1986–87 FA Cup

September 2020 1986–87 FA CupDunk Peter Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 479–89 Queen Anne Press 20 August 1987 https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/479/ 978-0-3561435-4-5 29 April 2020 EnglandWales Coventry City(1st title) Tottenham Hotspur Keith Houchen Carl Saunders (5 goals) 1985–86 1987–88 The 1986–87 FA Cup was the 106th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the FA Cup. The competition was won by Coventry City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2, after extra-time, in the final at Wembley Stadium. It was Tottenham's only defeat in eight finals up to that point. The tournament started in August 1986, with non-league teams competing in the qualifying rounds.Dunk Peter https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/479/ Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 1987-08-20 Queen Anne Press 978-0-356-14354-5 Qualifying rounds 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 Southport, Caernarfon Town, Spennymoor United, Whitby Town, Nuneaton Borough, Chorley, Stafford Rangers, Boston United, Kettering Town, Halesowen Town, Bishop's Stortford, Woodford Town, Bromsgrove Rovers, Chelmsford City, Enfield, Wealdstone, Aylesbury United, Welling United, Slough Town, VS Rugby, Farnborough Town, Bognor Regis Town, Fareham Town, Dartford, Maidstone United, Bath City, Woking and Ton Pentre. Appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Caernarfon Town, Woodford Town, Welling United and Ton Pentre. However, Caernarfon Town's accomplishments brought back memories of predecessor club Caernarfon Athletic's famous FA Cup run in 1929-30 while Woodford Town was the first club from that Essex community to feature in the main draw of the Cup since Woodford Bridge in 1883-84. Of the others, Southport and Woking had last featured in the first round in 1978–79, Spennymoor United had last done so in 1977-78 and Bromsgrove Rovers had last done so in 1956-57. In a season where the Football League abolished its annual re-election system and allowed for automatic promotion and relegation between the Football Conference and the Fourth Division, 13 Conference clubs (out of 22) featured in the main draw of the FA Cup. Ironically, the season's Conference champions Scarborough, who would benefit from the new system and be promoted into the Football League in 1987, were eliminated from the Cup in the first qualifying round by unheralded Northern Premier League outfit Goole Town. all qualifying round results 1986–87 FA Cup qualifying rounds First round proper The 48 teams from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions entered in this round along with the 28 non-league qualifiers and Altrincham, Runcorn, Frickley Athletic and Telford United who were given byes. The first round of games were played over the weekend 15–16 November 1986, with the exception of the Bristol Rovers–Brentford game. Replays were played in the midweek fixtures on either 17th-18th or on 24th. Three clubs from Step 8 of the English football pyramid featured in the draw: Whitby Town and Spennymoor United from the Northern League and Woking from the Isthmian League Second Division South. They were the lowest-ranked teams in the round as the Welsh League (which included Ton Pentre) was the highest-standard football competition in Wales until 1992. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Chester City1–1Rotherham United15 November 1986ReplayRotherham United1–1Chester City18 November 1986ReplayChester City1–0Rotherham United24 November 19862Darlington2–1Mansfield Town16 November 19863Dartford (6)1–1Enfield (5)15 November 1986ReplayEnfield3–0Dartford18 November 19864AFC Bournemouth7–2Fareham Town (6)15 November 19865Bath City (5)3–2Aylesbury United (6)15 November 19866Bristol City3–1VS Rugby (7)15 November 19867Preston North End5–1Bury15 November 19868Walsall2–0Chesterfield15 November 19869Woking (8)1–1Chelmsford City (6)15 November 1986ReplayChelmsford City2–1Woking17 November 198610Notts County1–1Carlisle United15 November 1986ReplayCarlisle United0–3Notts County18 November 198611Middlesbrough3–0Blackpool15 November 198612Swindon Town4–0Farnborough Town (6)15 November 198613Wrexham2–1Hartlepool United15 November 198614Chorley (6)1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers15 November 1986ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers1–1Chorley18 November 1986ReplayChorley3–0Wolverhampton Wanderers24 November 198615Bristol Rovers0–0Brentford3 December 1986ReplayBrentford2–0Bristol Rovers6 December 198616Northampton Town3–0Peterborough United16 November 198617Spennymoor United (8)2–3Tranmere Rovers15 November 198618Southend United4–1Halesowen Town (7)15 November 198619Exeter City1–1Cambridge United15 November 1986ReplayCambridge United2–0Exeter City19 November 198620Scunthorpe United2–0Southport (6)15 November 198621Ton Pentre (*)1–4Cardiff City15 November 198622Bromsgrove Rovers (6)0–1Newport County15 November 198623Port Vale1–0Stafford Rangers (5)15 November 198624Halifax Town1–1Bolton Wanderers15 November 1986ReplayBolton Wanderers1–1Halifax Town18 November 1986ReplayHalifax Town1–3Bolton Wanderers24 November 198625Wealdstone (5)1–1Swansea City15 November 1986ReplaySwansea City4–1Wealdstone24 November 198626Runcorn (5)1–1Boston United (5)15 November 1986ReplayBoston United1–2Runcorn19 November 198627York City3–1Crewe Alexandra15 November 198628Hereford United3–3Fulham15 November 1986ReplayFulham4–0Hereford United24 November 198629Bishop's Stortford (6)1–1Colchester United15 November 1986ReplayColchester United2–0Bishop's Stortford18 November 198630Kettering Town (5)0–3Gillingham15 November 198631Aldershot1–0Torquay United15 November 198632Wigan Athletic3–1Lincoln City15 November 198633Nuneaton Borough (5)0–3Rochdale15 November 198634Woodford Town (7)0–1Orient15 November 198635Slough Town (6)1–1Bognor Regis Town (6)15 November 1986ReplayBognor Regis Town0–1Slough Town18 November 198636Whitby Town (8)2–2Doncaster Rovers15 November 1986ReplayDoncaster Rovers3–2Whitby Town18 November 198637Telford United (5)3–0Burnley15 November 198638Frickley Athletic (5)0–0Altrincham (5)15 November 1986ReplayAltrincham4–0Frickley Athletic18 November 198639Welling United (5)1–1Maidstone United (5)15 November 1986ReplayMaidstone United4–1Welling United24 November 198640Caernarfon Town (6)1–0Stockport County15 November 1986 (* Ton Pentre was competing exclusively in the Welsh Football League National Division, outside the English football system.) Second round proper The second round matches were played on 5–7 December 1986, with the exception of the Cardiff City-Brentford fixture, which was played on the following Tuesday due to the timing of Brentford's first round replay against Bristol Rovers. Replays were played on 9th–10th. The round included four clubs from Step 6 of the English football system: Caernarfon Town and Chorley from the Northern Premier League, Chelmsford City from the Southern League Premier Division and Slough Town from the Isthmian League Premier Division. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Chester City3–1Doncaster Rovers6 December 19862Darlington0–5Wigan Athletic6 December 19863AFC Bournemouth0–1Orient6 December 19864Bristol City1–1Bath City (5)6 December 1986ReplayBristol City3–0Bath City9 December 19865Rochdale1–4Wrexham6 December 19866Walsall5–0Port Vale6 December 19867Gillingham2–0Chelmsford City (6)6 December 19868Notts County0–1Middlesbrough7 December 19869Bolton Wanderers2–0Tranmere Rovers6 December 198610Swindon Town3–0Enfield (5)6 December 198611Chorley (6)0–0Preston North End6 December 1986ReplayPreston North End5–0Chorley9 December 198612Fulham2–0Newport County6 December 198613Maidstone United (5)1–0Cambridge United7 December 198614Southend United4–4Northampton Town5 December 1986ReplayNorthampton Town3–2Southend United10 December 198615Scunthorpe United1–0Runcorn (5)6 December 198616Cardiff City2–0Brentford9 December 198617Aldershot3–2Colchester United6 December 198618Telford United (5)1–0Altrincham (5)6 December 198619Swansea City3–0Slough Town (6)6 December 198620Caernarfon Town (6)0–0York City6 December 1986ReplayYork City1–2Caernarfon Town9 December 1986 Third round proper Teams from the Football League First and Second Divisions entered in this round. Most of the third round of games in the FA Cup were played over the weekend 10–11 January 1987, however various matches and replays were played as late as 31 January. Holders Liverpool were eliminated by Luton Town. Caernarfon Town was again the lowest-ranked team in the round, while Caernarfon, Maidstone United and Telford United were the last non-league clubs left in the competition. