1985–86 FA Cup

September 2020 1985–86 FA Cup EnglandWales Liverpool (3rd title) Everton Ian Rush (6) 1984–85 1986–87 The 1985–86 FA Cup was the 105th season of the world's oldest knockout football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The competition was won by Liverpool, who defeated local rivals Everton 3–1 at Wembley in the first ever Merseyside derby final. Liverpool thus became only the fifth club to win the league and FA Cup double. 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 Frickley Athletic, South Liverpool, Whitby Town, Scarborough, Morecambe, Chorley, Macclesfield Town, Runcorn, Enfield, Dagenham, Nuneaton Borough, Leyton-Wingate, Wycombe Wanderers, Chelmsford City, VS Rugby, Halesowen Town, Bishop's Stortford, Aylesbury United, Dartford, Yeovil Town, Farnborough Town, Slough Town, Bath City, Windsor & Eton, Fareham Town, Maidstone United, Bognor Regis Town and Weymouth. For only the third time since the introduction of qualifying rounds, all 28 clubs advancing to the first round had appeared in the competition proper before. However, Bath City had not featured at this stage since 1977–78, South Liverpool had not done so since 1972–73, Halesowen Town and Leyton-Wingate (as Leyton F.C.) had not done so since 1955–56, and Aylesbury United had not done so since 1951–52. On the other hand, Yeovil Town was advancing from the qualifying rounds for a new record-establishing 36th time. They did this in the absence from this season's main draw of Kettering Town, who had jointly set the previous marks with Yeovil in each of the preceding five tournaments. all qualifying round results 1985–86 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 Wealdstone, Boston United, Altrincham and Telford United who were given byes. The first round of games were played over the weekend 16–17 November 1985. Replays were played on the 19th–20th. The round included two clubs from Step 8 of the English football pyramid: Whitby Town from the Northern League and Halesowen Town from the West Midlands (Regional) League. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Enfield (5)0–2Bognor Regis Town (6)16 November 19852AFC Bournemouth0–0Dartford (5)16 November 1985ReplayDartford0–2AFC Bournemouth19 November 19853Bury2–0Chester City16 November 19854Rochdale2–1Darlington16 November 19855Yeovil Town (6)2–4Hereford United16 November 19856Reading1–0Wealdstone (5)16 November 19857Walsall7–3Preston North End16 November 19858Gillingham3–0Northampton Town16 November 19859Notts County6–1Scarborough (5)17 November 198510Macclesfield Town (6)1–2Hartlepool United16 November 198511Derby County5–1Crewe Alexandra16 November 198512Lincoln City0–1Blackpool16 November 198513Swindon Town0–0Bristol City17 November 1985ReplayBristol City4–2Swindon Town20 November 198514Wrexham3–1Bolton Wanderers16 November 198515Tranmere Rovers2–2Chesterfield16 November 1985ReplayChesterfield0–1Tranmere Rovers19 November 198516Stockport County0–1Telford United (5)16 November 198517Windsor & Eton (6)1–1Torquay United16 November 1985ReplayTorquay United3–0Windsor & Eton19 November 198518Chorley (6)0–2Altrincham (5)16 November 198519Wycombe Wanderers (5)2–0Colchester United16 November 198520Brentford1–3Bristol Rovers16 November 198521Plymouth Argyle1–0Aldershot16 November 198522Southend United0–1Newport County16 November 198523Exeter City2–1Cardiff City16 November 198524Mansfield Town1–1Port Vale16 November 1985ReplayPort Vale1–0Mansfield Town18 November 198525Halifax Town1–3Scunthorpe United16 November 198526Runcorn (5)2–2Boston United (5)16 November 1985ReplayBoston United1–1Runcorn20 November 