1995–96 FA Cup
Tournament details
Country England
 Wales
Defending championsEverton
Final positions
ChampionsManchester United (9th title)
Runner-upLiverpool
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorer(s)Dave Powell
(9 goals)

The 1995–96 FA Cup (known as The FA Cup sponsored by Littlewoods for sponsorship reasons) was the 115th staging of the FA Cup. The competition was won outright by Manchester United, who won the final through a goal from Eric Cantona five minutes from the end of the game. It gave Manchester United a league and cup double after they secured their third league title in four years. It was also United's third straight FA Cup Final.

The tournament began with teams from non-league football competing in preliminary and qualifying rounds in order to make it to the competition proper. Details of the qualifying tournament and all the rounds through to the final are available at FA Cup archives. Teams from Divisions 1 to 3 entered at the first round, while Premiership teams entered in the third round.

The topscorer in the competition was Dave Powell of Gravesend and Northfleet, whom scored 9 goals.

Calendar

RoundInitial MatchesNew EntriesClubs
Preliminary roundSaturday --- August 1995342575 → 404
First round qualifyingSaturday 9 September 1995117404 → 260
Second round qualifyingSaturday 23 September 1995none260 → 188
Third round qualifyingSaturday 7 October 1995none188 → 152
Fourth round qualifyingSaturday 21 October 199520152 → 124
First round properSaturday 11 November 199552124 → 84
Second round properSaturday 2 December 1995none84 → 64
Third round properSaturday 6 January 19964464 → 32
Fourth round properSaturday 27 January 1996none32 → 16
Fifth round properSaturday 17 February 1996none16 → 8
Sixth round properSaturday 9 March 1996none8 → 4
Semi-finalsSunday 31 March 1996none4 → 2
FinalSaturday 11 May 1996none2 → 1

First round proper

Teams from the Football League Second and Third Division entered in this round plus four non-league teams were given byes to this round: Woking, Kidderminster Harriers, Altrincham and Enfield. The matches were played on 11 November 1995. There were ten replays, with two ties requiring a penalty shootout to settle them. Fulham's 7–0 victory over Swansea City was an FA Cup record margin of victory against a team from a higher division.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Blackpool2–1Chester City11 November 1995
2AFC Bournemouth0–0Bristol City11 November 1995
ReplayBristol City0–1AFC Bournemouth21 November 1995
3Barnet2–2Woking11 November 1995
ReplayWoking2–1Barnet21 November 1995
4Barrow2–1Nuneaton Borough11 November 1995
5Burnley1–3Walsall10 November 1995
6Bury0–2Blyth Spartans11 November 1995
7Canvey Island2–2Brighton & Hove Albion12 November 1995
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion4–1Canvey Island21 November 1995
8Rochdale5–3Rotherham United11 November 1995
9Northwich Victoria1–3Scunthorpe United11 November 1995
10Swindon Town4–1Cambridge United11 November 1995
11Scarborough0–2Chesterfield11 November 1995
12Shrewsbury Town11–2Marine11 November 1995
13Stockport County5–0Lincoln City11 November 1995
14Wycombe Wanderers1–1Gillingham13 November 1995
ReplayGillingham1–0Wycombe Wanderers21 November 1995
15Kidderminster Harriers2–2Sutton United11 November 1995
ReplaySutton United1–1Kidderminster Harriers21 November 1995
Sutton United won 3–1 on penalties
16Fulham7–0Swansea City11 November 1995
17Brentford1–1Farnborough Town11 November 1995
ReplayFarnborough Town0–4Brentford22 November 1995
18Northampton Town1–0Hayes11 November 1995
19Bradford City4–3Burton Albion11 November 1995
20Hull City0–0Wrexham11 November 1995
ReplayWrexham0–0Hull City21 November 1995
Wrexham won 3–1 on penalties
21Carlisle United1–2Preston North End11 November 1995
22Spennymoor United0–1Colwyn Bay11 November 1995
23Hitchin Town2–1Bristol Rovers11 November 1995
24Altrincham0–2Crewe Alexandra22 November 1995
25Exeter City0–1Peterborough United11 November 1995
26Bognor Regis Town1–1Ashford Town11 November 1995
ReplayAshford Town0–1Bognor Regis Town21 November 1995
27Mansfield Town4–2Doncaster Rovers11 November 1995
28Kingstonian5–1Wisbech Town11 November 1995
29Runcorn1–1Wigan Athletic11 November 1995
ReplayWigan Athletic4–2Runcorn21 November 1995
30Torquay United1–0Leyton Orient11 November 1995
31York City0–1Notts County12 November 1995
32Hereford United2–1Stevenage Borough11 November 1995
33Newport (IOW)1–1Enfield11 November 1995
ReplayEnfield2–1Newport (IOW)21 November 1995
34Gravesend & Northfleet2–0Colchester United11 November 1995
35Slough Town0–2Plymouth Argyle11 November 1995
36Cinderford Town2–1Bromsgrove Rovers11 November 1995
37Oxford United9–1Dorchester Town11 November 1995
38Telford United2–1Witton Albion11 November 1995
39Hartlepool United2–4Darlington11 November 1995
40Rushden & Diamonds1–3Cardiff City11 November 1995