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Bristol City (3)1–1Plymouth Argyle (2)10 January 1987ReplayPlymouth Argyle3–1Bristol City19 January 19872Watford (1)3–1Maidstone United (5)10 January 19873Reading (2)1–3Arsenal (1)10 January 19874Aston Villa (1)2–2Chelsea (1)10 January 1987ReplayChelsea2–1Aston Villa21 January 19875Sheffield Wednesday (1)1–0Derby County (2)26 January 19876Grimsby Town (2)1–1Stoke City (2)10 January 1987ReplayStoke City1–1Grimsby Town26 January 1987ReplayStoke City6–0Grimsby Town28 January 19877Middlesbrough (3)0–1Preston North End (4)10 January 19878Luton Town (1)0–0Liverpool (1)11 January 1987ReplayLiverpool0–0Luton Town26 January 1987ReplayLuton Town3–0Liverpool28 January 19879Everton (1)2–1Southampton (1)10 January 198710Shrewsbury Town (2)1–2Hull City (2)31 January 198711Wrexham (4)1–2Chester City (3)10 January 198712Sheffield United (2)0–0Brighton & Hove Albion (2)10 January 1987ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion1–2Sheffield United21 January 198713Ipswich Town (2)0–1Birmingham City (2)10 January 198714Newcastle United (1)2–1Northampton Town (4)21 January 198715Tottenham Hotspur (1)3–2Scunthorpe United (4)10 January 198716Queens Park Rangers (1)5–2Leicester City (1)10 January 198717Fulham (3)0–1Swindon Town (3)10 January 198718Coventry City (1)3–0Bolton Wanderers (3)10 January 198719Portsmouth (2)2–0Blackburn Rovers (2)10 January 198720Manchester United (1)1–0Manchester City (1)10 January 198721Norwich City (1)1–1Huddersfield Town (2)10 January 1987ReplayHuddersfield Town2–4Norwich City21 January 198722Millwall (2)0–0Cardiff City (4)10 January 1987ReplayCardiff City2–2Millwall20 January 1987ReplayCardiff City1–0Millwall26 January 198723Oldham Athletic (2)1–1Bradford City (2)10 January 1987ReplayBradford City5–1Oldham Athletic19 January 198724Crystal Palace (2)1–0Nottingham Forest (1)11 January 198725Wimbledon (1)2–1Sunderland (2)10 January 198726Charlton Athletic (1)1–2Walsall (3)10 January 198727Aldershot (4)3–0Oxford United (1)10 January 198728Wigan Athletic (3)2–1Gillingham (3)19 January 198729Orient (4)1–1West Ham United (1)10 January 1987ReplayWest Ham United4–1Orient31 January 198730Telford United (5)1–2Leeds United (2)11 January 198731Swansea City (4)3–2West Bromwich Albion (2)10 January 198732Caernarfon Town (6)0–0Barnsley (2)10 January 1987ReplayBarnsley1–0Caernarfon Town26 January 1987 Fourth round proper The fourth round of games were played mainly over the weekend 31 January – 1 February 1987. All other ties took place on 3–4 February. Four teams from the Fourth Division remained in the draw: Preston North End, Cardiff City, Aldershot and Swansea City. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Chester City1–1Sheffield Wednesday31 January 1987ReplaySheffield Wednesday3–1Chester City4 February 19872Watford1–0Chelsea1 February 19873Walsall1–0Birmingham City31 January 19874Luton Town1–1Queens Park Rangers31 January 1987ReplayQueens Park Rangers2–1Luton Town4 February 19875Swindon Town1–2Leeds United3 February 19876Newcastle United2–0Preston North End31 January 19877Tottenham Hotspur4–0Crystal Palace31 January 19878West Ham United4–0Sheffield United9 February 19879Manchester United0–1Coventry City31 January 198710Bradford City0–1Everton31 January 198711Wimbledon4–0Portsmouth31 January 198712Arsenal6–1Plymouth Argyle31 January 198713Stoke City2–1Cardiff City31 January 198714Aldershot1–1Barnsley31 January 1987ReplayBarnsley3–0Aldershot3 February 198715Wigan Athletic1–0Norwich City31 January 198716Swansea City0–1Hull City3 February 1987 Fifth round proper The fifth set of games was played over the weekend 21–22 February 1987, with the first set of replays on 24th-25th. Walsall and Wigan Athletic, from the Third Division, were the lowest-ranked teams in the round. