# 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. As of 2024, this was the last occasion when a club outside the top division of English football won the FA Cup.

## 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-amalgamted 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 (notably) 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 (later to be known as Conference National and the National 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Enfield (6) | 0–1 | Yeovil Town (5) | 24 November 1979 |
| 2 | Blackpool | 1–1 | Wigan Athletic | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Wigan Athletic | 2–0 | Blackpool | 28 November 1979 |
| 3 | Chester | 5–1 | Workington (6) | 24 November 1979 |
| 4 | Darlington | 1–1 | Huddersfield Town | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Huddersfield Town | 0–1 | Darlington | 27 November 1979 |
| 5 | Barking (6) | 1–0 | Oxford United | 24 November 1979 |
| 6 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Scunthorpe United | 24 November 1979 |
| 7 | Reading | 4–2 | Kettering Town (5) | 24 November 1979 |
| 8 | Walsall | 2–0 | Stockport County | 24 November 1979 |
| 9 | Gillingham | 0–0 | Wimbledon | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Wimbledon | 4–2 | Gillingham | 27 November 1979 |
| 10 | Sheffield Wednesday | 3–0 | Lincoln City | 24 November 1979 |
| 11 | Grimsby Town | 1–1 | Chesterfield | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Chesterfield | 2–3 | Grimsby Town | 27 November 1979 |
| 12 | Stafford Rangers (5) | 3–2 | Moor Green (8) | 24 November 1979 |
| 13 | Swindon Town | 4–1 | Brentford | 24 November 1979 |
| 14 | Sheffield United | 3–0 | Burscough (8) | 24 November 1979 |
| 15 | Tranmere Rovers | 9–0 | AP Leamington (5) | 24 November 1979 |
| 16 | Wycombe Wanderers (6) | 0–3 | Croydon (6) | 24 November 1979 |
| 17 | Kidderminster Harriers (6) | 0–2 | Blackburn Rovers | 24 November 1979 |
| 18 | Barnsley | 5–2 | Hartlepool United | 24 November 1979 |
| 19 | Portsmouth | 1–0 | Newport County | 24 November 1979 |
| 20 | Carlisle United | 3–3 | Hull City | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Hull City | 0–2 | Carlisle United | 28 November 1979 |
| 21 | Altrincham (5) | 3–0 | Crewe Alexandra | 24 November 1979 |
| 22 | Blyth Spartans (8) | 0–2 | Mansfield Town | 24 November 1979 |
| 23 | Port Vale | 1–3 | Doncaster Rovers | 23 November 1979 |
| 24 | Minehead (6) | 1–2 | Chesham United (7) | 24 November 1979 |
| 25 | Halifax Town | 2–0 | Scarborough (5) | 24 November 1979 |
| 26 | Wealdstone (5) | 0–1 | Southend United | 24 November 1979 |
| 27 | Morecambe (6) | 1–1 | Rotherham United | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Rotherham United | 2–0 | Morecambe (6) | 27 November 1979 |
| 28 | York City | 5–2 | Mossley (6) | 24 November 1979 |
| 29 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Northampton Town | 24 November 1979 |
| 30 | Aldershot | 4–1 | Exeter City | 24 November 1979 |
| 31 | Peterborough United | 1–2 | AFC Bournemouth | 24 November 1979 |
| 32 | Harlow Town (6) | 2–1 | Leytonstone & Ilford (7) | 24 November 1979 |
| 33 | Colchester United | 1–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Plymouth Argyle | 0–1 | Colchester United | 27 November 1979 |
| 34 | Nuneaton Borough (5) | 3–3 | Northwich Victoria (5) | 24 November 1979 |
| Replay | Northwich Victoria (5) | 3–0 | Nuneaton Borough (5) | 26 November 1979 |
| 35 | Gravesend & Northfleet (5) | 0–1 | Torquay United | 24 November 1979 |
| 36 | Salisbury (6) | 1–2 | Millwall | 24 November 1979 |
| 37 | Slough Town (6) | 3–1 | Hungerford Town (8) | 24 November 1979 |
| 38 | Burton Albion (6) | 0–2 | Bury | 24 November 1979 |
| 39 | Fareham Town (6) | 2–3 | Merthyr Tydfil (6) | 24 November 1979 |
| 40 | Brandon United (9) | 0–3 | Bradford City | 24 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 1–0 | Barnsley | 18 December 1979 |
| 2 | Croydon (6) | 1–1 | Millwall | 15 December 1979 |
