1974–75 FA Cup

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 28 places available in the first round. The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Blyth Spartans, Gateshead United, Bishop Auckland, Altrincham, Oswestry Town, Wigan Athletic, Marine, Farsley Celtic, Nuneaton Borough, Matlock Town, Stafford Rangers, Boston United, AP Leamington, Kettering Town, Ashford Town (Kent), Romford, Hitchin Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Chelmsford City, Slough Town, Tooting & Mitcham United, Wimbledon, Maidstone United, Leatherhead, Southwick, Weymouth, Cheltenham Town and Bath City. Appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Farsley Celtic, AP Leamington, Maidstone United, Leatherhead and Southwick. Of the others, Bishop Auckland, Ashford Town (Kent) and Bath City had last featured at this stage in 1966–67, Tooting & Mitcham United had last done so in 1963-64, Oswestry Town and Matlcok Town had last done so in 1959-60, and Marine had last done so in 1947-48. Gateshead United had relocated from South Shields during the summer of 1974 following the dissolution of Gateshead AFC. Although the club had qualified for the main draw of the Cup in each of the previous six seasons under its former name, this season marked the first time a club from Gateshead would be featuring in the first round since 1965-66. ==Results==

First round proper At this stage the 48 clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Division joined the non-league clubs who came through the qualifying rounds. To complete this round, non-league sides Morecambe, Dartford, Bishop's Stortford and Ilford were given byes as the finalists from the previous season's FA Trophy and FA Amateur Cup respectively. During the 1974 close season the Football Association decided to abolish the distinction between amateur and professional clubs, resulting in the permanent cessation of the FA Amateur Cup. The annual finalists from the replacement competition for lower-level clubs, known as the FA Vase, would not receive byes to the first round of the FA Cup in subsequent seasons. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 23 November 1974. Twelve matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay. } Second round proper The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 14 December 1974. Five matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. Third round proper The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 4 January 1975. Eleven matches were drawn, of which two required second replays. Stafford Rangers became the first non-league club to defeat three Football League opponents in one tournament since Peterborough United in 1959–60. } Fourth round proper The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 January 1975. Four matches were drawn, of which one, the tie between Fulham and Nottingham Forest, required three replays. Holders Liverpool were eliminated by Ipswich Town. Wimbledon, Stafford Rangers and Leatherhead were the last non-league clubs left in the competition. } Fifth round proper The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 15 February 1975. Two matches were drawn, of which one required a second replay. Sixth round proper {{football box {{football box {{football box {{football box ;Replay {{football box ;Second replay {{football box ;Third replay {{football box Semi-finals {{football box {{football box ;Replays {{football box {{football box Final The final took place on Saturday, 3 May 1975 at Wembley and ended in a victory for West Ham United over Fulham by 2–0. Both goals were scored by Alan Taylor. The attendance was 100,000. {{football box ==TV coverage==

The right to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. All games were shown in a highlights format, except the Final, which was shown live both on BBC1 & ITV. The BBC football highlights programme Match Of The Day would show up to three games and the various ITV regional network stations would cover up to one game and show highlights from other games covered elsewhere on the ITV network. No games from rounds 1 or 2 were shown. Highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV. Third round BBC Orient v Derby County, Liverpool v Stoke City, Southampton v West Ham United ITV Wycombe Wanderers v Middlesbrough (LWT), Manchester City v Newcastle United (Granada & Tyne-Tees), Wolverhampton Wanderers v Ipswich Town (ATV), Southend United v Queens Park Rangers (Anglia), Leeds United v Cardiff City (Yorkshire & HTV), Brighton & Hove Albion v Leatherhead (Southern), Derby County v Orient (Midweek replay All Regions). Fourth round BBC Leatherhead v Leicester City, Plymouth Argyle v Everton, Middlesbrough v Sunderland, Arsenal v Coventry (Midweek replay), Wimbledon v Leeds United (Monday night replay) ITV Ipswich Town v Liverpool (Anglia & Granada), West Ham United v Swindon Town (LWT & HTV), Coventry City v Arsenal (ATV), Leeds United v Wimbledon (Yorkshire). Fifth round BBC Peterborough United v Middlesbrough, Arsenal v Leicester City, Mansfield Town v Carlisle United ITV West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers (LWT), Everton v Fulham (Granada),Ipswich Town v Aston Villa (Anglia), Birmingham City v Walsall (ATV), Derby County v Leeds United (Midweek All regions), Leicester City v Arsenal (Midweek 2nd replay All regions), Sixth round BBC Arsenal v West Ham United, Birmingham City v Middlesbrough ITV Carlisle United v Fulham (Granada, LWT & Tyne-Tees), Ipswich Town v Leeds United (Anglia & Yorkshire), Leeds United v Ipswich Town (Midweek 2nd replay All regions) Semi-Finals BBC Ipswich Town v West Ham United ITV Birmingham City v Fulham (All regions). Note neither BBC or ITV covered the replays, the goals were only shown as clips for TV news reports, with commentary over dubbed later. Final Fulham v West Ham United Shown live on both BBC & ITV ==Notes==