1977–78 FA Cup

December 2021 1977–78 FA Cup EnglandWales Ipswich Town(1st title) Arsenal Dixie McNeil (11 goals) 1976–77 1978–79 The 1977–78 FA Cup was the 97th season of the world's oldest knockout football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The final saw Ipswich Town defeat Arsenal 1–0, with a goal from Roger Osborne. 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 Blyth Spartans, Wigan Athletic, Spennymoor United, Mossley, Stafford Rangers, Burscough, Runcorn, Goole Town, Arnold, Burton Albion, Nuneaton Borough, AP Leamington, Kettering Town, Enderby Town, Boreham Wood, Enfield, Leatherhead, Barnet, Tilbury, Lowestoft Town, Folkestone & Shepway, Hendon, Wealdstone, Tooting & Mitcham United, Bideford, Minehead, Weymouth and Bath City. Enderby Town was the only non-league club appearing in the competition proper for the first time. Of the others, Mossley had last featured at this stage in 1969–70, Arnold and Lowestoft Town had last done so in 1967-68, Folkestone & Shepway had last done so in 1966-67, Burton Albion in 1965-66, Burscough in 1959-60 and Tilbury in 1949-50. Blyth Spartans became the first club since New Brighton in 1956-57 to feature in nine rounds of one FA Cup tournament. They progressed from the first qualifying round to the fifth round proper, defeating Shildon, Crook Town, Consett, Bishop Auckland, Burscough, Chesterfield, Enfield and Stoke City before Wrexham needed a replay at St James' Park in Newcastle to end their run. all qualifying round results 1977–78 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 clubs from the qualifying rounds and Workington, Scarborough, Dagenham and Wycombe Wanderers who were given byes. The first matches were played on 26 November 1977 with replays mainly taking place on 28–30 November. Three replays were postponed until 5-7 December. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Enfield3–0Wimbledon26 November 19772Chester4–1Darlington26 November 19773Chesterfield1–0Halifax Town26 November 19774Barnet1–2Peterborough United26 November 19775Bath City0–0Plymouth Argyle26 November 1977ReplayPlymouth Argyle2–0Bath City29 November 19776Preston North End3–2Lincoln City26 November 19777Watford2–0Hendon26 November 19778Reading3–1Aldershot26 November 19779Walsall1–0Dagenham26 November 197710Gillingham1–1Weymouth26 November 1977ReplayWeymouth0–1Gillingham30 November 197711Boreham Wood0–0Swindon Town26 November 1977ReplaySwindon Town2–0Boreham Wood29 November 197712Sheffield Wednesday1–0Bury26 November 197713Scarborough4–2Rochdale26 November 197714Doncaster Rovers0–1Shrewsbury Town26 November 197715Wrexham2–0Burton Albion26 November 197716Tranmere Rovers1–1Hartlepool United26 November 1977ReplayHartlepool United3–1Tranmere Rovers29 November 197717Stockport County3–0Scunthorpe United26 November 197718Barnsley1–0Huddersfield Town26 November 197719Brentford2–0Folkestone & Shepway26 November 197720Lowestoft Town0–2Cambridge United26 November 197721Portsmouth3–1Bideford26 November 197722Bradford City0–1Crewe Alexandra26 November 197723Carlisle United2–0Stafford Rangers26 November 197724Spennymoor United3–1Goole Town26 November 197725Blyth Spartans1–0Burscough26 November 197726Minehead2–0Wycombe Wanderers26 November 197727Newport County1–1Exeter City26 November 1977ReplayExeter City4–2Newport County30 November 197728Wealdstone0–0Hereford United26 November 1977ReplayHereford United2–3Wealdstone30 November 197729Southport2–2Runcorn26 November 1977ReplayRuncorn1–0Southport28 November 197730Torquay United1–2Southend United26 November 197731Workington0–2Grimsby Town26 November 197732Rotherham United3–0Mossley26 November 197733Tilbury0–1Kettering Town26 November 1977ReplayTilbury2–2Kettering Town5 December 1977ReplayKettering Town2–3Tilbury7 December 197734Tooting & Mitcham United1–2Northampton Town26 November 197735Wigan Athletic1–0York City26 November 197736Colchester United1–1AFC Bournemouth26 November 1977ReplayAFC Bournemouth0–0Colchester United29 November 1977ReplayAFC Bournemouth1–4Colchester United5 December 197737Nuneaton Borough2–0Oxford United26 November 197738Leatherhead0–0Swansea City26 November 1977ReplaySwansea City2–1Leatherhead29 November 197739Arnold0–0Port Vale26 November 1977ReplayPort Vale5–2Arnold28 November 197740AP Leamington6–1Enderby Town26 November 1977 Second round proper The second round of games were played on 17 December 1977. Replays took place on 19–21 December. