1978–79 FA Cup

December 2021 1978–79 FA Cup EnglandWales Arsenal (5th title) Manchester United Frank Stapleton Alan Sunderland (6 goals) 1977–78 1979–80 The 1978–79 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 3–2, with three of the five goals being scored in the last five minutes. 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, 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 1910–11, all successful qualifying clubs had appeared in the competition proper before. However, Gravesend & Northfleet had not featured at this stage since 1965–66, Chorley had last done so in 1963–64, Worksop Town had last done so in 1961–62, Worcester City in 1960–61, March Town United in 1955–56 and Barking in 1928–29. 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. all qualifying round results 1978–79 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 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 28–29 November, with two on 5–6 December. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Blackpool2–1Lincoln City25 November 19782Chester1–1Runcorn25 November 1978ReplayRuncorn0–5Chester28 November 19783Darlington1–1Chesterfield25 November 1978ReplayChesterfield0–1Darlington6 December 19784Dartford1–2AP Leamington25 November 19785AFC Bournemouth2–1Hitchin Town25 November 19786Barnet3–3Woking25 November 1978ReplayWoking3–3Barnet28 November 1978ReplayWoking3–0Barnet5 December 19787Rochdale0–1Droylsden25 November 19788Watford3–0Dagenham25 November 19789Yeovil Town0–1Barking25 November 197810Reading0–0Gillingham25 November 1978ReplayGillingham1–2Reading28 November 197811Walsall0–2Torquay United25 November 197812Swindon Town2–0March Town United25 November 197813Doncaster Rovers2–1Huddersfield Town25 November 197814Tranmere Rovers2–1Boston United25 November 197815Stockport County5–1Morecambe25 November 197816Chorley0–1Scarborough25 November 197817Barnsley5–1Worksop Town25 November 197818Maidstone United1–0Wycombe Wanderers25 November 197819Portsmouth2–0Northampton Town25 November 197820Bradford City1–0Port Vale25 November 197821Hull City2–1Stafford Rangers25 November 197822Carlisle United1–0Halifax Town25 November 197823Worcester City2–0Plymouth Argyle25 November 197824Altrincham4–3Southport25 November 197825Southend United3–2Peterborough United25 November 197826Exeter City1–0Brentford25 November 197827Scunthorpe United1–1Sheffield Wednesday25 November 1978ReplaySheffield Wednesday1–0Scunthorpe United28 November 197828Mansfield Town0–2Shrewsbury Town25 November 197829Wealdstone0–5Enfield25 November 197830York City1–1Blyth Spartans25 November 1978ReplayBlyth Spartans3–5York City28 November 197831Hereford United0–1Newport County25 November 197832Rotherham United3–0Workington25 November 197833Aldershot1–1Weymouth25 November 1978ReplayWeymouth0–2Aldershot29 November 197834Wigan Athletic2–2Bury25 November 1978ReplayBury4–1Wigan Athletic28 November 197835Colchester United4–2Oxford United25 November 197836Nuneaton Borough0–2Crewe Alexandra25 November 197837Gravesend & Northfleet0–0Wimbledon25 November 1978ReplayWimbledon1–0Gravesend & Northfleet28 November 197838Leatherhead2–1Merthyr Tydfil25 November 197839Swansea City4–1Hillingdon Borough25 November 197840Hartlepool United1–0Grimsby Town25 November 1978 Second round proper The second round of games were played on 16 December 1978. Replays took place mainly on 18–19 with one on 28 December and another on 9 January 1979. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Darlington2–1Chester16 December 19782Barking1–2Aldershot16 December 19783Bury3–1Blackpool16 December 19784Watford1–1Southend United16 December 1978ReplaySouthend United1–0Watford18 December 19785Crewe Alexandra0–1Hartlepool United16 December 19786Swindon Town3–0Enfield16 December 19787Doncaster Rovers0–3Shrewsbury Town16 December 19788Tranmere Rovers1–1Sheffield Wednesday16 December 1978ReplaySheffield Wednesday4–0Tranmere Rovers19 December 19789Stockport County4–2Bradford City16 December 197810Barnsley1–1Rotherham United16 December 1978ReplayRotherham United2–1Barnsley9 January 197911Maidstone United1–0Exeter City16 December 197812Portsmouth0–1Reading16 December 197813Carlisle United3–0Hull City16 December 197814Wimbledon1–1AFC Bournemouth16 December 1978ReplayAFC Bournemouth1–2Wimbledon28 December 197815Newport County0–0Worcester City16 December 1978ReplayWorcester City1–2Newport County18 December 197816York City3–0Scarborough16 December 197817Droylsden0–2Altrincham16 December 197818Leatherhead1–1Colchester United16 December 1978ReplayColchester United4–0Leatherhead19 December 197819Swansea City2–2Woking16 December 1978ReplayWoking3–5Swansea City19 December 197820AP Leamington0–1Torquay United16 December 1978 Third