1979–80 FA Cup


The 1979–80 FA Cup was the 99th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The final saw second division West Ham United beat holders Arsenal 1–0.

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, Brandon United, Morecambe, Burscough, Mossley, Northwich Victoria, Moor Green, Nuneaton Borough, Kidderminster Harriers, AP Leamington, Enfield, Burton Albion, Harlow Town, Croydon, Wycombe Wanderers, Leytonstone & Ilford, Wealdstone, Barking, Chesham United, Gravesend & Northfleet, Merthyr Tydfil, Slough Town, Minehead, Fareham Town, Salisbury, Hungerford Town and Yeovil Town.
Appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Brandon United, Moor Green, Harlow Town, Croydon, Fareham Town and Hungerford Town, while the recently amalgamated Leytonstone & Ilford was appearing for the first time since Ilford had featured in the first and second rounds of the 1974-75 tournament after being a finalist in the last-ever FA Amateur Cup final held at the end of the previous season. Of the others, Kidderminster Harriers had last featured at this stage in 1968–69 and Salisbury had last done so in 1967-68.
Harlow Town participated in nine rounds of the tournament, overcoming Lowestoft Town, Hornchurch, Bury Town, Harwich & Parkeston, Margate, Leytonstone & Ilford, Southend United and Leicester City before Watford ended their run with a high-scoring defeat at Vicarage Road.

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 Stafford Rangers, Kettering Town, Altrincham and Scarborough who were given byes. Ten teams from the new Alliance Premier League qualified for this round, while Brandon United, from the Northern Alliance, was ostensibly the lowest-ranked club remaining in the competition.
The first round of games were played on 24 November 1979. Replays were played on 26–28 November.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Enfield 0–1Yeovil Town 24 November 1979
2Blackpool1–1Wigan Athletic24 November 1979
ReplayWigan Athletic2–0Blackpool28 November 1979
3Chester5–1Workington 24 November 1979
4Darlington1–1Huddersfield Town24 November 1979
ReplayHuddersfield Town0–1Darlington27 November 1979
5Barking 1–0Oxford United24 November 1979
6Rochdale2–1Scunthorpe United24 November 1979
7Reading4–2Kettering Town 24 November 1979
8Walsall2–0Stockport County24 November 1979
9Gillingham0–0Wimbledon24 November 1979
ReplayWimbledon4–2Gillingham27 November 1979
10Sheffield Wednesday3–0Lincoln City24 November 1979
11Grimsby Town1–1Chesterfield24 November 1979
ReplayChesterfield2–3Grimsby Town27 November 1979
12Stafford Rangers 3–2Moor Green 24 November 1979
13Swindon Town4–1Brentford24 November 1979
14Sheffield United3–0Burscough 24 November 1979
15Tranmere Rovers9–0AP Leamington 24 November 1979
16Wycombe Wanderers 0–3Croydon 24 November 1979
17Kidderminster Harriers 0–2Blackburn Rovers24 November 1979
18Barnsley5–2Hartlepool United24 November 1979
19Portsmouth1–0Newport County24 November 1979
20Carlisle United3–3Hull City24 November 1979
ReplayHull City0–2Carlisle United28 November 1979
21Altrincham 3–0Crewe Alexandra24 November 1979
22Blyth Spartans 0–2Mansfield Town24 November 1979
23Port Vale1–3Doncaster Rovers23 November 1979
24Minehead 1–2Chesham United 24 November 1979
25Halifax Town2–0Scarborough 24 November 1979
26Wealdstone 0–1Southend United24 November 1979
27Morecambe 1–1Rotherham United24 November 1979
ReplayRotherham United2–0Morecambe 27 November 1979
28York City5–2Mossley 24 November 1979
29Hereford United1–0Northampton Town24 November 1979
30Aldershot4–1Exeter City24 November 1979
31Peterborough United1–2AFC Bournemouth24 November 1979
32Harlow Town 2–1Leytonstone & Ilford 24 November 1979
33Colchester United1–1Plymouth Argyle24 November 1979
ReplayPlymouth Argyle0–1Colchester United27 November 1979
34Nuneaton Borough 3–3Northwich Victoria 24 November 1979
ReplayNorthwich Victoria 3–0Nuneaton Borough 26 November 1979
35Gravesend & Northfleet 0–1Torquay United24 November 1979
36Salisbury 1–2Millwall24 November 1979
37Slough Town 3–1Hungerford Town 24 November 1979
38Burton Albion 0–2Bury24 November 1979
39Fareham Town 2–3Merthyr Tydfil 24 November 1979
40Brandon United 0–3Bradford City24 November 1979

