 Official programme | |||||||
| Event | 1913–14 FA Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 25 April 1914 | ||||||
| Venue | Crystal Palace, London | ||||||
| Referee | Herbert Bamlett (Gateshead) | ||||||
| Attendance | 72,778 | ||||||
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 as of 2024[update], 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.