1985ReplayRuncorn4–1Boston United25 November 198527York City0–0Morecambe (6)16 November 1985ReplayMorecambe0–2York City19 November 198528Bishop's Stortford (6)2–2Peterborough United16 November 1985ReplayPeterborough United3–1Bishop's Stortford20 November 198529Rotherham United6–0Wolverhampton Wanderers16 November 198530Wigan Athletic4–1Doncaster Rovers16 November 198531Chelmsford City (6)1–0Weymouth (5)16 November 198532Nuneaton Borough (5)2–3Burnley16 November 198533Slough Town (6)2–2Aylesbury United (6)16 November 1985ReplayAylesbury United2–5Slough Town19 November 198534Whitby Town (8)1–0South Liverpool (6)16 November 198535Dagenham (5)2–1Cambridge United16 November 198536Fareham Town (6)0–3Maidstone United (5)16 November 198537Swansea City2–0Leyton-Wingate (7)16 November 198538Farnborough Town (6)0–4Bath City (5)16 November 198539Frickley Athletic (5)1–1Halesowen Town (8)16 November 1985ReplayHalesowen Town1–3Frickley Athletic19 November 198540VS Rugby (7)2–2Orient16 November 1985ReplayOrient4–1VS Rugby19 November 1985 Second round proper The second round of games were played over 7–9 December 1985, with replays being played on the 10th. Whitby Town from the Northern League (Step 8) was again the lowest-ranked team in the draw. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Blackpool1–2Altrincham (5)7 December 19852AFC Bournemouth4–1Dagenham (5)7 December 19853Bristol City1–2Exeter City7 December 19854Reading2–0Hereford United7 December 19855Gillingham6–1Bognor Regis Town (6)7 December 19856Notts County2–2Wrexham7 December 1985ReplayWrexham0–3Notts County10 December 19857Derby County6–1Telford United (5)9 December 19858Tranmere Rovers1–1Bury7 December 1985ReplayBury2–1Tranmere Rovers10 December 19859Wycombe Wanderers (5)2–0Chelmsford City (6)7 December 198510Plymouth Argyle3–0Maidstone United (5)7 December 198511Scunthorpe United2–2Rochdale7 December 1985ReplayRochdale2–1Scunthorpe United10 December 198512Port Vale0–0Walsall8 December 1985ReplayWalsall2–1Port Vale10 December 198513Newport County1–1Torquay United7 December 1985ReplayTorquay United2–3Newport County10 December 198514Runcorn (5)1–1Wigan Athletic7 December 1985ReplayWigan Athletic4–0Runcorn10 December 198515York City3–1Whitby Town (8)7 December 198516Rotherham United4–1Burnley7 December 198517Peterborough United1–0Bath City (5)7 December 198518Orient2–2Slough Town (6)7 December 1985ReplaySlough Town2–3Orient10 December 198519Swansea City1–2Bristol Rovers7 December 198520Hartlepool United0–1Frickley Athletic (5)7 December 1985 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 4–6 January 1986, however various matches and replays were played as late as 16 January. Wycombe Wanderers, Altrincham and Frickley Athletic from the Alliance Premier League at Step 5 of English football were the lowest-ranked teams in the round. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Bury (3)2–0Barnsley (2)13 January 19862Liverpool (1)5–0Norwich City (2)4 January 19863Walsall (3)1–3Manchester City (1)4 January 19864Gillingham (3)1–1Derby County (3)4 January 1986ReplayDerby County3–1Gillingham13 January 19865Nottingham Forest (1)1–1Blackburn Rovers (2)4 January 1986ReplayBlackburn Rovers3–2Nottingham Forest13 January 19866Sheffield Wednesday (1)2–2West Bromwich Albion (1)13 January 1986ReplayWest Bromwich Albion2–3Sheffield Wednesday16 January 19867Grimsby Town (2)3–4Arsenal (1)4 January 19868Middlesbrough (2)1–3Southampton (1)13 January 19869Sunderland (2)2–0Newport County (3)4 January 198610Everton (1)1–0Exeter City (4)5 January 198611Shrewsbury Town (2)0–1Chelsea (1)4 January 198612Sheffield United (2)2–0Fulham (2)13 