's oldest football knockout competition, and England's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup.
Sheffield United were appearing in their second final, having won the cup in 1899, and Tottenham Hotspur in their first. Both teams joined the competition in the first round proper and progressed through four rounds to the final. As a member of the Football League First Division, Sheffield United were exempt from the competition's qualifying phase. Tottenham Hotspur, as a member of the Southern League, would normally have been required to pre-qualify but, as champions of the Southern League in 1899–1900, they were given byes through the qualifying phase to the first round.
The final was watched by a world record crowd of 110,820 and ended in a 2–2 draw. The goalscorers were Fred Priest and Walter Bennett for Sheffield United and Sandy Brown (twice) for Tottenham Hotspur. A replay was held a week later on 27 April at Burnden Park in Bolton, but before a much-reduced crowd of 20,470. Tottenham Hotspur won 3–1 with goals by John Cameron, Tom Smith and Brown against one by Fred Priest for Sheffield United. Brown was the first player to score a goal (fifteen in total) in every round of an FA Cup tournament.
Background
Known officially as The Football Association Challenge Cup, the FA Cup is an annual knockout association football competition in men's domestic English football. The competition was first proposed on 20 July 1871 by C. W. Alcock at a meeting of The Football Association committee. The tournament was first played in the 1871–72 season and is the world's oldest association football competition. The 1901 match between Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur at Crystal Palace was the 30th final and the first of the 20th century. Sheffield United were appearing in the final for the second time, having defeated Derby County 4–1 in 1899. Tottenham Hotspur were making their first appearance in the match.
Sheffield United were members of the Football League First Division and, in the 1900–01 league championship, amassed 31 points to finish in 14th position, six points clear of the relegation placings. Tottenham Hotspur were the reigning Southern League champions, but they slipped to fifth place in the 1900–01 championship, five points behind new champions Southampton. Southern League teams normally had to qualify for the first round proper of the FA Cup but, as champions, Tottenham Hotspur were exempted from pre-qualification and were given byes to the first round.
Sheffield United's team between 1889 and 1932 was selected by a committee but with the club secretary in charge of the team on match days. In 1901, this was John Nicholson. Tottenham Hotspur were managed by John Cameron, their inside forward, who became the first player-manager to lead his team to a cup final victory. Cameron did not lead the team on the field, however; Jack Jones was the team captain.
Route to the final
Sheffield United
Sheffield United entered the competition in the first round proper and played five matches, including one replay, en route to the final. All four of their opponents were other teams in the First Division.
Early rounds
In the first round, Sheffield were drawn away to Sunderland at Roker Park. This was a difficult hurdle as Sunderland were one of the leading teams in the First Division, eventually finishing as runners-up behind champions Liverpool. The match was played on Saturday, 9 February and Sheffield United won 2–1 with goals by Bert Lipsham and Fred Priest. Sunderland's goal was scored by Colin McLatchie.
Sheffield then faced Everton in a home tie at Bramall Lane on Saturday, 23 February and won 2–0. Both goals were scored by Walter Bennett.
In the third (quarter-final) round, Sheffield United were drawn away to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday, 23 March. This was expected to be a tough match but United won 4–0 and The Times said their performance was "remarkable". Priest scored an early goal and then, ten minutes before half-time, Sheffield scored their other three goals in as many minutes. The report says George Hedley, who scored the second goal, was "quite brilliant". Bennett scored the third; the fourth was an own goal by George Barker.