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1978โ€“79 FA Cup

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1978โ€“79 FA Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Wales
Final positions
ChampionsArsenal (5th title)
Runners-upManchester United
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorerFrank Stapleton
Alan Sunderland
(6 goals)
โ†ย 1977โ€“78
1979โ€“80ย โ†’

The 1978โ€“79 FA Cup was the 98th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The final saw Arsenal defeat Manchester United 3โ€“2, with three of the five goals being scored in the last five minutes.

Qualifying rounds

[edit]

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 28 places available in the first round.

The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Blyth Spartans, Workington, Runcorn, Chorley, Morecambe, Southport, Droylsden, Nuneaton Borough, AP Leamington, Stafford Rangers, Boston United, Worksop Town, Hitchin Town, Enfield, March Town United, Barking, Dagenham, Wealdstone, Barnet, Dartford, Maidstone United, Gravesend & Northfleet, Woking, Hillingdon Borough, Worcester City, Yeovil Town, Weymouth and Merthyr Tydfil.

For the first time since 1910โ€“11, all successful qualifying clubs had appeared in the competition proper before. However, Gravesend & Northfleet had not featured at this stage since 1965โ€“66, Chorley had last done so in 1963โ€“64, Worksop Town had last done so in 1961โ€“62, Worcester City in 1960โ€“61, March Town United in 1955โ€“56 and Barking in 1928โ€“29.

Maidstone United was the most successful club from this season's qualifying rounds, progressing from the first qualifying round to the third round proper after defeating Horsham YMCA, Dover, Ramsgate, Waterlooville, Wycombe Wanderers and Exeter City. Charlton Athletic then needed a replay to knock them out of the tournament.

First round proper

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The 48 teams from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions entered in this round along with the 28 non-league clubs from the qualifying rounds and Altrincham, Leatherhead, Scarborough and Wycombe Wanderers who were given byes. The first round of games were played on 25 November 1978. Replays were played mainly on 28โ€“29 November, with two on 5โ€“6 December.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Blackpool2โ€“1Lincoln City25 November 1978
2Chester1โ€“1Runcorn25 November 1978
ReplayRuncorn0โ€“5Chester28 November 1978
3Darlington1โ€“1Chesterfield25 November 1978
ReplayChesterfield0โ€“1Darlington6 December 1978
4Dartford1โ€“2AP Leamington25 November 1978
5AFC Bournemouth2โ€“1Hitchin Town25 November 1978
6Barnet3โ€“3Woking25 November 1978
ReplayWoking3โ€“3Barnet28 November 1978
ReplayWoking3โ€“0Barnet5 December 1978
7Rochdale0โ€“1Droylsden25 November 1978
8Watford3โ€“0Dagenham25 November 1978
9Yeovil Town0โ€“1Barking25 November 1978
10Reading0โ€“0Gillingham25 November 1978
ReplayGillingham1โ€“2Reading28 November 1978
11Walsall0โ€“2Torquay United25 November 1978
12Swindon Town2โ€“0March Town United25 November 1978
13Doncaster Rovers2โ€“1Huddersfield Town25 November 1978
14Tranmere Rovers2โ€“1Boston United25 November 1978
15Stockport County5โ€“1Morecambe25 November 1978
16Chorley0โ€“1Scarborough25 November 1978
17Barnsley5โ€“1Worksop Town25 November 1978
18Maidstone United1โ€“0Wycombe Wanderers25 November 1978
19Portsmouth2โ€“0Northampton Town25 November 1978
20Bradford City1โ€“0Port Vale25 November 1978
21Hull City2โ€“1Stafford Rangers25 November 1978
22Carlisle United1โ€“0Halifax Town25 November 1978
23Worcester City2โ€“0Plymouth Argyle25 November 1978
24Altrincham4โ€“3Southport25 November 1978
25Southend United3โ€“2Peterborough United25 November 1978
26Exeter City1โ€“0Brentford25 November 1978
27Scunthorpe United1โ€“1Sheffield Wednesday25 November 1978
ReplaySheffield Wednesday1โ€“0Scunthorpe United28 November 1978
28Mansfield Town0โ€“2Shrewsbury Town25 November 1978
29Wealdstone0โ€“5Enfield25 November 1978
30York City1โ€“1Blyth Spartans25 November 1978
ReplayBlyth Spartans3โ€“5York City28 November 1978
31Hereford United0โ€“1Newport County25 November 1978
32Rotherham United3โ€“0Workington25 November 1978
33Aldershot1โ€“1Weymouth25 November 1978
ReplayWeymouth0โ€“2Aldershot29 November 1978
34Wigan Athletic2โ€“2Bury25 November 1978
ReplayBury4โ€“1Wigan Athletic28 November 1978
35Colchester United4โ€“2Oxford United25 November 1978
36Nuneaton Borough0โ€“2Crewe Alexandra25 November 1978
37Gravesend & Northfleet0โ€“0Wimbledon25 November 1978
ReplayWimbledon1โ€“0Gravesend & Northfleet28 November 1978
38Leatherhead2โ€“1Merthyr Tydfil25 November 1978
39Swansea City4โ€“1Hillingdon Borough25 November 1978
40Hartlepool United1โ€“0Grimsby Town25 November 1978

