The 2020–21 FA Trophy (known for sponsorship reasons as the Buildbase FA Trophy) was the 52nd season of the FA Trophy, an annual football competition for teams at levels 5-8 of the English National League System. In a change in format from previous years, the competition consisted of three qualifying rounds, and seven proper rounds. Teams from level 8 entered into the first and second qualifying rounds, level 7 into the third qualifying round, level 6 (the National League North and National League South) into round 2, and level 5 (the National League) into round 3.
All matches were in a single-match knockout format, with the winner decided by penalties if the match was drawn after 90 minutes, apart from the Final where the winner was decided by extra-time and penalties if the match was drawn. This was a change from previous seasons where replays were used and where the semi-finals were scheduled as two-legged; the changes reflected the late start of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The final was a single-match held at Wembley Stadium.
Calendar The calendar for the 2020-21 Buildbase FA Trophy, as announced by The Football Association.
Round Main Date Number of Fixtures Clubs Remaining New Entries This Round Losing Club Winning Club First round qualifying 26 September 2020 17 293 → 276 34 £450 £1,500 Second round qualifying 17 October 2020 61 276 → 215 105 £575 £2,250 Third round qualifying 31 October 2020 74 215 → 141 87 £625 £2,450 First round proper 8 December 2020 37 141 → 104 0 £775 £3,000 Second round proper 15 December 2020 40 104 → 64 43 £1,000 £3,750 Third round proper 19 December 2020 32 64 → 32 24 £1,250 £4,500 Fourth round proper 16 January 2021 16 32 → 16 0 £1,500 £5,250 Fifth round proper 6 February 2021 8 16 → 8 0 £1,750 £6,000 Quarter-finals 27 February 2021 4 8 → 4 0 £2,000 £7,500 Semi-finals 27 March 2021 2 4 → 2 0 £5,000 £15,000 Final 8 May 2021 1 2 → 1 0 £30,000 £60,000
First round qualifying
The draw was made on 18 August 2020. All results taken from The Football Association website.The FA Trophy - Results - The Buildbase FA Trophy
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Saturday 26 September 2020 1 Tadcaster Albion (8) 1–3 Marine (8) 221 2 Ossett United (8) 0–2 Ramsbottom United (8) 346 3 Market Drayton Town (8) 0–1 Bury Town (8) 78 4 Cambridge City (8) 2–3 Kidsgrove Athletic (8) 212 5 Soham Town Rangers (8) 0–3 Corby Town (8) 131 6 Evesham United (8) 2–1 Biggleswade (8) 271 7 South Park (8) 0–1 Three Bridges (8) 111 8 Waltham Abbey (8) 3–2 Staines Town (8) 100
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) 9 Hullbridge Sports (8) 0–1 Ashford Town (8) 10 Hythe Town (8) 3–0 Chalfont St Peter (8) 178 11 AFC Sudbury (8) 1–2 Barking (8) 178 12 Felixstowe & Walton United (8) 2–1 Great Wakering Rovers (8) 202 13 Northwood (8) Basildon United (8) 111 14 AFC Dunstable (8) 1–2 Tooting & Mitcham United (8) 97 15 Witham Town (8) 0–2 Hanwell Town (8) 104 16 Melksham Town (8) North Leigh (8) 259 17 Cirencester Town (8) Paulton Rovers (8) 100
Second round qualifying
The draw was made on 18 August 2020.
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Saturday 17 October 2020 1 Pontefract Collieries (8) 1–4 Workington (8) 191 2 Prescot Cables (8) W/O Frickley Athletic (8) Frickley Athletic awarded a walkover due to a Prescot Cables player testing positive for COVID-19, forcing them to forfeit. 3 Worksop Town (8) Ramsbottom United (8) 298 4 Pickering Town (8) 1–0 Trafford (8) 124 5 Kendal Town (8) 1–0 Brighouse Town (8) 210 Kendal Town removed from competition for fielding two ineligible players. 6 Marine (8) 5–0 Mossley (8) 260 7 Widnes (8) 3–4 Colne (8) 0 8 Sheffield (8) 2–3 Runcorn Linnets (8) 281 9 Dunston (8) 0–1 Clitheroe (8) 212 10 Stocksbridge Park Steels (8) 0–4 Marske United (8) 230 11 City of Liverpool (8) W/O Cleethorpes Town (8) City of Liverpool awarded a walkover due to Cleethorpes Town refusing to travel to a Tier 3 area. 12 Droylsden (8) W/O Glossop North End (8) Glossop North End awarded a walkover due to Droylsden withdrawing from competition. 