round proper 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 8–10 January with a few more taking place on 15–16 and one on 18 January. Replays were intended for 9–10 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 noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Darlington0–1Colchester United9 January 19792Bristol City3–1Bolton Wanderers9 January 19793Preston North End3–0Derby County16 January 19794Leicester City3–0Norwich City6 January 19795Notts County4–2Reading9 January 19796Nottingham Forest2–0Aston Villa10 January 19797Blackburn Rovers2–1Millwall10 January 19798Sheffield Wednesday1–1Arsenal6 January 1979ReplayArsenal1–1Sheffield Wednesday9 January 1979ReplaySheffield Wednesday2–2Arsenal15 January 1979ReplayArsenal3–3Sheffield Wednesday17 January 1979ReplaySheffield Wednesday0–2Arsenal22 January 19799Middlesbrough1–1Crystal Palace9 January 1979ReplayCrystal Palace1–0Middlesbrough15 January 197910Sunderland2–1Everton10 January 197911Swindon Town3–0Cardiff City9 January 197912Shrewsbury Town3–1Cambridge United6 January 197913Wrexham6–2Stockport County1 February 197914Sheffield United0–0Aldershot9 January 1979ReplayAldershot1–0Sheffield United15 January 197915Ipswich Town3–2Carlisle United10 January 197916Newcastle United3–1Torquay United16 January 197917Tottenham Hotspur1–1Altrincham10 January 1979ReplayAltrincham0–3Tottenham Hotspur16 January 197918Manchester City0–0Rotherham United15 January 1979ReplayRotherham United2–4Manchester City17 January 197919Fulham2–0Queens Park Rangers9 January 197920Coventry City2–2West Bromwich Albion9 January 1979ReplayWest Bromwich Albion4–0Coventry City15 January 197921Brighton & Hove Albion2–3Wolverhampton Wanderers9 January 197922Manchester United3–0Chelsea15 January 197923Wimbledon0–2Southampton9 January 197924Southend United0–0Liverpool10 January 1979ReplayLiverpool3–0Southend United17 January 197925Newport County2–1West Ham United9 January 197926Charlton Athletic1–1Maidstone United9 January 1979ReplayMaidstone United1–2Charlton Athletic15 January 197927York City2–0Luton Town9 January 197928Stoke City0–1Oldham Athletic17 January 197929Birmingham City0–2Burnley6 January 197930Orient3–2Bury9 January 197931Swansea City0–1Bristol Rovers8 January 197932Hartlepool United2–6Leeds United18 January 1979 During the 1–1 draw between Charlton Athletic and Maidstone United, referee Brian Martin sent off Charlton players Mike Flanagan and Derek Hales for fighting each other.Ward Andrew Football's Strangest Matches: Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of football 2010 Portico London 1907554084 110-111 Shortly after Norwich City's 3–0 loss to Leicester, manager John Bond transfer-listed three players - John Ryan, Graham Paddon and Martin Chivers.James Gareth Norwich City - On This Day 2009 Pitch Publishing Brighton, United Kingdom 1905411529 15 Fourth round proper The fourth round of games were intended to be played over the weekend 26–27 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 29–31st, or on 5 or 12 February. Replays were played at various times after the initial games. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Burnley1–1Sunderland21 February 1979ReplaySunderland0–3Burnley26 February 19792Liverpool1–0Blackburn Rovers30 January 19793Preston North End0–1Southampton12 February 19794Nottingham Forest3–1York City27 January 19795Leeds United3–3West Bromwich Albion26 February 1979ReplayWest Bromwich Albion2–0Leeds United1 March 19796Shrewsbury Town2–0Manchester City27 January 19797Ipswich Town0–0Orient27 January 1979ReplayOrient0–2Ipswich Town30 January 19798Newcastle United1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers27 January 1979ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers1–0Newcastle United22 February 19799Tottenham Hotspur3–3Wrexham12 February 1979ReplayWrexham2–3Tottenham Hotspur21 February 197910Fulham1–1Manchester United31 January 1979ReplayManchester United1–0Fulham12 February 197911Bristol Rovers1–0Charlton Athletic5 February 197912Oldham Athletic3–1Leicester City26 February 197913Crystal Palace3–0Bristol City29 January 197914Newport County0–0Colchester United30 January 1979ReplayColchester United1–0Newport County5 February 197915Arsenal2–0Notts County27 January 197916Aldershot2–1Swindon Town30 January 1979 Fifth round proper 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 noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Liverpool3–0Burnley28 February 19792Nottingham Forest0–1Arsenal26 February 19793West Bromwich Albion1–1Southampton10 March 1979ReplaySouthampton2–1West Bromwich Albion12 March 19794Ipswich Town6–1Bristol Rovers26 February 19795Oldham Athletic0–1Tottenham Hotspur28 February 19796Crystal Palace0–1Wolverhampton Wanderers26 February 19797Aldershot2–2Shrewsbury Town20 February 1979ReplayShrewsbury Town3–1Aldershot26 February 19798Colchester United0–1Manchester United20 February 1979 Sixth round proper The sixth round of FA Cup games were played on 10 March 1979, except for the Southampton–Arsenal match which began on 19 March. Holders Ipswich Town were eliminated by Liverpool. There were three replays. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Southampton1–1Arsenal19 March 1979ReplayArsenal2–0Southampton21 March 19792Wolverhampton Wanderers1–1Shrewsbury Town10 March 1979ReplayShrewsbury Town1–3Wolverhampton Wanderers13 March 19793Ipswich Town0–1Liverpool10 March 19794Tottenham Hotspur1–1Manchester United10 March 1979ReplayManchester United2–0Tottenham Hotspur14 March 1979 Semi finals 31 March 1979 Manchester United 2–2 Liverpool Jordan B. Greenhoff Dalglish Hansen Maine Road, Manchester David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire) 31 March 1979 Arsenal 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Stapleton Sunderland Villa Park, Birmingham Pat Partridge (County Durham) Replay 4 April 1979 Liverpool 0–1 Manchester United J. Greenhoff Goodison Park, Liverpool David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire) Final 1979 FA Cup final 12 May 1979 Arsenal 3–2 (Report) Manchester United Talbot 12Stapleton 43Sunderland 89 McQueen 86McIlroy 88 Wembley, London 100,000 Ron Challis (Kent) _blueborder _collarblue _blueborder FFFF00 FFFF00 FFFF00 0000FF FFFF00 Arsenal _collarwhite _redtop_whitestripe FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 FFFFFF 000000 Manchester United Television coverage 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.MOTD Listings 1978–79 https://sites.google.com/site/motdlistings/home/1978-79The Big Match http://carousel.royalwebhosting.net/itv/BigMatch.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20190826192940/http://carousel.royalwebhosting.net/itv/BigMatch.html 26 August 2019 26 August 2019 Kick Off Match http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/KickOffMatch.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090127055040/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/KickOffMatch.html 27 January 2009 Shoot (Tyne Tees) http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Shoot.html 7 March 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130126012031/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Shoot.html 26 January 2013 deadYorkshire ITV Football http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/YTVfootball.html 7 March 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130511130307/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/YTVfootball.html 11 May 2013 deadStar Soccer http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/StarSoccer.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130511125753/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/StarSoccer.html 11 May 2013 Match of the Week http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Anglia.html 7 March 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130511130132/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Anglia.html 11 May 2013 deadMid-Week Football http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Mid-Week.html 7 March 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130424041237/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ITV/Mid-Week.html 24 April 2013 dead These matches were. Round BBC1 ITV Third round proper Leicester City v Norwich City 1Shrewsbury Town v Cambridge UnitedSouthend United v Liverpool 2 Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal – Yorkshire 1Stoke City v Oldham Athletic – ATV (abandoned) 1Fourth round properShrewsbury Town v Manchester City 1Arsenal v Notts County 1Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Yorkshire 1Nottingham Forest v York City – ATVIpswich Town v Orient – Anglia 1Fulham v Manchester United 3Manchester United v Fulham 3 (Replay)Wrexham v Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Replay)Fifth round properNottingham Forest v Arsenal2Sixth round properManchester United v Tottenham Hotspur 1,2 (Replay)Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town – ATV 1Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United – LWT Semi-finalsArsenal v Wolverhampton WanderersLiverpool v Manchester United2 (Replay) 1Manchester United vs Liverpool – Granada shown in All Regions1FinalArsenal vs Manchester United 1Arsenal vs Manchester United 1 1Footage available on YouTube 2featured on Sportsnight 3featured on Midweek Sports Special References External links FA Cup Results Archive Category:FA Cup seasons FA Cup