Second round proper

The second round of the competition featured the winners of the first round ties. The matches were played on 2 December 1995, with six replays and one penalty shootout required.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Enfield1–1Woking2 December 1995
ReplayWoking2–1Enfield12 December 1995
2Blackpool2–0Colwyn Bay2 December 1995
3AFC Bournemouth0–1Brentford2 December 1995
4Barrow0–4Wigan Athletic2 December 1995
5Rochdale2–2Darlington2 December 1995
ReplayDarlington0–1Rochdale12 December 1995
6Gillingham3–0Hitchin Town2 December 1995
7Crewe Alexandra2–0Mansfield Town2 December 1995
8Swindon Town2–0Cardiff City2 December 1995
9Wrexham3–2Chesterfield2 December 1995
10Stockport County2–0Blyth Spartans2 December 1995
11Fulham0–0Brighton & Hove Albion2 December 1995
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion0–0Fulham14 December 1995
Fulham won 4–1 on penalties
12Bradford City2–1Preston North End2 December 1995
13Scunthorpe United1–1Shrewsbury Town2 December 1995
ReplayShrewsbury Town2–1Scunthorpe United12 December 1995
14Kingstonian1–2Plymouth Argyle3 December 1995
15Torquay United1–1Walsall2 December 1995
ReplayWalsall8–4Torquay United12 December 1995
16Hereford United2–0Sutton United2 December 1995
17Peterborough United4–0Bognor Regis Town2 December 1995
18Cinderford Town1–1Gravesend & Northfleet2 December 1995
ReplayGravesend & Northfleet3–0Cinderford Town14 December 1995
19Oxford United2–0Northampton Town2 December 1995
20Telford United0–2Notts County2 December 1995

Third round proper

The third round of the season's FA Cup was scheduled for 6 January and marked the point at which the teams in the two highest divisions in the English league system, the Premier League and the Football League First Division (now known as the Football League Championship). There were fourteen replays, with only one of these games going to penalties to settle it.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Liverpool7–0Rochdale6 January 1996
2Southampton3–0Portsmouth7 January 1996
3Watford1–1Wimbledon6 January 1996
ReplayWimbledon1–0Watford17 January 1996
4Reading3–1Gillingham6 January 1996
5Walsall1–0Wigan Athletic6 January 1996
6Leicester City0–0Manchester City6 January 1996
ReplayManchester City5–0Leicester City17 January 1996
7Notts County1–2Middlesbrough6 January 1996
8Aston Villa3–0Gravesend & Northfleet6 January 1996
9Grimsby Town7–1Luton Town6 January 1996
10Crewe Alexandra4–3West Bromwich Albion6 January 1996
11Derby County2–4Leeds United7 January 1996
12Everton2–2Stockport County7 January 1996
ReplayStockport County2–3Everton17 January 1996
13Swindon Town2–0Woking6 January 1996
14Ipswich Town0–0Blackburn Rovers6 January 1996
ReplayBlackburn Rovers0–1Ipswich Town16 January 1996
15Tranmere Rovers0–2Queens Park Rangers6 January 1996
16Fulham1–1Shrewsbury Town6 January 1996
ReplayShrewsbury Town2–1Fulham16 January 1996
17Barnsley0–0Oldham Athletic6 January 1996
ReplayOldham Athletic2–1Barnsley23 January 1996
18West Ham United2–0Southend United7 January 1996
19Manchester United2–2Sunderland6 January 1996
ReplaySunderland1–2Manchester United16 January 1996
20Norwich City1–2Brentford6 January 1996
21Plymouth Argyle1–3Coventry City6 January 1996
22Bradford City0–3Bolton Wanderers6 January 1996
23Millwall3–3Oxford United6 January 1996
ReplayOxford United1–0Millwall16 January 1996
24Crystal Palace0–0Port Vale6 January 1996
ReplayPort Vale4–3Crystal Palace16 January 1996
25Chelsea1–1Newcastle United7 January 1996
ReplayNewcastle United2–2Chelsea17 January 1996
Chelsea won 4–2 on penalties
26Huddersfield Town2–1Blackpool6 January 1996
27Charlton Athletic2–0Sheffield Wednesday6 January 1996
28Arsenal1–1Sheffield United6 January 1996
ReplaySheffield United1–0Arsenal17 January 1996
29Hereford United1–1Tottenham Hotspur6 January 1996
ReplayTottenham Hotspur5–1Hereford United17 January 1996
30Stoke City1–1Nottingham Forest6 January 1996
ReplayNottingham Forest2–0Stoke City17 January 1996
31Peterborough United1–0Wrexham6 January 1996
32Birmingham City1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers6 January 1996
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers2–1Birmingham City17 January 1996

