1980–81 FA Cup

August 2021 1980–81 FA Cup EnglandWales Tottenham Hotspur(6th title) Manchester City Les Mutrie (7 goals) 1979–80 1981–82 The 1980–81 FA Cup was the 100th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. The final saw Tottenham Hotspur defeat Manchester City in the first Wembley replay. The final saw a memorable solo goal from Ricky Villa that was voted the greatest goal scored at Wembley.The Independent, 15 September 2000 September 15, 2000 The Independent 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, Gateshead, Fleetwood Town, Burscough, Northwich Victoria, Burton Albion, Kidderminster Harriers, Boston United, Stafford Rangers, Wycombe Wanderers, Sutton Coldfield Town, Kettering Town, St Albans City, Barton Rovers, Enfield, Barnet, Harlow Town, Wembley, Maidstone United, Gravesend & Northfleet, Yeovil Town, Addlestone & Weybridge Town, Windsor & Eton, Minehead, Farnborough Town, Leatherhead and Weymouth. Appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Sutton Coldfield Town, Barton Rovers, Wembley, Addlestone & Weybridge Town and Farnborough Town. Additionally, the reconstituted Gateshead was appearing at this stage for the first time in their own right after predecessor club Gateshead United had folded in 1977. Of the others, St Albans City had last featured in the first round in 1968-69, Fleetwood Town's predecessor outfit Fleetwood F.C. had last done so in 1965-66 and Windsor & Eton had last done so in 1925-26. Maidstone United played eleven matches across seven rounds of the tournament, defeating Ramsgate, Folkestone, Bromley, Barking, Kettering Town (after two replays) and Gillingham (after another two replays) before going out to Exeter City in a high-scoring encounter at the London Road Athletic Ground. all qualifying round results 1980–81 FA Cup qualifying rounds First round proper The 48 teams from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions entered in this round, joining the 28 non-league clubs from the qualifying rounds and Altrincham, Dagenham, Mossley and Scarborough who were given byes. This round contained six clubs from Step 8 of the fledgling English Football Pyramid - Fleetwood Town, Windsor & Eton, Blyth Spartans, Burscough, Barton Rovers and Sutton Coldfield Town - who were the lowest-ranked teams remaining in the competition. The first round of games were played on 22 November 1980. Replays were played mainly on 25 and 26 November, with a couple of games on 1 December. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Enfield (6)3–0Wembley (7)22 November 19802Blackpool4–0Fleetwood Town (8)22 November 19803Chester1–2Barnsley22 November 19804Darlington0–2Bury22 November 19805Barnet (5)2–2Minehead (6)22 November 1980ReplayMinehead1–2Barnet25 November 19806Burnley1–0Scarborough (5)22 November 19807Yeovil Town (5)2–1Farnborough Town (7)22 November 19808Reading1–2Fulham22 November 19809Walsall3–0Stafford Rangers (5)22 November 198010Gillingham2–1Dagenham (6)22 November 198011Northwich Victoria (5)1–1Huddersfield Town22 November 1980ReplayHuddersfield Town6–0Northwich Victoria25 November 198012Lincoln City1–0Gateshead (6)22 November 198013Swindon Town3–2Weymouth (5)22 November 198014Tranmere Rovers0–0York City22 November 1980ReplayYork City1–2Tranmere Rovers25 November 198015Stockport County0–0Sheffield United22 November 1980ReplaySheffield United3–2Stockport County25 November 198016Wycombe Wanderers (6)0–3AFC Bournemouth22 November 198017Kidderminster Harriers (6)1–1Millwall22 November 1980ReplayMillwall1–0Kidderminster Harriers25 November 198018Brentford2–2Addlestone & Weybridge Town (6)22 November 1980ReplayBrentford2–0Addlestone & Weybridge Town25 November 198019Northampton Town1–4Peterborough United22 November 198020Plymouth Argyle2–0Newport County22 November 198021Hull City2–1Halifax Town22 November 198022Wimbledon7–2Windsor & Eton (8)22 November 198023Southend United0–1Hereford United22 November 198024Exeter City5–0Leatherhead (6)22 November 198025Scunthorpe United3–1Hartlepool United22 November 198026Blyth Spartans (8)2–1Burton Albion (6)22 November 198027Mansfield Town3–1Rochdale22 November 198028Port Vale4–2Bradford City22 November 198029Torquay United2–0Barton Rovers (8)22 November 198030Workington (6)0–0Carlisle United22 November 1980ReplayCarlisle United4–1Workington1 December 198031Kettering Town (5)1–1Maidstone United (5)22 November 1980ReplayMaidstone United0–0Kettering Town26 November 1980ReplayMaidstone United3–1Kettering Town1 December 