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Preston North End0–2Wrexham17 December 19772Watford2–0Colchester United17 December 19773Walsall1–1Port Vale17 December 1977ReplayPort Vale1–3Walsall19 December 19774Gillingham1–1Peterborough United17 December 1977ReplayPeterborough United2–0Gillingham20 December 19775Grimsby Town2–0Barnsley17 December 19776Crewe Alexandra0–0Scarborough17 December 1977ReplayScarborough2–0Crewe Alexandra21 December 19777Swindon Town2–1Brentford17 December 19778Shrewsbury Town1–1Stockport County17 December 1977ReplayStockport County1–2Shrewsbury Town19 December 19779Northampton Town0–2Enfield17 December 197710Portsmouth2–2Swansea City17 December 1977ReplaySwansea City2–1Portsmouth20 December 197711Plymouth Argyle1–0Cambridge United17 December 197712Carlisle United3–1Chester17 December 197713Blyth Spartans1–0Chesterfield17 December 197714Minehead0–3Exeter City17 December 197715Wealdstone2–1Reading17 December 197716Rotherham United6–0Spennymoor United17 December 197717Wigan Athletic1–0Sheffield Wednesday17 December 197718Nuneaton Borough1–2Tilbury17 December 197719AP Leamington0–0Southend United17 December 1977ReplaySouthend United4–0AP Leamington19 December 197720Hartlepool United4–2Runcorn17 December 1977 Third round proper Teams from the Football League First and Second Divisions entered in this round. The third round of games in the FA Cup were played on 6–7 January 1978. Replays were mainly played over 9–11 January but some occurred on 16 January instead. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Bristol City4–4Wrexham7 January 1978ReplayWrexham3–0Bristol City9 January 19782Burnley1–0Fulham7 January 19783Walsall4–1Swansea City7 January 19784Nottingham Forest4–1Swindon Town7 January 19785Blackburn Rovers2–1Shrewsbury Town7 January 19786Grimsby Town0–0Southampton7 January 1978ReplaySouthampton0–0Grimsby Town10 January 1978ReplayGrimsby Town1–4Southampton16 January 19787Middlesbrough3–0Coventry City7 January 19788West Bromwich Albion4–1Blackpool7 January 19789Sunderland0–1Bristol Rovers7 January 197810Derby County3–2Southend United7 January 197811Luton Town1–1Oldham Athletic7 January 1978ReplayOldham Athletic1–2Luton Town10 January 197812Everton4–1Aston Villa7 January 197813Sheffield United0–5Arsenal7 January 197814Tottenham Hotspur2–2Bolton Wanderers7 January 1978ReplayBolton Wanderers2–1Tottenham Hotspur10 January 197815Queens Park Rangers4–0Wealdstone7 January 197816West Ham United1–0Watford7 January 197817Brighton & Hove Albion3–0Scarborough7 January 197818Hull City0–1Leicester City7 January 197819Carlisle United1–1Manchester United7 January 1978ReplayManchester United4–2Carlisle United11 January 197820Chelsea4–2Liverpool7 January 197821Exeter City2–2Wolverhampton Wanderers7 January 1978ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers3–1Exeter City10 January 197822Blyth Spartans1–0Enfield7 January 197823Mansfield Town1–0Plymouth Argyle7 January 197824Cardiff City0–2Ipswich Town7 January 197825Charlton Athletic0–2Notts County6 January 197826Leeds United1–2Manchester City7 January 197827Stoke City4–0Tilbury7 January 197828Rotherham United1–1Millwall7 January 1978ReplayMillwall2–0Rotherham United10 January 197829Peterborough United1–1Newcastle United7 January 1978ReplayNewcastle United2–0Peterborough United11 January 197830Birmingham City4–0Wigan Athletic7 January 197831Orient1–1Norwich City6 January 1978ReplayNorwich City0–1Orient16 January 197832Hartlepool United2–1Crystal Palace7 January 1978 Fourth round proper The fourth round of games were intended to be played on 28 January 1978, but by this time only nine matches had been played, of which three went to replays. The other matches and replays were completed either midweek on 31 January – 1 February, or on 6 February. Replays were played at various times after the initial games. Holders Manchester United were eliminated by West Bromwich Albion. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Walsall1–0Leicester City28 January 19782Nottingham Forest2–1Manchester City31 January 19783Bolton Wanderers1–0Mansfield Town6 February 19784Middlesbrough3–2Everton28 January 19785Derby County2–1Birmingham City1 February 19786Ipswich Town4–1Hartlepool United28 January 19787Newcastle United2–2Wrexham28 January 1978ReplayWrexham4–1Newcastle United6 February 19788Bristol Rovers2–0Southampton28 January 19789West Ham United1–1Queens Park Rangers28 January 1978ReplayQueens Park Rangers6–1West Ham United31 January 197810Brighton & Hove Albion1–2Notts County31 January 197811Manchester United1–1West Bromwich Albion28 January 1978ReplayWest Bromwich Albion3–2Manchester United1 February 197812Millwall4–0Luton Town31 January 197813Chelsea6–2Burnley31 January 197814Arsenal2–1Wolverhampton Wanderers28 January 197815Stoke City2–3Blyth Spartans6 February 197816Orient3–1Blackburn Rovers28 January 1978 Fifth round proper The fifth set of games mainly took place on 18 February 1978, with two of the games played on 22nd and 27th. Four games went to replays which were played on 27–28 February. A second replay was then played on 2 March. Blyth Spartans was the first non-League club to reach the Fifth Round since Yeovil Town in 1948-49. They were the last club from the qualifying rounds left in the competition. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Middlesbrough2–0Bolton Wanderers27 February 19782Derby County2–3West Bromwich Albion22 February 19783Wrexham1–1Blyth Spartans18 February 1978ReplayBlyth Spartans1–2Wrexham27 February 19784Queens Park Rangers1–1Nottingham Forest18 February 1978ReplayNottingham Forest1–1Queens Park Rangers27 February 1978ReplayNottingham Forest3–1Queens Park Rangers2 March 19785Bristol Rovers2–2Ipswich Town18 February 1978ReplayIpswich Town3–0Bristol Rovers28 February 19786Millwall2–1Notts County18 February 19787Arsenal4–1Walsall18 February 19788Orient0–0Chelsea18 February 1978ReplayChelsea1–2Orient27 February 1978 Sixth round proper The sixth round of FA Cup games were played on 11 March 1978. There was one replay on 14th. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Middlesbrough0–0Orient11 March 1978ReplayOrient2–1Middlesbrough14 March 19782West Bromwich Albion2–0Nottingham Forest11 March 19783Wrexham2–3Arsenal11 March 19784Millwall1–6Ipswich Town11 March 1978 Semi-finals 8 April 1978 ReportJanuary 2025 medicmedic Ipswich Town West Bromwich Albion 3–1 Talbot 8 Mills 20 Wark 90 T. Brown pen 80 Highbury, London 51,000 Clive Thomas, Treorchy 8 April 1978 Arsenal 3–0 ReportJanuary 2025 medicmedic Orient Macdonald 16 20 Rix 65 Stamford Bridge, London Pat Partridge, County Durham Final 1978 FA Cup final 6 May 197815:00 BST Arsenal 0–1 Ipswich Town Osborne 77 Wembley, London 100,000 Derek Nippard (Christchurch) _blueborder _bluecollarsimple _blueborder FFFF00 FFFF00 FFFF00 0000FF FFFF00 Arsenal _3_stripes_border_white _3_stripes_vneck_white _3_stripes_border_white _bluesides _3_stripes_white 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF FFFFFF 0000FF Ipswich TV coverage December 2022 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 and 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. Highlights of replays were shown on either the BBC or ITV. The BBC were only able to cover two planned Round Three FA Cup round ties due to a technical error for West Ham United v Watford. Third Round BBC Carlisle United v Manchester United, Leeds United v Manchester City, Manchester United v Carlisle United (Midweek replay). ITV Chelsea v Liverpool (LWT), Sheffield United v Arsenal (Yorkshire), Everton v Aston Villa (Granada & ATV), Middlesbrough v Coventry City (Tyne-Tees), Peterborough United v Newcastle United (Anglia) Fourth Round BBC Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United v Wrexham, Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers. ITV Middlesbrough v Everton (Tyne-Tees & Granada), West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers (LWT), Walsall v Leicester City (ATV), Bristol Rovers v Southampton (HTV & Southern), Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (Midweek All Regions) Fifth Round BBC Wrexham v Blyth Spartans, Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest, Arsenal v Walsall. ITV Bristol Rovers v Ipswich Town (HTV & Anglia), Orient v Chelsea (LWT) All regions showed these two games. Sixth Round BBC West Bromwich Albion v Nottingham Forest, Millwall v Ipswich Town. ITV Wrexham v Arsenal (HTV, Granada & LWT), Middlesbrough v Orient (Tyne-Tees & Yorkshire) All regions showed these two games Semi-Finals BBC Ipswich Town v West Bromwich Albion. ITV Arsenal v Orient (All regions) Final Arsenal v Ipswich Town shown live on BBC and ITV. See also 1977–78 WFA Cup References FA Cup Results Archive Category:FA Cup seasons FA Cup