 Tottenham Hotspur, then of the Southern League, defeated Sheffield United of The Football League to win the 1901 final.A year later Sheffield United returned to the final and won the cup, which then remained in the hands of Northern and Midland clubs until Tottenham won it again in 1921.In 1927, Cardiff City, a team which plays in the English football league system despite being based in Wales, won the cup, the only non-English club to do so.