List of Scottish football clubs in the FA Cup

The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout competition in English association football. It is the oldest football competition in the world, having commenced in 1871.^[1] The Cup is organised by The Football Association, the governing body of the sport in England, and is open only to clubs playing in FA-affiliated leagues in the modern era, all of which are based in England,^[2] although a number of Welsh clubs have taken part. Several teams from Scotland have also entered, primarily in the competition's early years.

Queen's Park reached two FA Cup finals, the only Scottish team ever to do so.

The first Scottish club to enter was Queen's Park in Glasgow, who accepted an invitation to take part in the first competition after a number of the clubs which had originally entered withdrew.^[3] Queen's Park was by far the dominant force in Scottish football, and no other team had even managed to score a goal against them.^[4] Because of a combination of byes and the withdrawal of opponents, "Queen's" reached the semi-finals without playing a match, but after holding Wanderers to a draw the Scottish club was forced to withdraw, as the funds could not be raised to return for a replay.^[3] The following season Queen's Park entered the competition again and, to reduce the travelling expenses required to take part in a competition in which virtually every other team was based in the home counties surrounding London, were afforded byes all the way to the semi-finals.^[3] At that stage the club was drawn against Oxford University, but the Scots withdrew from the competition,^[5] although one account states that Queen's in fact beat Oxford, but then withdrew as the team could not afford to travel to London for the final.^[3] In 1873, the newly formed Scottish Football Association launched the Scottish Cup,^[6] but Queen's Park continued to enter the FA Cup draw, although for unknown reasons the club withdrew each time without playing.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

In 1883, Queen's returned to the FA Cup and reached the final, scoring resounding wins over Crewe Alexandra (10–0) and Manchester F.C. (15–0) en route, only to be defeated by Blackburn Rovers.^[12] The match against Manchester was the first FA Cup tie to be staged in Scotland, hosted at Titwood, the home of Clydesdale Cricket Club.^[13] A year later Queens met Blackburn Rovers in the final once again, but Rovers won again.^[14] The 1885–86 competition saw the first entries by other Scottish clubs, as Queen's were joined by Partick Thistle, Third Lanark, Rangers and Heart of Midlothian; but Rangers and Hearts withdrew without playing a match.^[15] These clubs all returned for the 1886–87 competition, along with newcomers Renton and Cowlairs.^[16]

In 1887, the Scottish Football Association banned its members from taking any further part in the FA Cup.^[17] No more Scottish clubs participated until Gretna F.C. entered the competition in the 1980s. Because the town of Gretna is close to the border, the local football club had opted to play in the English football league system and by the 1980s had reached the Northern Premier League,^[18] making the team eligible to enter the FA Cup. Gretna played in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup for nineteen seasons, and reached the first round proper twice, until the club joined the Scottish Football League in 2002.^[18]

Participation of Scottish clubs by season

Season	Club	Round reached	Notes	Ref
1871–72	Queen's Park	Semi-finals	Reached the semi-finals without playing a match, held Wanderers to a draw, but withdrew rather than play a replay	[19]
1872–73	Queen's Park	Semi-finals	Received byes to the semi-finals but either withdrew immediately or beat Oxford University and then withdrew	[3][5]
1876–77	Queen's Park	3rd round	Received byes to 3rd round but then withdrew	[7]
1879–80	Queen's Park	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[8]
1880–81	Queen's Park	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[9]
1881–82	Queen's Park	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[10]
1882–83	Queen's Park	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[11]
1883–84	Queen's Park	Final	Defeated in the final by Blackburn Rovers	[12]
1884–85	Queen's Park	Final	Defeated in the final by Blackburn Rovers	[14]
1885–86	Queen's Park	2nd round	Reached 2nd round but withdrew	[15]
	Third Lanark	2nd round	Reached 2nd round but withdrew	[15]
	Partick Thistle	1st round		[15]
	Heart of Midlothian	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[15]
	Rangers	1st round	Withdrew without playing a match	[15]
1886–87	Rangers	Semi-finals		[16]
	Partick Thistle	5th round		[16]
	Cowlairs	3rd round		[16]
	Renton	3rd round	Defeated holders Blackburn Rovers in 2nd round	[16]
	Third Lanark	2nd round		[16]
	Heart of Midlothian	1st round		[16]
	Queen's Park	1st round		[16]
1983–84	Gretna	2nd qualifying round		[18]
1984–85	Gretna	3rd qualifying round		[18]
1985–86	Gretna	3rd qualifying round		[18]
1986–87	Gretna	4th qualifying round		[18]
1987–88	Gretna	2nd qualifying round		[18]
1988–89	Gretna	2nd qualifying round		[18]
1989–90	Gretna	1st qualifying round		[18]
1990–91	Gretna	3rd qualifying round		[18]
1991–92	Gretna	1st round		[18]
1992–93	Gretna	1st qualifying round		[18]
1993–94	Gretna	1st round	The most recent appearance of a Scottish team in the FA Cup proper	[18]
1994–95	Gretna	1st qualifying round		[18]
1995–96	Gretna	Preliminary round		[18]
1996–97	Gretna	1st qualifying round		[18]
1997–98	Gretna	3rd qualifying round		[18]
1998–99	Gretna	1st qualifying round		[18]
1999–00	Gretna	2nd qualifying round		[18]
2000–01	Gretna	Preliminary round		[18]
2001–02	Gretna	2nd qualifying round		[18]
2002–03	Gretna	1st qualifying round	Withdrew without playing a match following entry into the Scottish League, allowing them to compete in the Scottish Cup	[18]

See also

• Non-English football clubs in the FA Cup - a full list of all clubs from outside England that have competed in the FA Cup
• Berwick Rangers F.C. - a club geographically located in England, but which plays in the Scottish league system (and thus the Scottish Cup)

References

1. Greg Lalas (15 May 2008). "Open up and say ... Ahhhh!". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
2. "Rules of the FA Challenge Cup Competition" (PDF). The Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
3. Soar, Phil; Martin Tyler. Encyclopedia of British Football. p. 154.
4. Soar, Phil; Martin Tyler (1983). Encyclopedia of British Football. Willow Books. p. 64. ISBN 0-0021-8049-9.
5. "FA Cup 1872–73". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
6. "Scottish Cup 1873–74". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
7. "FA Cup 1876–77". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
8. "FA Cup 1879–80". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
9. "FA Cup 1880–81". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
10. "FA Cup 1881–82". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
11. "FA Cup 1882–83". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
12. "FA Cup 1883–84". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
13. James, Gary (2008). Manchester - A Football History. Halifax: James Ward. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-9558127-0-5.
14. "FA Cup 1884–85". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
15. "FA Cup 1885–86". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
16. "FA Cup 1886–87". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
17. "Ask Albert – Number 5". BBC Sport. 19 February 2001. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
18. "Gretna". The Football Club History Database. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
19. "FA Cup 1871–72". The Football Club History Database. Retrieved 13 May 2008.