[bojendyk]

I've been wondering this for a while: who is the "lowest ranked" team to have won the FA Cup (meaning position in the table/league when they actually won the thing)? I really don't know the answer. Anyone?

[basso001]

The first thing to pop into my mind was Spurs in 1901, before they were in the Football League.
Of course at the time there were almost no Southern teams in the League. Arsenal, certainly, but I can't think of any others off the top of my head. (Chelsea were elected in 1905.)

b.

[Peakite]

Bristol City the first southern team I think, just before Arsenal. As for lower ranked sides, whilst Spurs are the only team from outside the top two divisions of the League to win since its inception. But then teams in the Southern League would have been stronger than a third division (Southampton also making a couple of finals).

From the second division sides I think most of them have tended to have pretty good league seasons too. Leicester made (and lost) the final after just avoiding relegation, but I'm not aware of a team from lower down the division winning the Cup.

[basso001]

Originally posted by Luan
Bristol City the first southern team I think, just before Arsenal.

From http://www.zfeweb.co.uk/ (England/Leagues/Divisonal Movements)

Arsenal 1893
Bristol C. 1901

I used to have a link to a complete history of election to the Football League (nearly complete record from the beginning of which clubs applied and how many votes they got), but the site is no longer up.

b.