Second round proper

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The second round of games were played on 16 December 1978. Replays took place mainly on 18โ€“19 with one on 28 December and another on 9 January 1979.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Darlington2โ€“1Chester16 December 1978
2Barking1โ€“2Aldershot16 December 1978
3Bury3โ€“1Blackpool16 December 1978
4Watford1โ€“1Southend United16 December 1978
ReplaySouthend United1โ€“0Watford18 December 1978
5Crewe Alexandra0โ€“1Hartlepool United16 December 1978
6Swindon Town3โ€“0Enfield16 December 1978
7Doncaster Rovers0โ€“3Shrewsbury Town16 December 1978
8Tranmere Rovers1โ€“1Sheffield Wednesday16 December 1978
ReplaySheffield Wednesday4โ€“0Tranmere Rovers19 December 1978
9Stockport County4โ€“2Bradford City16 December 1978
10Barnsley1โ€“1Rotherham United16 December 1978
ReplayRotherham United2โ€“1Barnsley9 January 1979
11Maidstone United1โ€“0Exeter City16 December 1978
12Portsmouth0โ€“1Reading16 December 1978
13Carlisle United3โ€“0Hull City16 December 1978
14Wimbledon1โ€“1AFC Bournemouth16 December 1978
ReplayAFC Bournemouth1โ€“2Wimbledon28 December 1978
15Newport County0โ€“0Worcester City16 December 1978
ReplayWorcester City1โ€“2Newport County18 December 1978
16York City3โ€“0Scarborough16 December 1978
17Droylsden0โ€“2Altrincham16 December 1978
18Leatherhead1โ€“1Colchester United16 December 1978
ReplayColchester United4โ€“0Leatherhead19 December 1978
19Swansea City2โ€“2Woking16 December 1978
ReplayWoking3โ€“5Swansea City19 December 1978
20AP Leamington0โ€“1Torquay United16 December 1978