198032Wigan Athletic2–2Chesterfield22 November 1980ReplayChesterfield2–0Wigan Athletic25 November 198033Boston United (5)0–4Rotherham United22 November 198034Harlow Town (6)0–2Charlton Athletic22 November 198035Colchester United3–0Portsmouth22 November 198036Gravesend & Northfleet (5)1–2St Albans City (7)22 November 198037Burscough (8)1–2Altrincham (5)22 November 198038Mossley (6)1–0Crewe Alexandra22 November 198039Sutton Coldfield Town (8)0–2Doncaster Rovers22 November 198040Oxford United1–0Aldershot22 November 1980 Second round proper The second round of games were intended to be played on 13 December 1980. Replays took place over 16–17 December with second replays needed in two cases. Blyth Spartans, from the Northern League at Step 8 of English football, was the lowest-ranked club in the round. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Enfield (6)2–0Hereford United13 December 19802Barnet (5)0–1Peterborough United13 December 19803Burnley1–1Port Vale13 December 1980ReplayPort Vale2–0Burnley16 December 19804Bury2–0Lincoln City13 December 19805Gillingham0–0Maidstone United (5)13 December 1980ReplayMaidstone United0–0Gillingham16 December 1980ReplayGillingham0–2Maidstone United22 December 19806Doncaster Rovers2–1Blackpool13 December 19807Sheffield United1–1Chesterfield13 December 1980ReplayChesterfield1–0Sheffield United16 December 19808Tranmere Rovers0–3Huddersfield Town13 December 19809Fulham1–0Brentford13 December 198010Plymouth Argyle3–0Oxford United13 December 198011Millwall0–1Exeter City13 December 198012Hull City1–1Blyth Spartans (8)13 December 1980ReplayBlyth Spartans2–2Hull City16 December 1980ReplayHull City2–1Blyth Spartans22 December 198013Carlisle United3–0Walsall13 December 198014Wimbledon2–0Swindon Town13 December 198015St Albans City (7)1–1Torquay United13 December 1980ReplayTorquay United4–1St Albans City17 December 198016Scunthorpe United0–0Altrincham (5)13 December 1980ReplayAltrincham1–0Scunthorpe United15 December 198017Charlton Athletic2–1AFC Bournemouth13 December 198018Rotherham United0–1Barnsley13 December 198019Colchester United1–1Yeovil Town (5)13 December 1980ReplayYeovil Town0–2Colchester United17 December 198020Mossley (6)1–3Mansfield Town13 December 1980 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 played on 3 January 1981. Replays took place over 6–7 January with second replays needed in two cases. One of those second replays resulted in the elimination of Cup holders West Ham United by Wrexham. Enfield, from the Isthmian League Premier Division at Step 6 of English football, was the lowest-ranked club in the round. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Bury (4)1–1Fulham (3)3 January 1981ReplayFulham0–0Bury6 January 1981ReplayBury0–1Fulham12 January 19812Liverpool (1)4–1Altrincham (5)3 January 19813Preston North End (2)3–4Bristol Rovers (2)3 January 19814Southampton (1)3–1Chelsea (2)3 January 19815Leicester City (1)3–0Cardiff City (2)3 January 19816Notts County (2)2–1Blackburn Rovers (2)3 January 19817Nottingham Forest (1)3–3Bolton Wanderers (2)3 January 1981ReplayBolton Wanderers0–1Nottingham Forest6 January 19818West Bromwich Albion (1)3–0Grimsby Town (2)3 January 19819Derby County (2)0–0Bristol City (2)3 January 1981ReplayBristol City2–0Derby County7 January 198110Everton (1)2–0Arsenal (1)3 January 198111Ipswich Town (1)1–0Aston Villa (1)3 January 198112Newcastle United (2)2–1Sheffield Wednesday (2)3 January 198113Manchester City (1)4–0Crystal Palace (1)3 January 198114Queens Park Rangers(2)0–0Tottenham Hotspur (1)3 January 1981ReplayTottenham Hotspur3–1Queens Park Rangers7 January 198115Barnsley (3)2–1Torquay United (4)3 January 198116Maidstone United (5)2–4Exeter City (3)3 January 198117West Ham United (2)1–1Wrexham (2)3 January 1981ReplayWrexham0–0West Ham United6 January 1981ReplayWrexham1–0West Ham United19 January 198118Manchester United (1)2–2Brighton & Hove Albion (1)3 January 1981ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion0–2Manchester United7 January 198119Norwich City (1)1–0Cambridge United (2)3 January 198120Plymouth Argyle (3)1–2Charlton Athletic (3)3 January 198121Hull City (3)1–0Doncaster Rovers (4)3 January 198122Wimbledon (4)0–0Oldham Athletic (2)3 January 1981ReplayOldham Athletic0–1Wimbledon6 January 198123Huddersfield Town (3)0–3Shrewsbury Town (2)3 January 198124Mansfield Town (4)2–2Carlisle United (3)3 January 1981ReplayCarlisle United2–1Mansfield Town6 January 198125Port Vale (4)1–1Enfield (6)3 January 1981ReplayEnfield3–0Port