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Walsall1–1Watford21 February 1987ReplayWatford4–4Walsall24 February 1987ReplayWalsall0–1Watford2 March 19872Sheffield Wednesday1–1West Ham United21 February 1987ReplayWest Ham United0–2Sheffield Wednesday25 February 19873Tottenham Hotspur1–0Newcastle United21 February 19874Wimbledon3–1Everton22 February 19875Arsenal2–0Barnsley21 February 19876Leeds United2–1Queens Park Rangers21 February 19877Stoke City0–1Coventry City21 February 19878Wigan Athletic3–0Hull City21 February 1987 Sixth round proper The sixth round of FA Cup games were played over the weekend 14–15 March 1987. There were no replays; each game was won by the away team. Wigan Athletic was the last team from the first round left in the competition. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Sheffield Wednesday1–3Coventry City14 March 19872Wimbledon0–2Tottenham Hotspur15 March 19873Arsenal1–3Watford14 March 19874Wigan Athletic0–2Leeds United15 March 1987 Semi-finals Seven time winners Tottenham Hotspur were drawn with 1984 finalists Watford for the Villa Park semi-final, which saw the North Londoners win 4-1 and reach their eighth final, having won all of their previous FA Cup finals. Hillsborough was the venue for the other semi-final. Leeds United, managed by their former captain Billy Bremner, were pushing for promotion in the Second Division and making their first serious challenge for a major trophy in over 10 years. Their opponents were Coventry City, who had never reached an FA Cup semi-final before. In a closely fought game, Coventry won 3–2. 11 April 1987 Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 Watford Hodge 11 73 C. Allen 13 P. Allen 35 M. Allen 75 Villa Park, Birmingham 46,151 Ray Lewis 12 April 1987 Coventry City 3–2 y Report Leeds United Gynn 68 Houchen 78 Bennett 99 Rennie 14 Edwards 83 Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield 51,372 Roger Milford Final 1987 FA Cup final 16 May 1987 Coventry City 3–2(aet) Tottenham Hotspur Bennett 9Houchen 64Mabbutt (o.g.) 96 C. Allen 2Mabbutt 40 Wembley, London 98,000 Neil Midgley (Manchester) _white_stripes _whitestripes _white_stripes _whitesides 3BB9FF 3BB9FF 3BB9FF 000080 3BB9FF Coventry FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF Tottenham After two minutes, Clive Allen scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic at the near-post from a Chris Waddle cross. Within seven minutes though, Coventry were level through Dave Bennett, a Cup Final loser in 1981 for Manchester City at the hands of Spurs. Tottenham were back in front five minutes before the break through past defender Gary Mabbutt. Midway through the second half Coventry were level again – Bennett's cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen with a diving header. The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra time. Six minutes in, Mabbutt scored an own goal after Lloyd McGrath centred the ball and it took a deflection off of the Spurs defender's knee and over keeper Ray Clemence. Broadcast coverage May 2026 UK television rights were shared by the BBC and ITV, who continued to alternate live and highlights coverage from the 3rd round onwards. Round 3: Luton Town 0–0 Liverpool (Live, BBC). The Big Match (ITV) showed highlights of Manchester United 1–0 Manchester City and Reading 1–3 Arsenal. Round 4: Watford 1–0 Chelsea (Live, ITV). Match of the Day (BBC) showed highlights of Manchester United 0–1 Coventry City, Wimbledon 4–0 Portsmouth and Bradford City 0–1 Everton. Round 5: Wimbledon 3–1 Everton (Live, BBC). The Big Match (ITV) showed highlights of Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 West Ham United. Round 6: Wimbledon 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur (Live, ITV). Match of the Day (BBC) showed highlights of Arsenal 1–3 Watford and Sheffield Wednesday 1–3 Coventry City. ITV showed highlights of Wigan Athletic 0–2 Leeds United, which was played on the Sunday, as part of their live broadcast. Semi Finals: The Big Match (ITV) showed highlights of Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 Watford on the Saturday evening. Coventry City 3–2 Leeds United was played at 12:15pm on the Sunday lunchtime on police advice and ITV showed extensive delayed coverage later that afternoon. The match went to extra time and had not quite finished when The Big Match began at 2:30pm. Final: Coventry City 3–2 Tottenham Hotspur aet (Live, BBC and ITV shared) References External links The FA Cup at TheFA.com FA Cup at BBC.co.uk FA Cup news at Reuters.co.uk Category:FA Cup seasons FA Cup