Third round proper

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Teams from the Football League First and Second Division entered in this round. The third round of games in the FA Cup were intended to be played on 6 January 1979, but only four games were actually played on this date. Twenty more ties were played midweek over 8โ€“10 January with a few more taking place on 15โ€“16 and one on 18 January. Replays were intended for 9โ€“10 January but again took place at various times. One tie, between Wrexham and Stockport County, suffered six postponements before finally being played on 1 February, by which time Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday had played five times, the tie needing a fourth replay before being settled. Maidstone United and Altrincham were the last non-league clubs left in the competition.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Darlington0โ€“1Colchester United9 January 1979
2Bristol City3โ€“1Bolton Wanderers9 January 1979
3Preston North End3โ€“0Derby County16 January 1979
4Leicester City3โ€“0Norwich City6 January 1979
5Notts County4โ€“2Reading9 January 1979
6Nottingham Forest2โ€“0Aston Villa10 January 1979
7Blackburn Rovers2โ€“1Millwall10 January 1979
8Sheffield Wednesday1โ€“1Arsenal6 January 1979
ReplayArsenal1โ€“1Sheffield Wednesday9 January 1979
ReplaySheffield Wednesday2โ€“2Arsenal15 January 1979
ReplayArsenal3โ€“3Sheffield Wednesday17 January 1979
ReplaySheffield Wednesday0โ€“2Arsenal22 January 1979
9Middlesbrough1โ€“1Crystal Palace9 January 1979
ReplayCrystal Palace1โ€“0Middlesbrough15 January 1979
10Sunderland2โ€“1Everton10 January 1979
11Swindon Town3โ€“0Cardiff City9 January 1979
12Shrewsbury Town3โ€“1Cambridge United6 January 1979
13Wrexham6โ€“2Stockport County1 February 1979
14Sheffield United0โ€“0Aldershot9 January 1979
ReplayAldershot1โ€“0Sheffield United15 January 1979
15Ipswich Town3โ€“2Carlisle United10 January 1979
16Newcastle United3โ€“1Torquay United16 January 1979
17Tottenham Hotspur1โ€“1Altrincham10 January 1979
ReplayAltrincham0โ€“3Tottenham Hotspur16 January 1979
18Manchester City0โ€“0Rotherham United15 January 1979
ReplayRotherham United2โ€“4Manchester City17 January 1979
19Fulham2โ€“0Queens Park Rangers9 January 1979
20Coventry City2โ€“2West Bromwich Albion9 January 1979
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion4โ€“0Coventry City15 January 1979
21Brighton & Hove Albion2โ€“3Wolverhampton Wanderers9 January 1979
22Manchester United3โ€“0Chelsea15 January 1979
23Wimbledon0โ€“2Southampton9 January 1979
24Southend United0โ€“0Liverpool10 January 1979
ReplayLiverpool3โ€“0Southend United17 January 1979
25Newport County2โ€“1West Ham United9 January 1979
26Charlton Athletic1โ€“1Maidstone United9 January 1979
ReplayMaidstone United1โ€“2Charlton Athletic15 January 1979
27York City2โ€“0Luton Town9 January 1979
28Stoke City0โ€“1Oldham Athletic17 January 1979
29Birmingham City0โ€“2Burnley6 January 1979
30Orient3โ€“2Bury9 January 1979
31Swansea City0โ€“1Bristol Rovers8 January 1979
32Hartlepool United2โ€“6Leeds United18 January 1979

Fourth round proper

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The fourth round of games were intended to be played over the weekend 26โ€“27 January 1979, but by this time only eight matches had been played, of which three went to replays. The other games were completed either midweek on 29โ€“31st, or on 5 or 12 February. Replays were played at various times after the initial games.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Burnley1โ€“1Sunderland21 February 1979
ReplaySunderland0โ€“3Burnley26 February 1979
2Liverpool1โ€“0Blackburn Rovers30 January 1979
3Preston North End0โ€“1Southampton12 February 1979
4Nottingham Forest3โ€“1York City27 January 1979
5Leeds United3โ€“3West Bromwich Albion26 February 1979
ReplayWest Bromwich Albion2โ€“0Leeds United1 March 1979
6Shrewsbury Town2โ€“0Manchester City27 January 1979
7Ipswich Town0โ€“0Orient27 January 1979
ReplayOrient0โ€“2Ipswich Town30 January 1979
8Newcastle United1โ€“1Wolverhampton Wanderers27 January 1979
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers1โ€“0Newcastle United22 February 1979
9Tottenham Hotspur3โ€“3Wrexham12 February 1979
ReplayWrexham2โ€“3Tottenham Hotspur21 February 1979
10Fulham1โ€“1Manchester United31 January 1979
ReplayManchester United1โ€“0Fulham12 February 1979
11Bristol Rovers1โ€“0Charlton Athletic5 February 1979
12Oldham Athletic3โ€“1Leicester City26 February 1979
13Crystal Palace3โ€“0Bristol City29 January 1979
14Newport County0โ€“0Colchester United30 January 1979
ReplayColchester United1โ€“0Newport County5 February 1979
15Arsenal2โ€“0Notts County27 January 1979
16Aldershot2โ€“1Swindon Town30 January 1979