Fourth round proper

The fourth round ties were played with the thirty-two winners of the previous round. The matches were originally scheduled for Saturday, 27 January, although only four matches were played that weekend, and only two of these matches resulted in a victory for one side. There were seven replays but no penalty shootouts.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Southampton1–1Crewe Alexandra7 February 1996
ReplayCrewe Alexandra2–3Southampton13 February 1996
2Reading0–3Manchester United27 January 1996
3Nottingham Forest1–1Oxford United7 February 1996
ReplayOxford United0–3Nottingham Forest13 February 1996
4Bolton Wanderers0–1Leeds United14 February 1996
5Middlesbrough0–0Wimbledon7 February 1996
ReplayWimbledon1–0Middlesbrough13 February 1996
6Everton2–2Port Vale27 January 1996
ReplayPort Vale2–1Everton14 February 1996
7Swindon Town1–0Oldham Athletic12 February 1996
8Shrewsbury Town0–4Liverpool18 February 1996
9Sheffield United0–1Aston Villa28 January 1996
10Ipswich Town1–0Walsall13 February 1996
11Tottenham Hotspur1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers27 January 1996
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers0–2Tottenham Hotspur7 February 1996
12Queens Park Rangers1–2Chelsea29 January 1996
13Coventry City2–2Manchester City7 February 1996
ReplayManchester City2–1Coventry City14 February 1996
14West Ham United1–1Grimsby Town7 February 1996
ReplayGrimsby Town3–0West Ham United14 February 1996
15Huddersfield Town2–0Peterborough United6 February 1996
16Charlton Athletic3–2Brentford7 February 1996

Fifth round proper

The fifth-round matches were scheduled for 17 February. There were five replays and one penalty shootout.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1Liverpool2–1Charlton Athletic28 February 1996
2Nottingham Forest2–2Tottenham Hotspur28 February 1996
ReplayTottenham Hotspur1–1Nottingham Forest9 March 1996
Nottingham Forest won 3–1 on penalties
3Grimsby Town0–0Chelsea21 February 1996
ReplayChelsea4–1Grimsby Town28 February 1996
4Swindon Town1–1Southampton17 February 1996
ReplaySouthampton2–0Swindon Town28 February 1996
5Ipswich Town1–3Aston Villa17 February 1996
6Manchester United2–1Manchester City18 February 1996
7Huddersfield Town2–2Wimbledon17 February 1996
ReplayWimbledon3–1Huddersfield Town28 February 1996
8Leeds United0–0Port Vale21 February 1996
ReplayPort Vale1–2Leeds United27 February 1996

Sixth round

The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on the weekend of 9 and 10 March 1996. There were two replays, between Liverpool and Leeds and Wimbledon & Chelsea. These were played on 20 March 1996.

This was a rare occurrence of all eight quarter-finals being from the top division.

Chelsea2–2Wimbledon
M. Hughes 70'
Gullit 80'		 Earle 54'
Holdsworth 81'
Attendance: 30,805
Leeds United0–0Liverpool
Attendance: 24,632
Manchester United2–0Southampton
Cantona 49'
Sharpe 90'
Attendance: 45,446
Nottingham Forest0–1Aston Villa
Carr 26'
Attendance: 21,067

Replays

Wimbledon1–3Chelsea
Goodman 39' Petrescu 20'
Duberry 79'
M. Hughes 84'
Attendance: 21,380
Liverpool3–0Leeds United
McManaman 57', 73'
Fowler 83'
Attendance: 30,812

Semi finals

The semi final ties were played at neutral venues on 31 March 1996. Manchester United and Liverpool beat Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively to reach the final. At this stage, Manchester United were top of the league and looking good bets for a unique second double two years after their first one, while Liverpool were hopeful of a similar triumph as they were third in the league and still in with a slim chance of a second double 10 years after their first one.

Just weeks before accepting the role as England manager, Glenn Hoddle watched his Chelsea side throw away their chances of major trophy late in the season for the third year running, one year after losing in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals and two years after losing the FA Cup final.

Aston Villa's defeat ended their hopes of emulating Arsenal's 1993 triumph of an FA Cup/League Cup double, as they had lifted the League Cup the previous weekend.

Manchester United2–1Chelsea
Cole 55'
Beckham 59'		 Report Gullit 35'
Attendance: 38,421

Referee:- Stephen Lodge (Barnsley)

Liverpool3–0Aston Villa
Fowler 16', 86'
McAteer 90'		 Report
Attendance: 39,072
Referee: Paul Durkin (Portland, Dorset)

Final

A late goal from Eric Cantona, United's top scorer and the FWA Player of the Year just a year after being vilified for the assault on a spectator which saw him banned from football for eight months, saw a United side featuring some of the Premier League's youngest players clinch a 1–0 win over Liverpool to become the first team to win the double twice, two years after their first double.

Manchester United1–0Liverpool
Cantona 85'
Attendance: 79,007

Media coverage

For the eighth consecutive season in the United Kingdom, the BBC were the free to air broadcasters while Sky Sports were the subscription broadcasters.

The matches shown live on the BBC were: Chelsea 1–1 Newcastle United (R3); Sheffield United 0–1 Aston Villa (R4); Manchester United 2–1 Manchester City (R5); Leeds United 0–0 Liverpool (QF); Manchester United 2–1 Chelsea (SF) and Manchester United 1–0 Liverpool (Final).

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