1980–81 FA Cup
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.
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 and Gillingham before going out to Exeter City in a high-scoring encounter at the London Road Athletic Ground.
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 association football|football league system|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.
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.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.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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Southampton | 3–1 | Bristol Rovers | 24 January 1981 |
| 2 | Watford | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 24 January 1981 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Watford | 27 January 1981 |
| 3 | Leicester City | 1–1 | Exeter City | 24 January 1981 |
| Replay | Exeter City | 3–1 | Leicester City | 28 January 1981 |
| 4 | Notts County | 0–1 | Peterborough United | 24 January 1981 |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Manchester United | 24 January 1981 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 24 January 1981 |
| 7 | Everton | 2–1 | Liverpool | 24 January 1981 |
| 8 | Shrewsbury Town | 0–0 | Ipswich Town | 24 January 1981 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 3–0 | Shrewsbury Town | 27 January 1981 |
| 9 | Wrexham | 2–1 | Wimbledon | 24 January 1981 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 2–1 | Luton Town | 24 January 1981 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–0 | Hull City | 24 January 1981 |
| 12 | Manchester City | 6–0 | Norwich City | 24 January 1981 |
| 13 | Fulham | 1–2 | Charlton Athletic | 24 January 1981 |
| 14 | Barnsley | 1–1 | Enfield | 24 January 1981 |
| Replay* | Enfield | 0–3 | Barnsley | 28 January 1981 |
| 15 | Coventry City | 3–2 | Birmingham City | 24 January 1981 |
| 16 | Carlisle United | 1–1 | Bristol City | 24 January 1981 |
| Replay | Bristol City | 5–0 | Carlisle United | 28 January 1981 |
*
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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Southampton | 0–0 | Everton | 14 February 1981 |
| Replay | Everton | 1–0 | Southampton | 17 February 1981 |
| 2 | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Bristol City | 14 February 1981 |
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Wrexham | 14 February 1981 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Barnsley | 14 February 1981 |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 2–0 | Charlton Athletic | 14 February 1981 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Exeter City | 14 February 1981 |
| Replay | Exeter City | 4–0 | Newcastle United | 18 February 1981 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–1 | Coventry City | 14 February 1981 |
| 8 | Peterborough United | 0–1 | Manchester City | 14 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Nottingham Forest | 3–3 | Ipswich Town | 7 March 1981 |
| Replay | Ipswich Town | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | 10 March 1981 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 March 1981 |
| Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Middlesbrough | 10 March 1981 |
| 3 | Everton | 2–2 | Manchester City | 7 March 1981 |
| Replay | Manchester City | 3–1 | Everton | 11 March 1981 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–0 | Exeter City | 7 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.Referee:- Pat Partridge
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Referee:- Clive Thomas
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Replay
Referee:- George CourtneyFinal
The final was held at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 1981. The replay was held on 14 May 1981.TV 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. 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 4 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 ITV Manchester City v Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City v Cambridge United, Leeds United v Coventry City, Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United v Sheffield Wednesday
- Fourth round BBC Nottingham Forest v Manchester United, Manchester City v Norwich City, Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers ITV Everton v Liverpool, Barnsley v Enfield, Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion, Shrewsbury Town v Ipswich Town, Exeter City v Leicester City
- Fifth round BBC Tottenham Hotspur v Coventry City, Peterborough United v Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Wrexham, Exeter City v Newcastle United ITV Southampton v Everton, Middlesbrough v Barnsley, Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic, Nottingham Forest v Bristol City
- Sixth round BBC Everton v Manchester City, Middlesbrough v Wolverhampton Wanderers ITV Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur v Exeter City All regions showed these two games Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Middlesbrough
- Semi-finals BBC Ipswich Town v Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers ITV Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Final Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Both BBC & ITV showed both games live.