Vale6 January 198126Leeds United (1)1–1Coventry City (1)3 January 1981ReplayCoventry City1–0Leeds United6 January 198127Stoke City (1)2–2Wolverhampton Wanderers(1)3 January 1981ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers2–1Stoke City6 January 198128Peterborough United (4)1–1Chesterfield (3)3 January 1981ReplayChesterfield1–2Peterborough United6 January 198129Colchester United (3)0–1Watford (2)3 January 198130Birmingham City (1)1–1Sunderland (1)3 January 1981ReplaySunderland1–2Birmingham City7 January 198131Orient (2)1–3Luton Town (2)3 January 198132Swansea City (2)0–5Middlesbrough (1)3 January 1981 Fourth round proper The fourth round of games were mainly played on 24 January 1981. Replays were played on 27 and 28 January. Enfield was the last non-league club left in the competition. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Southampton3–1Bristol Rovers24 January 19812Watford1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers24 January 1981ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers2–1Watford27 January 19813Leicester City1–1Exeter City24 January 1981ReplayExeter City3–1Leicester City28 January 19814Notts County0–1Peterborough United24 January 19815Nottingham Forest1–0Manchester United24 January 19816Middlesbrough1–0West Bromwich Albion24 January 19817Everton2–1Liverpool24 January 19818Shrewsbury Town0–0Ipswich Town24 January 1981ReplayIpswich Town3–0Shrewsbury Town27 January 19819Wrexham2–1Wimbledon24 January 198110Newcastle United2–1Luton Town24 January 198111Tottenham Hotspur2–0Hull City24 January 198112Manchester City6–0Norwich City24 January 198113Fulham1–2Charlton Athletic24 January 198114Barnsley1–1Enfield (6)24 January 1981Replay*Enfield0–3Barnsley28 January 198115Coventry City3–2Birmingham City24 January 198116Carlisle United1–1Bristol City24 January 1981ReplayBristol City5–0Carlisle United28 January 1981 (Played at White Hart Lane) Fifth round proper The fifth set of games were all played on 14 February 1981. Two replays were played on 17 and 18 February. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Southampton0–0Everton14 February 1981ReplayEverton1–0Southampton17 February 19812Nottingham Forest2–1Bristol City14 February 19813Wolverhampton Wanderers3–1Wrexham14 February 19814Middlesbrough2–1Barnsley14 February 19815Ipswich Town2–0Charlton Athletic14 February 19816Newcastle United1–1Exeter City14 February 1981ReplayExeter City4–0Newcastle United18 February 19817Tottenham Hotspur3–1Coventry City14 February 19818Peterborough United0–1Manchester City14 February 1981 Sixth round proper The sixth round of FA Cup games were played on 7 March 1981. There were three replays, taken place over 10–11 March. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate1Nottingham Forest3–3Ipswich Town7 March 1981ReplayIpswich Town1–0Nottingham Forest10 March 19812Middlesbrough1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers7 March 1981ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers3–1Middlesbrough10 March 19813Everton2–2Manchester City7 March 1981ReplayManchester City3–1Everton11 March 19814Tottenham Hotspur2–0Exeter City7 March 1981 Semi-finals The matches were both played on 11 April 1981, with a replay on 15 April. Tottenham and Manchester City reached the Final. 11 April 1981 Manchester City 1–0 y Ipswich Town Power Villa Park, Birmingham 46,537 Referee:- Pat Partridge (Co. Durham) 11 April 1981 Tottenham Hotspur 2–2 y Wolverhampton Wanderers Archibald 4 Hoddle 44 Hibbitt 5 Carr 90 pen Hillsborough, Sheffield 50,174 Referee:- Clive Thomas (Porthcawl) Replay 15 April 1981 Tottenham Hotspur 3–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Crooks Crooks Villa Highbury, London 52,539Referee:- George Courtney (Spennymoor) Final this match 1981 FA Cup final The final was held at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 1981. The replay was held on 14 May 1981. 