Fifth round proper

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The fifth set of games was played on either 20, 26 or 28 February, or 10 March 1979. Two replays were played on 26 February and 12 March.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Liverpool3โ€“0Burnley28 February 1979
2Nottingham Forest0โ€“1Arsenal26 February 1979
3West Bromwich Albion1โ€“1Southampton10 March 1979
ReplaySouthampton2โ€“1West Bromwich Albion12 March 1979
4Ipswich Town6โ€“1Bristol Rovers26 February 1979
5Oldham Athletic0โ€“1Tottenham Hotspur28 February 1979
6Crystal Palace0โ€“1Wolverhampton Wanderers26 February 1979
7Aldershot2โ€“2Shrewsbury Town20 February 1979
ReplayShrewsbury Town3โ€“1Aldershot26 February 1979
8Colchester United0โ€“1Manchester United20 February 1979

Sixth round proper

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The sixth round of FA Cup games were played on 10 March 1979, except for the Southamptonโ€“Arsenal match which began on 19 March. Holders Ipswich Town were eliminated by Liverpool. There were three replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Southampton1โ€“1Arsenal19 March 1979
ReplayArsenal2โ€“0Southampton21 March 1979
2Wolverhampton Wanderers1โ€“1Shrewsbury Town10 March 1979
ReplayShrewsbury Town1โ€“3Wolverhampton Wanderers13 March 1979
3Ipswich Town0โ€“1Liverpool10 March 1979
4Tottenham Hotspur1โ€“1Manchester United10 March 1979
ReplayManchester United2โ€“0Tottenham Hotspur14 March 1979

Semi finals

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Manchester United2โ€“2Liverpool
Jordan
B. Greenhoff
Dalglish
Hansen
Referee: David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire)
Arsenal2โ€“0Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stapleton
Sunderland
Referee: Pat Partridge (County Durham)

Replay

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Liverpool0โ€“1Manchester United
J. Greenhoff
Referee: David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire)

Final

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Arsenal3โ€“2Manchester United
Talbot 12'
Stapleton 43'
Sunderland 89'
(Report) McQueen 86'
McIlroy 88'
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ron Challis (Kent)
Arsenal
Manchester United

Television coverage

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The right to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. All games were shown in a highlights format, except the Final, which was shown live both on BBC1 & ITV. The BBC football highlights programme Match of the Day would show up to three games and the various ITV regional network stations would cover up to one game and show highlights from other games covered elsewhere on the ITV network. No games from Rounds 1 or 2 were shown. Occasional highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

These matches were.

Round BBC1 ITV
Third round proper Leicester City v Norwich City 1
Shrewsbury Town v Cambridge United
Southend United v Liverpool 2
Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal โ€“ Yorkshire 1
Stoke City v Oldham Athletic โ€“ ATV (abandoned) 1
Fourth round proper Shrewsbury Town v Manchester City 1
Arsenal v Notts County 1
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers โ€“ Yorkshire 1
Nottingham Forest v York City โ€“ ATV
Ipswich Town v Orient โ€“ Anglia 1
Fulham v Manchester United 3
Manchester United v Fulham 3 (Replay)
Wrexham v Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Replay)
Fifth round proper Nottingham Forest v Arsenal2
Sixth round proper Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur 1,2 (Replay) Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town โ€“ ATV 1
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United โ€“ LWT
Semi-finals Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Liverpool v Manchester United2 (Replay) 1
Manchester United vs Liverpool โ€“ Granada shown in All Regions1
Final Arsenal vs Manchester United 1 Arsenal vs Manchester United 1

1Footage available on YouTube
2featured on Sportsnight
3featured on Midweek Sports Special

References

[edit]
  1. โ†‘ Ward, Andrew (2010). Football's Strangest Matches: Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of football. London: Portico. pp.ย 110โ€“111. ISBNย 1907554084.
  2. โ†‘ James, Gareth (2009). Norwich City - On This Day. Brighton, United Kingdom: Pitch Publishing. p.ย 15. ISBNย 1905411529.
  3. โ†‘ "MOTD Listings 1978โ€“79".
  4. โ†‘ "The Big Match". Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  5. โ†‘ "Kick Off Match". Archived from the original on 27 January 2009.
  6. โ†‘ "Shoot (Tyne Tees)". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  7. โ†‘ "Yorkshire ITV Football". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  8. โ†‘ "Star Soccer". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013.
  9. โ†‘ "Match of the Week". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  10. โ†‘ "Mid-Week Football". Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
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