13 Sutton Coldfield Town (8) 2–3 Dereham Town (8) 283 14 Newcastle Town (8) Belper Town (8) 214 15 Yaxley (8) W/O Chasetown (8) Yaxley awarded a walkover due to a Chasetown player testing positive for COVID-19, forcing them to forfeit. 16 Corby Town (8) 1–0 Halesowen Town (8) 400 17 Daventry Town (8) 0–2 Kidsgrove Athletic (8) 95 18 Ilkeston Town (8) 2–1 Kempston Rovers (8) 370 19 Evesham United (8) 2–0 Carlton Town (8) 269 20 Histon (8) 1–2 Leek Town (8) 226 21 Loughborough Dynamo (8) 1–0 Bury Town (8) 120 22 Spalding United (8) 0–1 Bedford Town (8) 224 23 Wisbech Town (8) 1–2 Coleshill Town (8) 164 24 Stamford (8) 2–1 Lincoln United (8) 288 25 Bedworth United (8) 1–4 St Neots Town (8) 154 26 Hastings United (8) 3–0 FC Romania (8) 377 27 Northwood (8) Heybridge Swifts (8) 151 28 Sittingbourne (8) 1–0 East Grinstead Town (8) 175
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) 29 Felixstowe & Walton United (8) 5–0 Westfield (8) 266 30 Phoenix Sports (8) 0–2 Marlow (8) 63 31 Ashford Town (8) 1–0 Whitstable Town (8) 163 32 VCD Athletic (8) 1–2 Herne Bay (8) 128 33 Faversham Town (8) 4–1 Hertford Town (8) 212 34 Barking (8) 1–0 Harlow Town (8) 107 35 Tooting & Mitcham United (8) 2–0 Romford (8) 400 36 Chertsey Town (8) 1–2 Berkhamsted (8) 340 37 Whitehawk (8) 2–1 Barton Rovers (8) 400 38 Ramsgate (8) W/O Canvey Island (8) Ramsgate awarded a walkover due to Canvey Island players experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, forcing them to forfeit. 39 Bedfont Sports (8) Coggeshall Town (8) 92 40 Whyteleafe (8) Cray Valley PM (8) 227 41 Maldon & Tiptree (8) 4–1 Grays Athletic (8) 319 42 Brentwood Town (8) 3–2 Chicester City (8) 301 43 Chipstead (8) 1–2 Three Bridges (8) 132 44 Uxbridge (8) 2–1 Waltham Abbey (8) 137 45 Aylesbury United (8) Tilbury (8) 197 46 Bracknell Town (8) 2–0 Sevenoaks Town (8) 204 47 Hythe Town (8) Ashford United (8) 388 48 Burgess Hill Town (8) 2–0 Ware (8) 250 49 Haywards Heath Town (8) 1–4 Welwyn Garden City (8) 163 50 Hanwell Town (8) Aveley (8) 201 51 Thame United (8) 4–1 Cirencester Town (8) 160 52 Thatcham Town (8) 2–4 North Leigh (8) 186 53 A.F.C. Totton (8) Frome Town (8) 252 54 Sholing (8) 0–2 Wantage Town (8) 174 55 Bideford (8) 3–2 Slimbridge (8) 200 56 Moneyfields (8) 2–1 Basingstoke Town (8) 198 57 Highworth Town (8) 2–1 Winchester City (8) 124 58 Larkhall Athletic (8) 5–0 Barnstaple Town (8) 120 59 Kidlington (8) 2–1 Didcot Town (8) 170 60 Willand Rovers (8) 2–1 Bristol Manor Farm (8) 157 61 Mangotsfield United (8) 1–2 Cinderford Town (8) 154
Third round qualifying
The draw was made on 19 October 2020. Due to the withdrawal of Merthyr Town from the competition, there was an odd number of teams competing in this round. As a result, Willand Rovers were drawn to receive a bye to the first round proper.
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Friday 30 October 2020 69 Wantage Town (8) 1–4 North Leigh (8) 398 Saturday 31 October 2020 1 FC United of Manchester (7) 2–3 Marske United (8) 600 2 Atherton Collieries (7) P–P City of Liverpool (8) 3 Hyde United (7) 2–1 Frickley Athletic (8) 273 4 Warrington Town (7) Lancaster City (7) 406 5 Brighouse Town (8) 0–2 Buxton (7) 276 6 Ashton United (7) 1–0 Clitheroe (8) 253 7 Radcliffe (7) 1–2 Bamber Bridge (7) 447 8 Scarborough Athletic (7) W/O Witton Albion (7) Witton Albion awarded a walkover due to two Scarborough Athletic players testing positive for COVID-19, forcing them to forfeit. 