Second round proper

The second round of games were intended to be played on 15 December 1979, but some matches were not played until 17–19 December and one was postponed until 5 January 1980. Replays took place at various dates after these games. Chesham United, from the Isthmian League First Division, was the lowest-ranked club in the round.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester1–0Barnsley18 December 1979
2Croydon 1–1Millwall15 December 1979
ReplayMillwall3–2Croydon 18 December 1979
3Darlington0–1Bradford City15 December 1979
4Bury0–0York City15 December 1979
ReplayYork City0–2Bury18 December 1979
5Yeovil Town 1–0Slough Town 15 December 1979
6Reading3–1Barking 15 December 1979
7Walsall1–1Halifax Town15 December 1979
ReplayHalifax Town1–1Walsall18 December 1979
ReplayHalifax Town2–0Walsall24 December 1979
8Blackburn Rovers2–0Stafford Rangers 17 December 1979
9Grimsby Town2–0Sheffield United15 December 1979
10Northwich Victoria 2–2Wigan Athletic5 January 1980
ReplayWigan Athletic1–0Northwich Victoria 7 January 1980
11Doncaster Rovers1–2Mansfield Town15 December 1979
12Tranmere Rovers2–2Rochdale15 December 1979
ReplayRochdale2–1Tranmere Rovers18 December 1979
13Carlisle United3–0Sheffield Wednesday15 December 1979
14Wimbledon0–0Portsmouth18 December 1979
ReplayPortsmouth3–3Wimbledon24 December 1979
ReplayWimbledon0–1Portsmouth5 January 1980
15Southend United1–1Harlow Town 15 December 1979
ReplayHarlow Town 1–0Southend United18 December 1979
16Chesham United 1–1Merthyr Tydfil 19 December 1979
ReplayMerthyr Tydfil 1–3Chesham United 22 December 1979
17Torquay United3–3Swindon Town18 December 1979
ReplaySwindon Town3–2Torquay United22 December 1979
18Hereford United1–2Aldershot15 December 1979
19Rotherham United0–2Altrincham 15 December 1979
20Colchester United1–0AFC Bournemouth15 December 1979

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 mainly played on 5 January 1980, with some games taking place on 8–9 January and one on 14. Replays were intended for 8–9 January but again took place at various times. From Step 7 of the fledgling English Football Pyramid, Chesham United was again the lowest-ranked club in the round.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bristol City6–2Derby County5 January 1980
2Burnley1–0Stoke City5 January 1980
3Liverpool5–0Grimsby Town5 January 1980
4Preston North End0–3Ipswich Town5 January 1980
5Rochdale1–1Bury8 January 1980
ReplayBury3–2Rochdale21 January 1980
6Yeovil Town 0–3Norwich City5 January 1980
7Reading2–0Colchester United5 January 1980
8Leicester City1–1Harlow Town 5 January 1980
ReplayHarlow Town 1–0Leicester City8 January 1980
9Notts County1–3Wolverhampton Wanderers5 January 1980
10Blackburn Rovers1–1Fulham8 January 1980
ReplayFulham0–1Blackburn Rovers15 January 1980
11West Bromwich Albion1–1West Ham United5 January 1980
ReplayWest Ham United2–1West Bromwich Albion8 January 1980
12Sunderland0–1Bolton Wanderers5 January 1980
13Luton Town0–2Swindon Town5 January 1980
14Everton4–1Aldershot5 January 1980
15Wrexham6–0Charlton Athletic5 January 1980
16Newcastle United0–2Chester5 January 1980
17Tottenham Hotspur1–1Manchester United5 January 1980
ReplayManchester United0–1Tottenham Hotspur9 January 1980
18Queens Park Rangers1–2Watford5 January 1980
19Bristol Rovers1–2Aston Villa4 January 1980
20Portsmouth1–1Middlesbrough9 January 1980
ReplayMiddlesbrough3–0Portsmouth14 January 1980
21Millwall5–1Shrewsbury Town5 January 1980
22Carlisle United3–2Bradford City5 January 1980
23Oldham Athletic0–1Coventry City5 January 1980
24Chelsea0–1Wigan Athletic14 January 1980
25Altrincham 1–1Orient5 January 1980
ReplayOrient2–1Altrincham 9 January 1980
26Mansfield Town0–2Brighton & Hove Albion5 January 1980
27Cardiff City0–0Arsenal5 January 1980
ReplayArsenal2–1Cardiff City8 January 1980
28Halifax Town1–0Manchester City5 January 1980
29Chesham United 0–2Cambridge United5 January 1980
30Leeds United1–4Nottingham Forest5 January 1980
31Birmingham City2–1Southampton5 January 1980
32Swansea City2–2Crystal Palace5 January 1980
ReplayCrystal Palace3–3Swansea City8 January 1980
ReplaySwansea City2–1Crystal Palace14 January 1980