January 198613Ipswich Town (1)4–4Bradford City (2)4 January 1986ReplayBradford City0–1Ipswich Town13 January 198614Newcastle United (1)0–2Brighton & Hove Albion (2)4 January 198615Bristol Rovers (3)3–1Leicester City (1)4 January 198616Coventry City (1)1–3Watford (1)4 January 198617Portsmouth (2)2–2Aston Villa (1)4 January 1986ReplayAston Villa3–2Portsmouth13 January 198618Manchester United (1)2–0Rochdale (4)9 January 198619Millwall (2)3–1Wimbledon (2)4 January 198620Hull City (2)2–2Plymouth Argyle (3)4 January 1986ReplayPlymouth Argyle0–1Hull City7 January 198621Carlisle United (2)1–0Queens Park Rangers (1)13 January 198622Oldham Athletic (2)1–2Orient (4)6 January 198623Crystal Palace (2)1–2Luton Town (1)6 January 198624Huddersfield Town (2)0–0Reading (3)4 January 1986ReplayReading2–1Huddersfield Town13 January 198625Charlton Athletic (2)0–1West Ham United (1)5 January 198626York City (3)2–0Wycombe Wanderers (5)4 January 198627Stoke City (2)0–2Notts County (3)13 January 198628Wigan Athletic (3)3–0AFC Bournemouth (3)4 January 198629Peterborough United (4)1–0Leeds United (2)4 January 198630Birmingham City (1)1–2Altrincham (5)14 January 198631Oxford United (1)1–1Tottenham Hotspur (1)4 January 1986ReplayTottenham Hotspur2–1Oxford United8 January 198632Frickley Athletic (5)1–3Rotherham United (3)4 January 1986 Fourth round proper The fourth round of games were played over the weekend 25–26 January 1986. Replays took place on 28–29 January, or 3–6 February. Altrincham was the lowest-ranked team in the draw and the last non-league club left in the competition. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Southampton3–0Wigan Athletic25 January 19862Reading1–1Bury25 January 1986ReplayBury3–0Reading28 January 19863Notts County1–1Tottenham Hotspur25 January 1986ReplayTottenham Hotspur5–0Notts County29 January 19864Aston Villa1–1Millwall25 January 1986ReplayMillwall1–0Aston Villa29 January 19865Sheffield Wednesday5–0Orient25 January 19866Sunderland1–1Manchester United25 January 1986ReplayManchester United3–0Sunderland29 January 19867Luton Town4–0Bristol Rovers25 January 19868Everton3–1Blackburn Rovers25 January 19869Sheffield United0–1Derby County25 January 198610Manchester City1–1Watford25 January 1986ReplayWatford0–0Manchester City3 February 1986ReplayManchester City1–3Watford6 February 198611West Ham United0–0Ipswich Town25 January 1986ReplayIpswich Town1–1West Ham United4 February 1986ReplayIpswich Town0–1West Ham United6 February 198612Hull City2–3Brighton & Hove Albion25 January 198613Chelsea1–2Liverpool26 January 198614Arsenal5–1Rotherham United25 January 198615York City2–0Altrincham (5)25 January 198616Peterborough United1–0Carlisle United25 January 1986 Fifth round proper The fifth round of games were intended to be played on 15 February 1986, but, due to bad weather and an amazing 8 replays over the 8 ties, some of the ties were not determined until just under a month later. Holders Manchester United were eliminated by West Ham United. Fourth Division side Peterborough United was the lowest-ranked team in the round. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Southampton0–0Millwall15 February 1986ReplayMillwall0–1Southampton5 March 19862Watford1–1Bury5 March 1986ReplayBury0–3Watford8 March 19863Derby County1–1Sheffield Wednesday26 February 1986ReplaySheffield Wednesday2–0Derby County5 March 19864Luton Town2–2Arsenal15 February 1986ReplayArsenal0–0Luton Town3 March 1986ReplayLuton Town3–0Arsenal5 March 19865Tottenham Hotspur1–2Everton4 March 19866West Ham United1–1Manchester United5 March 1986ReplayManchester United0–2West Ham United9 March 19867York City1–1Liverpool15 February 1986ReplayLiverpool3–1York City18 February 19868Peterborough United2–2Brighton & Hove Albion15 February 1986ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion1–0Peterborough United3 March 1986 Sixth round proper The sixth round of FA Cup games were played either at the weekend on 8 March or midweek on 11–12 March 1986. Replays were played in the following midweek fixture. 