The 1914 FA Cup final was an association football match between Burnley and Liverpool on 25 April 1914 at Crystal Palace, London. It was the final match of the 1913–14 FA Cup, the 43rd season of the country's primary cup competition, the FA Cup. Both teams were appearing in their first FA Cup final. Burnley and Liverpool, as members of the Football League First Division, entered the competition in the first round and progressed through five rounds to reach the final, both playing seven matches including two replays. Burnley had eliminated four clubs from the First Division en route to the final.
Harry Lowe, Liverpool's captain, was ruled out for the final, while Burnley goalkeeper Jerry Dawson decided not to play due to injury. Burnley's line-up contained nine Englishmen, of whom six were Lancastrians; seven of Liverpool's starting eleven were Scottish. King George V was in attendance for the match, which marked the first time a reigning monarch attended an FA Cup final. Liverpool were the bookies' favourites. The Birmingham Daily Post stated that the majority expected Burnley to win, however, while The Standard suggested Burnley were a "cleverer team" and had a better half-back line than Liverpool.
Watched by a crowd of 72,778, the first half was goalless as both sides struggled to create goalscoring chances. In the 58th minute, Bert Freeman put Burnley 1–0 in front with a powerful half-volley. Liverpool could not find an equaliser before the match ended. It was Burnley's first, and , only FA Cup triumph. Burnley captain Tommy Boyle, praised by the Manchester Courier for his leadership throughout the match, received the trophy from King George V.
By defeating Liverpool, Burnley became the first side to beat five clubs from the first tier in one FA Cup season. Labelled the "Royal Cup Final" by various newspapers, the game was regarded as clean but lacking in quality. It was noted by several newspapers that the players struggled with the heat and a dry and hard pitch. It was the last FA Cup final at Crystal Palace; the 1915 FA Cup final between Sheffield United and Chelsea was held at Old Trafford, Manchester, as Crystal Palace was used as a war depot during the First World War.
Route to the final Burnley Round Opposition Score 1st South Shields (h) 3–1 2nd Derby County (h) 3–2 3rd Bolton Wanderers (h) 3–0 4th Sunderland (a) 0–0 Sunderland (h) 2–1 Semi-final Sheffield United (n) 0–0 Sheffield United (n) 1–0 Key: (h) = Home venue; (a) = Away venue; (n) = Neutral venue Burnley began their campaign for the 1913–14 FA Cup in January 1914 in the first round with a home game at Turf Moor against South Shields, leaders of the North Eastern League.Simpson (2007), p. 132"Association Football". The Newcastle Daily Journal. 9 January 1914. p. 9. Tommy Boyle missed a penalty kick for Burnley, after which Dick Lindley scored twice to put Burnley 2–0 up in the first half. Bert Freeman added a third goal in the second half before South Shields found the back of the Burnley net, with the match ending in a 3–1 victory for the home side."Midland Teams on the Way to the Palace". Sports Argus. 10 January 1914. p. 5. Burnley were drawn against a Football League First Division—the first tier of English football—opponent in the second round, meeting Derby County at Turf Moor.Simpson (2007), pp. 131–132 In very windy conditions, Teddy Hodgson put Burnley in front after 14 minutes with a flying header. Halfway through the second half, Derby equalised. Nearing the end of the game, three goals came in the space of three minutes: Hodgson put Burnley back in front, Derby levelled a minute later, after which Hodgson immediately netted again to complete his hat-trick. During the remaining 10 minutes of the match, Burnley easily held their lead."Derby County's cup-tie at Burnley". Football Post. 31 January 1914. p. 8.
In the third round Burnley were again drawn at home, against fellow Lancastrian side Bolton Wanderers, who were third in the First Division table."Football". The Manchester Guardian. 23 February 1914. p. 5. Burnley proceeded to the fourth round with a 3–0 victory with goals from Freeman, Hodgson and George Halley. Due to Burnley's "energetic" and "intelligent" style of play, The Manchester Guardian concluded "On Saturday's form Burnley should be quite good enough to win the Cup". Burnley were paired with Sunderland in the fourth round; Sunderland were the 1912–13 First Division champions and runners-up in the previous FA Cup season. Sunderland reached that FA Cup final by defeating Burnley in the semi-final; it was the first time Burnley had reached that stage of the competition.Simpson (2007), p. 14
The fourth round game took place at Sunderland's Roker Park, ending in a goalless draw, necessitating a replay at Turf Moor four days later. In front of around 50,000 spectators, a then-record at Turf Moor, Burnley won 2–1 with goals from Hodgson and Lindley; Sunderland scored a consolation goal in the last minute of the game.Simpson (2007), p. 130 As Sunderland were regarded as the favourites to progress to the semi-final, the Burnley Express wrote: "If Burnley keep playing as they have been, no team on earth can stop them". The semi-final, played at Old Trafford as a neutral venue, was against Sheffield United. The match ended in a goalless draw—although Sheffield United claimed without success that a shot had crossed the Burnley goal line—with The Manchester Guardian highlighting United's rough style of play."Football". The Manchester Guardian. 30 March 1914. p. 4. The two sides met again at Goodison Park in Liverpool in a replay four days later. Burnley goalkeeper Jerry Dawson picked up an injury during the match at Old Trafford and was replaced by Ronnie Sewell. In a tight game, captain Boyle scored the only goal of the game in the 75th minute to send Burnley to the final.
