Football tournament season
2020–21 FA Trophy Football Association Trophy Country England Wales Dates Qualifying rounds: 26 September 2020 – 31 October 2020 Competition Proper: 14 November 2020 – 22 May 2021Teams Qualifying: 226 Competition proper: 67 + (74 from Qualifying) Total teams: 293Defending champions Harrogate Town Champions Hornchurch (1st title) Runner-up Hereford Top goal scorer(s) Liam Nash (5 goals)
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.[ 1]
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.[ 2] 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 .[ 3] The final was a single-match held at Wembley Stadium .
The calendar for the 2020-21 Buildbase FA Trophy, as announced by The Football Association .[ 4]
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 [ edit ]
The draw was made on 18 August 2020.[ 5] All results taken from The Football Association website.[ 6]
Second round qualifying [ edit ]
The draw was made on 18 August 2020.[ 5]
Third round qualifying [ edit ]
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.[ 14]
The draw was made on 2 November 2020.[ 20] Originally scheduled for 14 November 2020, the first round proper ties were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second round proper [ edit ]
The draw was made on 9 December 2020.[ 23]
The draw was made on 9 December with ties scheduled to be played on 19 December. Stamford were awarded a bye due to the withdrawal of Macclesfield Town .[ 27]
Fourth round proper [ edit ]
The draw was made on 21 December, with ties initially scheduled to be played on 16 January.[ 30]
The draw was made on 18 January, with ties initially scheduled to be played on 6 February.[ 32]
The draw was made on 8 February 2021, with ties scheduled to be played on 27 February.[ 34]
The draw was made on 1 March 2021, with ties scheduled to be played on 27 March.[ 35]
The final was held on Saturday 22 May 2021.[ 36]
^ "FA Trophy List of Exemptions" . The FA. Retrieved 24 September 2020 .
^ "Rules of the FA Challenge Trophy Competition" . The FA. Retrieved 28 March 2021 .
^ "Ollie Bayliss Tweet" . Twitter. Retrieved 4 September 2020 .
^ "The Buildbase FA Trophy Match Dates, 20-21" . The Football Association . 4 September 2020.
^ a b "First two qualifying round draws released for 2020-21 Buildbase FA Trophy & Buildbase FA Vase" . The Football Association . 18 August 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020 .
^ The FA Trophy - Results - The Buildbase FA Trophy
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . Prescot Cables F.C. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ Grayson, James (27 October 2020). "Taylor to face old club after Brighouse reinstated into Trophy" . Non League Yorkshire. Retrieved 28 October 2020 .
^ Candlin, Alex (29 October 2020). "FA reveal reason for Kendal Town's removal from the FA Trophy" . The Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ Simpson, David (16 October 2020). "Club Statement" . Cleethorpes Town F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ "Droylsden Club Statement" . Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020 .
^ Mullins, Paul (14 October 2020). "FA Trophy withdrawal" . Chasetown F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ Eckett, Glen (16 October 2020). "Ramsgate Match Cancelled" . Canvey Island F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ "FA Trophy third round qualifying draw made" . The Football Association . 19 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020 .
^ "Club Statement - Re FA Trophy game" . Scarborough Athletic F.C. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "UPDATE: FA Trophy tie" . Ilkeston Town F.C. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "Now Cinderford Forced to Pull Out of the Trophy" . Cinderford Town F.C. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020 .
^ Pearce, Ian (30 October 2020). "Saturday's FA Trophy game OFF" . Thame Football Partnership. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ Parker, Sebastian (30 October 2020). "GAME OFF: Yate Town v Bideford" . Yate Town F.C. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "Latest Buildbase FA Trophy and FA Vase draws have been made" . The Football Association . 2 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020 .
^ "Season Paused and FA Trophy Updated" . Margate F.C. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020 .
^ "Walton Casuals withdraw from FA Trophy" . NonLeagueDaily.com. 8 December 2020. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020 .{{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link )
^ "Draws released for first and second rounds of Buildbase FA Trophy" . The Football Association . 9 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement : Blyth forfeit FA Trophy after positive Covid-19 test" . www.blythspartans.com . 15 December 2020.
^ Smiles, James (16 December 2020). "FA Trophy Statement" . Bedford Town F.C. Retrieved 19 December 2020 .
^ White, Seb (11 December 2020). "Truro City's FA Trophy tie with Oxford City is cancelled after positive test" . Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. Retrieved 15 December 2020 .
^ "DRAWS RELEASED FOR FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS OF BUILDBASE FA TROPHY" . www.thefa.com . 9 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . BBC. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . BBC. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020 .
^ "THE DRAW FOR THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE BUILDBASE FA TROPHY WAS MADE ON MONDAY" . www.thefa.com . 21 December 2020.
^ Edwards, John (14 January 2021). "Wembley dreams suffer a COVID ko" . Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 15 January 2021 .
^ "BUILDBASE FA TROPHY FIFTH ROUND DRAW RELEASED" . www.thefa.com . 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021 .
^ "Spireites withdraw from Buildbase FA Trophy" . chesterfield-fc.co.uk . 8 February 2021.
^ "SEE HOW THE BUILDBASE FA TROPHY QUARTER FINAL LINE-UP LOOKS FOLLOWING MONDAY'S DRAW" . www.thefa.com . 8 February 2021.
^ "The draw for the Buildbase FA Trophy semi-final was made on Monday afternoon" . www.thefa.com . 1 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021 .
^ "Buildbase FA Trophy and Vase 2020 and 2021 Finals scheduled for Wembley" .
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