Fourth round proper

The fourth round of games were mainly played on 26 January 1980. Replays were played on 29 and 30 January. Harlow Town was the last non-league club left in the competition.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester2–0Millwall26 January 1980
2Bristol City1–2Ipswich Town26 January 1980
3Bury1–0Burnley26 January 1980
4Watford4–3Harlow Town 26 January 1980
5Nottingham Forest0–2Liverpool26 January 1980
6Blackburn Rovers1–0Coventry City26 January 1980
7Bolton Wanderers2–0Halifax Town26 January 1980
8Wolverhampton Wanderers1–1Norwich City26 January 1980
ReplayNorwich City2–3Wolverhampton Wanderers30 January 1980
9Everton3–0Wigan Athletic26 January 1980
10Swindon Town0–0Tottenham Hotspur26 January 1980
ReplayTottenham Hotspur2–1Swindon Town30 January 1980
11Carlisle United0–0Wrexham26 January 1980
ReplayWrexham3–1Carlisle United29 January 1980
12Arsenal2–0Brighton & Hove Albion26 January 1980
13Birmingham City2–1Middlesbrough26 January 1980
14Cambridge United1–1Aston Villa26 January 1980
ReplayAston Villa4–1Cambridge United30 January 1980
15Orient2–3West Ham United26 January 1980
16Swansea City4–1Reading26 January 1980

Fifth round proper

The fifth set of games were all played on 16 February 1980. Two replays were played on 19 and 20 February.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Liverpool2–0Bury16 February 1980
2Blackburn Rovers1–1Aston Villa16 February 1980
ReplayAston Villa1–0Blackburn Rovers20 February 1980
3Bolton Wanderers1–1Arsenal16 February 1980
ReplayArsenal3–0Bolton Wanderers19 February 1980
4Wolverhampton Wanderers0–3Watford16 February 1980
5Everton5–2Wrexham16 February 1980
6Ipswich Town2–1Chester16 February 1980
7Tottenham Hotspur3–1Birmingham City16 February 1980
8West Ham United2–0Swansea City16 February 1980

Sixth round proper

The sixth round of games were played on 8 March 1980. There were no replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Watford1–2Arsenal8 March 1980
2Everton2–1Ipswich Town8 March 1980
3Tottenham Hotspur0–1Liverpool8 March 1980
4West Ham United1–0Aston Villa8 March 1980

Semi finals

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Replays

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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 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. Occasional highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV.
This was the first season of a 4-year deal between the FA/Football League and BBC/ITV where BBC and ITV would alternate between Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons for highlights. This season it was as it was under the previous contracts from 1964 to 1979 Saturday nights BBC1 and Sunday afternoons ITV.
These matches were.
RoundBBC1ITV
Third round properLeeds United vs Nottingham Forest
Cardiff City vs Arsenal
Yeovil Town vs Norwich City1
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur 1		[|Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United] – LWT 1
[|Burnley vs Stoke City] – Granada
[|Sunderland vs Bolton Wanderers] – Tyne Tees
[|Halifax Town vs Manchester City] – Yorkshire 1
[|Birmingham City vs Southampton] – ATV
Fourth round properNottingham Forest v Liverpool
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Norwich City
Harlow Town vs Watford 1
Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion – LWT
[|Everton vs Wigan Athletic] – Granada
[|Bolton Wanderers vs Halifax Town] – Yorkshire
[|Swindon Town vs Tottenham Hotspur] – ATV
[|Cambridge United vs Aston Villa] – Anglia
Tottenham Hotspur vs Swindon Town
Fifth round properWolverhampton Wanderers v Watford
Blackburn Rovers vs Aston Villa
Everton vs Wrexham
Aston Villa vs Blackburn Rovers 		[|Tottenham Hotspur vs Birmingham City] – LWT
[|Bolton Wanderers vs Arsenal] – Granada
[|Ipswich Town vs Chester] – Anglia
Sixth round properTottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
Watford vs Arsenal		[|West Ham United vs Aston Villa] – LWT 1
[|Everton vs Ipswich Town] – Granada 1
Semi-finalsWest Ham United vs Everton 1
Arsenal vs Liverpool
West Ham United vs Everton 1		Arsenal vs Liverpool
Arsenal vs Liverpool
Arsenal vs Liverpool
FinalArsenal vs West Ham United 1Arsenal vs West Ham United 1

1Footage available on YouTube