Liverpool Round Opposition Score 1st Barnsley (h) 1–1 Barnsley (a) 1–0 2nd Gillingham (h) 2–0 3rd West Ham United (a) 1–1 West Ham United (h) 5–1 4th Queens Park Rangers (h) 2–1 Semi-final Aston Villa (n) 2–0 Key: (h) = Home venue; (a) = Away venue; (n) = Neutral venue Liverpool entered the 1913–14 FA Cup in the first round where they faced Football League Second Division side Barnsley at home ground Anfield. Although Liverpool were the favourites to win the match, they were held to a 1–1 draw, Liverpool's scorer being Bill Lacey.Liversedge (1991), p. 11 The two sides met again in Barnsley in a replay five days later. Boasting a strong cup record at home and in replays, Barnsley dominated most of the game, with Liverpool goalkeeper Kenny Campbell making a string of saves. Two minutes from time, however, Lacey found the back of the Barnsley net with a "fast low shot", which proved to be the only goal of the game."Liverpool Triumph". Evening Express. 15 January 1914. p. 5. Liverpool faced Gillingham of the Southern Football League at home in the second round. Nine minutes from time, Lacey put the home side 1–0 ahead—scoring for the third cup match in a row—before Robert Ferguson added a second two minutes later.Liversedge (1991), p. 14 In the third round, Liverpool were drawn away against West Ham United of the Southern Football League. On a heavy Upton Park pitch, the first half had a high tempo but remained goalless."West Ham U. v. Liverpool". Sports Argus. 21 February 1914. p. 4. Tom Miller put Liverpool ahead early in the second half before West Ham secured an equaliser to send the game to a replay at Anfield. The home side were 4–1 ahead by half-time, Lacey and Miller both scoring twice, with the former scoring his second goal from . Although West Ham's play improved in the second half, Arthur Metcalf netted a fifth for Liverpool, the game ending in a 5–1 Liverpool victory."Association Football". The Newcastle Daily Journal. 26 February 1914. p. 9.
Queens Park Rangers (QPR) were Liverpool's fourth round opponents. QPR, playing in the Southern Football League, would be the last non-League side reaching the last eight of the FA Cup until Lincoln City managed to do so in 2016–17. At Anfield in front of around 45,000 spectators, Liverpool were 2–0 up by half-time with goals from Jackie Sheldon and Miller, although QPR were the more dangerous side. In the 50th minute, the visitors were awarded a penalty kick but James Birch missed the target. QPR were later awarded another penalty, which was converted by Archie Mitchell. Liverpool narrowly held on for victory and progressed to the semi-final; The Leicester Daily Mercury claimed Liverpool won "luckily"."Enormous Crowds". The Leicester Daily Mercury. 7 March 1914. p. 7. The semi-final, played at Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane as a neutral venue, was against Aston Villa, defending champions of the FA Cup and five-time winners of the competition."Aston Villa "Not" to Appear in the Final". Sports Argus. 28 March 1914. p. 4. Villa had won 12 of their last 13 matches before the semi-final tie and were favourites to win the Cup. Liverpool caused an upset as James Nicholl scored a goal in each half to send the Liverpudlians to the final."English Cup Tie Surprise". The Observer. 29 March 1914. p. 20. Liverpool were praised by The Observer for showing a fast style of play.
Pre-match Burnley and Liverpool were both appearing in their first final. Both sides played each other twice in the First Division during the season; at Anfield, it finished in a 1–1 draw, while Burnley won 5–2 at Turf Moor. Burnley, in their first top-flight campaign in 13 years, were ensconced in lower mid-table, while Liverpool were one place above the relegation zone; the teams were separated by only two points. It was the first meeting between the clubs in the FA Cup. It was the first time in ten years—when Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers played the 1904 FA Cup final—that two teams from the county of Lancashire met in the final."Burnley's Cup". Sports Argus. 25 April 1914. p. 4. Liverpool were the bookies' favourites, with odds of 4/6 to claim the cup. The Birmingham Daily Post stated that the majority expected Burnley to win, however, as they had a more difficult route to the final, having eliminated the champions of the North Eastern League (South Shields) and four First Division sides."Football Prospects". Birmingham Daily Post. 25 April 1914. p. 13. The Standard also suggested Burnley were the slight favourites, being a "cleverer team" and having a better half-back line than Liverpool."F.A. Cup Final". The Standard. 25 April 1914. p. 7.
Burnley prepared for the final at the seaside town of Lytham, Lancashire. The players kept relaxed and fit with golf, boating and brine baths. Their training consisted of "gentle football kicking". On 23 April, two days before the final, they travelled back to Burnley, before leaving for London the following day."Training for the Cup". Liverpool Echo. 21 April 1914. p. 7. The Burnley team travelled to the capital by train; when they left, the train "steamed out amid rousing cheers" from Burnley fans."Final Words on Final Tie". Liverpool Echo. 24 April 1914. p. 7. Liverpool were already staying in London several days before the final, in Chingford, where they had also stayed before their semi-final game against Aston Villa. On the morning of the final, around 170 special trains were put on to commute fans from Burnley and Liverpool Lime Street to London.Kelly (1988), pp. 25–27 Liverpool took at least 20,000 supporters to Crystal Palace, while Burnley were supported by around 15,000 fans."The King at the Cup Final". The Times. 27 April 1914. p. 13.