9 Pickering Town (8) 1–4 Runcorn Linnets (8) 166 10 Marine (8) 3–2 Stalybridge Celtic (7) 400 11 Glossop North End (8) 0–1 Workington (8) 313 12 South Shields (7) 1–0 Colne (8) 300 13 Morpeth Town (7) 3–1 Whitby Town (7) 300 14 Newcastle Town (8) 0–2 Nuneaton Borough (7) 301 15 Evesham United (8) 3–2 Leek Town (8) 271 16 Redditch United (7) 2–3 Nantwich Town (7) 341 17 Tamworth (7) 2–1 Banbury United (7) 355 18 Bromsgrove Sporting (7) 0–1 Coleshill Town (8) 482 19 AFC Rushden & Diamonds (7) W/O Ilkeston Town (8) AFC Rushden & Diamonds awarded a walkover due to Ilkeston Town refusing to participate in the fixture, forcing them to forfeit. 20 Yaxley (8) 0–2 Grantham Town (7) 119 21 Loughborough Dynamo (8) 1–3 Bedford Town (8) 169 22 Rushall Olympic (7) 4–1 Barwell (7) 308 23 Mickleover Sports (7) 5–0 Dereham Town (8) 203 24 Coalville Town (7) P–P Matlock Town (7) 25 Peterborough Sports (7) 4–2 Gainsborough Trinity (7) 213 26 Stourbridge (7) 0–3 Stamford (8) 572 27 Basford United (7) 2–1 Alvechurch (7) 191 28 Corby Town (8) 1–2 Hednesford Town (7) 391 29 St Neots Town (8) 6–1 Worksop Town (8) 371 30 St Ives Town (7) Stafford Rangers (7) 156 31 Stratford Town (7) 1–3 Kidsgrove Athletic (8) 198 32 Maldon & Tiptree (8) 3–2 Kingstonian (7) 256 33 Hastings United (8) Ashford Town (8) 400 34 Leiston (7) Worthing (7) 160 35 Burgess Hill Town (8) 4–1 Harrow Borough (7) 190 36 Marlow (8) P–P Berkhamsted (8) 37 Needham Market (7) 4–1 Three Bridges (8) 189 38 Bowers & Pitsea (7) 1–3 Hornchurch (7) 260 39 Royston Town (7) 2–0 Hythe Town (8) 290 40 East Thurrock United (7) 3–4 Cheshunt (7) 41 Faversham Town (8) 1–2 Haringey Borough (7) 228
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) 42 Walton Casuals (7) 2–1 Folkestone Invicta (7) 203 43 Merstham (7) P–P Carshalton Athletic (7) 44 Coggeshall Town (8) Wingate & Finchley (7) 134 45 Kings Langley (7) 4–1 Brightlingsea Regent (7) 236 46 Lowestoft Town (7) 3–1 Lewes (7) 236 47 Biggleswade Town (7) 1–0 Heybridge Swifts (8) 133 48 Aveley (8) 3–0 Beaconsfield Town (7) 164 49 Uxbridge (8) P–P Hayes & Yeading United (7) 50 Enfield Town (7) 8–1 Ramsgate (8) 415 51 Barking (8) Sittingbourne (8) 158 52 Bishop's Stortford (7) P–P Brentwood Town (8) 53 Hitchin Town (7) 3–1 Herne Bay (8) 443 54 Bognor Regis Town (7) 2–0 Tooting & Mitcham United (8) 486 55 Whitehawk (8) 0–3 Cray Wanderers (7) 390 57 Leatherhead (7) 3–1 Potters Bar Town (7) 258 58 Chesham United (7) Whyteleafe (8) 315 59 Horsham (7) Welwyn Garden City (8) 473 60 Felixstowe & Walton United (8) 3–1 Metropolitan Police (7) 322 61 Corinthian-Casuals (7) 5–4 Hendon (7) 407 62 Frome Town (8) 3–0 Farnborough (7) 253 63 Taunton Town (7) P–P Truro City (7) 64 Bracknell Town (8) W/O Cinderford Town (8) Bracknell Town awarded a walkover due to Cinderford Town withdrawing due to players having in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, and with two players experiencing symptoms. 65 Dorchester Town (7) 2–1 Gosport Borough (7) 247 66 Moneyfields (8) 3–2 Kidlington (8) 128 67 Thame United (8) W/O Wimborne Town (7) Thame United awarded a walkover due to a Wimborne Town player testing positive for COVID-19, forcing them to forfeit. 68 Salisbury (7) 6–0 Tiverton Town (7) 519 70 Hartley Wintney (7) 1–4 Poole Town (7) 255 71 Weston-super-Mare (7) 2–1 Larkhall Athletic (8) 72 Highworth Town (8) 2–3 Swindon Supermarine (7) 302 73 Yate Town (7) W/O Bideford (8) Bideford awarded a walkover due to a Yate Town player testing positive for COVID-19, forcing them to forfeit. Willand Rovers (8) Bye Sunday 1 November 2020 56 Aylesbury United (8) 2–4 Margate (7) 243 Tuesday 3 November 2020 24 Coalville Town (7) 3–3 (2–4 p) Matlock Town (7) 362 36 Marlow (8) 2–1 Berkhamsted (8) 230 49 Uxbridge (8) 2–1 Hayes & Yeading United (7) 251 63 Taunton Town (7) 2–4 Truro City (7) 427 Wednesday 4 November 2020 2 Atherton Collieries (7) 0–3 City of Liverpool (8) 294 43 Merstham (7) 1–3 Carshalton Athletic (7) 166 52 Bishop's Stortford (7) 3–2 Brentwood Town (8) 406
First round proper
The draw was made on 2 November 2020. Originally scheduled for 14 November 2020, the first round proper ties were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.