8 March 1986 Luton Town 2–2 Everton Harford 22M. Stein 63 Sharp 65Heath 77 Kenilworth Road, Luton 15,529 Keith Hackett (Sheffield) 8 March 1986 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–2 Southampton MoranCockerill Goldstone Ground, Brighton and Hove Neil Midgley (Salford) 11 March 1986 Liverpool 0–0 Watford Anfield, Liverpool 36,775 Roger Milford (Bristol) 12 March 1986 Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 West Ham United WorthingtonShutt Cottee Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield Joe Worrall (Warrington) Replays 12 March 1986 Everton 1–0 Luton Town Lineker 16 Goodison Park, Liverpool 44,264 Keith Hackett (Sheffield) 17 March 1986 Watford 1–2 yes Liverpool Barnes 47 Mølby 86 pen.Rush 108 Vicarage Road, Watford 28,097 Roger Milford Semi-finals Everton reached their third consecutive FA Cup final. 5 April 1986 Liverpool 2–0 yes Report Southampton Rush 99 104 White Hart Lane, London 44,605 Alan Saunders (Newcastle) 5 April 1986 Everton 2–1 yes Report Sheffield Wednesday Harper50Sharp98 Shutt53 Villa Park, Birmingham 47,711 Brian Hill (Kettering) Broadcast coverage May 2026 The BBC and ITV continued to alternate between live and highlights coverage from the 3rd round onwards. Round 3: Charlton Athletic 0–1 West Ham United (Live, BBC). The Big Match (ITV) showed highlights of Grimsby Town 3–4 Arsenal and Portsmouth 2–2 Aston Villa. The third round marked the return of English football to British television following a rights dispute. Round 4: Chelsea 1–2 Liverpool (Live, ITV). Match of the Day (BBC) showed highlights of Sunderland 0–0 Manchester United, Notts County 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City 1–1 Watford. Round 5: The fifth round weekend was heavily disrupted by bad weather and the live game that was to be shown by the BBC was postponed. The Big Match (ITV) showed highlights of York City 1–1 Liverpool, Southampton 0–0 Millwall and Luton Town 2–2 Arsenal. Round 5 Replay: Manchester United 0–2 West Ham United (Live, ITV). Such were the disruptions to the fifth round schedule this replay was staged on the Sunday of the weekend originally meant for the quarter finals. ITV opted to show this match live rather than a quarter final. Round 6: As stated above, no quarter final was shown live by ITV. Match of the Day (BBC) showed highlights of Brighton & Hove Albion 0–2 Southampton and Luton Town 2–2 Everton. The following midweek, highlights were shown of Liverpool 0–0 Watford (ITV) and Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 West Ham United (Sportsnight, BBC). Semi Finals: Liverpool 2–0 Southampton aet (Highlights, The Big Match, ITV). Everton 2–1 Sheffield Wednesday aet (Highlights, Match of the Day, BBC) Final: Everton 1–3 Liverpool (Live, BBC and ITV shared) Final 1986 FA Cup final 10 May 198615:00 BST Liverpool 3–1 Everton Rush 56 83Johnston 62 Lineker 27 Wembley Stadium, London 98,000 Alan Robinson (Waterlooville) _3_stripes_border_white _3_stripes_vneck_white _3_stripes_border_white _adidaswhite _3_stripes_white DD0000 DD0000 DD0000 DD0000 DD0000 Liverpool _whitehorizontaltop _bluetop 003399 003399 003399 FFFFFF FFFFFF Everton References FA Cup Results Archive Category:FA Cup seasons FA Cup