9 May 1981 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 (a.e.t) (Report) Manchester City Hutchison 79 o.g. Hutchison 30 Wembley, London 100,000 Keith Hackett (South Yorkshire) _vneckonwhite _navystripe FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 000066 FFFFFF Tottenham Hotspur _shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _collarwhite __shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _white_stripes _2 white stripes 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff Manchester City GK 1 ENG Milija AleksicLB 2 IRL Chris HughtonCB 3 ENG Paul MillerCB 4 ENG Graham RobertsRB 5 ENG Steve Perryman (c)RM 6 ARG Ricardo Villa 68CM 7 ARG Osvaldo ArdilesCF 8 SCO Steve ArchibaldLM 9 IRL Tony GalvinCM 10ENG Glenn HoddleCF 11ENG Garth CrooksSubstitute:MF 12ENG Garry Brooke 68Manager:ENG Keith Burkinshaw GK 1 ENG Joe CorriganRB 2 ENG Ray RansonLB 3 SCO Bobby McDonaldCB 4 ENG Nicky ReidLM 5 ENG Paul Power (c)CB 6 ENG Tommy CatonRM 7 ENG Dave BennettCM 8 SCO Gerry GowCF 9 ENG Steve MacKenzieCM 10SCO Tommy Hutchison 105CF 11ENG Kevin ReevesSubstitute:MF 12 ENG Tony Henry 105Manager:ENG John Bond Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Replay if scores still level. One substitute. Replay 14 May 1981 Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 (Report) Manchester City Villa 8 76Crooks 70 MacKenzie 11Reeves 50 pen. Wembley, London 92,000 Keith Hackett (Sheffield) _vneckonwhite _navystripe FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 000066 FFFFFF Tottenham Hotspur _shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _collarwhite __shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _white_stripes _2 white stripes 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff 3399ff Manchester City GK 1 ENG Milija AleksicLB 2 IRL Chris HughtonCB 3 ENG Paul MillerCB 4 ENG Graham RobertsRM 5 ARG Ricardo VillaRB 6 ENG Steve Perryman (c)CM 7 ARG Osvaldo ArdilesCF 8 SCO Steve ArchibaldLM 9 IRL Tony GalvinCM 10ENG Glenn HoddleCF 11ENG Garth CrooksSubstitute:MF 12ENG Garry BrookeManager:ENG Keith Burkinshaw GK 1 ENG Joe CorriganRB 2 ENG Ray RansonLB 3 SCO Bobby McDonald 79CB 4 ENG Nicky ReidLM 5 ENG Paul Power (c)CB 6 ENG Tommy CatonRM 7 ENG Dave BennettCM 8 SCO Gerry GowCF 9 ENG Steve MacKenzieCM 10SCO Tommy HutchisonCF 11ENG Kevin ReevesSubstitute:FW 12 ENG Dennis Tueart 79Manager:ENG John Bond Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Replay if scores still level. One substitute. Television coverage May 2026 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. For the first time the BBC showed highlights of a single game from the first and second rounds after highlights of League games. ITV did not show any games from Round One or Two. Occasional highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV. This season ITV were showing highlights on their regional highlights programmes on Saturday nights and BBC1 were showing highlights on Match Of The Day on Sunday afternoons in the second season of the four-year alternation deal. First round BBC Harlow Town v Charlton Athletic Second round BBC Colchester United v Yeovil Third round BBC Ipswich Town v Aston Villa, Everton v Arsenal, Swansea City v Middlesbrough, Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United (Midweek replay) ITV Manchester City v Crystal Palace (Granada), Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur (LWT), Norwich City v Cambridge United (Anglia), Leeds United v Coventry City (Yorkshire), Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers (ATV), Newcastle United v Sheffield Wednesday (Tyne-Tees) Fourth round BBC Nottingham Forest v Manchester United, Manchester City v Norwich City, Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers ITV Everton v Liverpool (Granada), Barnsley v Enfield (Yorkshire & LWT), Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion (Tyne-Tees), Shrewsbury Town v Ipswich Town (ATV & Anglia), Exeter City v Leicester City (Midweek replay All regions) Fifth round BBC Tottenham Hotspur v Coventry City, Peterborough United v Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Wrexham, Exeter City v Newcastle United (Midweek replay) ITV Southampton v Everton (Southern, Granada & LWT), Middlesbrough v Barnsley (Tyne-Tees & Yorkshire), Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic (Anglia), Nottingham Forest v Bristol City (ATV & HTV) Sixth round BBC Everton v Manchester City, Middlesbrough v Wolverhampton Wanderers ITV Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town (ATV & Anglia), Tottenham Hotspur v Exeter City (LWT) All regions showed these two games Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest (Midweek replay all regions), Wolverhampton Wanderers v Middlesbrough (Midweek replay all regions) Semi-finals BBC Ipswich Town v Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Midweek replay) ITV Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers (All Regions) Final Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Both BBC and ITV showed both games live. 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