1956–57 FA Cup

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 30 places available in the first round. The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Billingham Synthonia, South Shields, Evenwood Town, Blyth Spartans, Scarborough, Morecambe, Wigan Athletic, New Brighton, Rhyl, Bromsgrove Rovers, Hereford United, Boston United, Selby Town, Goole Town, Ilkeston Town, Burton Albion, Peterborough United, Dunstable Town, Ely City, Walthamstow Avenue, Margate, Guildford City, Yiewsley, Tooting & Mitcham United, Hastings United, Newport (IOW), Dorchester Town, Weymouth, Yeovil Town and Cheltenham Town. Those appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Evenwood Town, Dunstable Town, Ely City and Yiewsley. Of the others, South Shields had last featured at this stage in 1947-48 and Morecambe had last done so in 1936-37. New Brighton, who had been in the Football League from 1923 until 1951, became the first club since Chelmsford City in 1938-39 to feature in nine rounds of an FA Cup tournament. They progressed from the preliminary round to the fourth round proper, defeating Prescot Cables, Marine, Earlestown, South Liverpool, Hyde United, Stockport County, Derby County and Torquay United before going out to Burnley at Turf Moor. ==Results==

First round proper At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third Division North and South joined the 30 non-league clubs that came through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round Bishop Auckland and Bedford Town were given byes to this round, with Bishop Auckland being the champions from the previous season's FA Amateur Cup and Bedford Town having taken Arsenal to a third-round replay in the previous season's FA Cup. Matches were played on Saturday, 17 November 1956. Eight matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. Second round The matches were played on Saturday, 8 December 1956. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place on the following Wednesday. Derby County went out at this stage to non-league opposition for the second consecutive season. Third round The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage and the matches were played on Saturday, 5 January 1957. Eleven matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week, and two ties required second replays, which were both played on Monday, 14 January 1957. } Fourth round The matches were played on Saturday, 26 January 1957. No replays were necessary. Rhyl, New Brighton and Peterborough United were the last non-league clubs left in the competition. Fifth round The matches were played on Saturday, 16 February 1957. Two matches were drawn and replayed later the same week. Sixth Round {{football box ---- {{football box ;Replay {{football box ---- {{football box ;Replay {{football box ---- {{football box ;Replay {{football box Semifinals {{football box ;Replay {{football box ---- {{football box Final The final took place on Saturday, 4 May 1957 at Wembley and ended in a victory for Aston Villa over Manchester United by 2–1. The attendance was 100,000. {{football box ==Notes==