| Replay | Millwall | 3–2 | Croydon (6) | 18 December 1979 |
| 3 | Darlington | 0–1 | Bradford City | 15 December 1979 |
| 4 | Bury | 0–0 | York City | 15 December 1979 |
| Replay | York City | 0–2 | Bury | 18 December 1979 |
| 5 | Yeovil Town (5) | 1–0 | Slough Town (6) | 15 December 1979 |
| 6 | Reading | 3–1 | Barking (6) | 15 December 1979 |
| 7 | Walsall | 1–1 | Halifax Town | 15 December 1979 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Walsall | 18 December 1979 |
| Replay | Halifax Town | 2–0 | Walsall | 24 December 1979 |
| 8 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | Stafford Rangers (5) | 17 December 1979 |
| 9 | Grimsby Town | 2–0 | Sheffield United | 15 December 1979 |
| 10 | Northwich Victoria (5) | 2–2 | Wigan Athletic | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Northwich Victoria (5) | 7 January 1980 |
| 11 | Doncaster Rovers | 1–2 | Mansfield Town | 15 December 1979 |
| 12 | Tranmere Rovers | 2–2 | Rochdale | 15 December 1979 |
| Replay | Rochdale | 2–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 18 December 1979 |
| 13 | Carlisle United | 3–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 15 December 1979 |
| 14 | Wimbledon | 0–0 | Portsmouth | 18 December 1979 |
| Replay | Portsmouth | 3–3 | Wimbledon | 24 December 1979 |
| Replay | Wimbledon | 0–1 | Portsmouth | 5 January 1980 |
| 15 | Southend United | 1–1 | Harlow Town (6) | 15 December 1979 |
| Replay | Harlow Town (6) | 1–0 | Southend United | 18 December 1979 |
| 16 | Chesham United (7) | 1–1 | Merthyr Tydfil (6) | 19 December 1979 |
| Replay | Merthyr Tydfil (6) | 1–3 | Chesham United (7) | 22 December 1979 |
| 17 | Torquay United | 3–3 | Swindon Town | 18 December 1979 |
| Replay | Swindon Town | 3–2 | Torquay United | 22 December 1979 |
| 18 | Hereford United | 1–2 | Aldershot | 15 December 1979 |
| 19 | Rotherham United | 0–2 | Altrincham (5) | 15 December 1979 |
| 20 | Colchester United | 1–0 | AFC Bournemouth | 15 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Bristol City | 6–2 | Derby County | 5 January 1980 |
| 2 | Burnley | 1–0 | Stoke City | 5 January 1980 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 5–0 | Grimsby Town | 5 January 1980 |
| 4 | Preston North End | 0–3 | Ipswich Town | 5 January 1980 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Bury | 8 January 1980 |
| Replay | Bury | 3–2 | Rochdale | 21 January 1980 |
| 6 | Yeovil Town (5) | 0–3 | Norwich City | 5 January 1980 |
| 7 | Reading | 2–0 | Colchester United | 5 January 1980 |
| 8 | Leicester City | 1–1 | Harlow Town (6) | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Harlow Town (6) | 1–0 | Leicester City | 8 January 1980 |
| 9 | Notts County | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5 January 1980 |
| 10 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Fulham | 8 January 1980 |
| Replay | Fulham | 0–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 15 January 1980 |
| 11 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | West Ham United | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | West Ham United | 2–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 8 January 1980 |
| 12 | Sunderland | 0–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 5 January 1980 |
| 13 | Luton Town | 0–2 | Swindon Town | 5 January 1980 |
| 14 | Everton | 4–1 | Aldershot | 5 January 1980 |
| 15 | Wrexham | 6–0 | Charlton Athletic | 5 January 1980 |
| 16 | Newcastle United | 0–2 | Chester | 5 January 1980 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–1 | Manchester United | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Manchester United | 0–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 January 1980 |
| 18 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–2 | Watford | 5 January 1980 |
| 19 | Bristol Rovers | 1–2 | Aston Villa | 4 January 1980 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | 9 January 1980 |
| Replay | Middlesbrough | 3–0 | Portsmouth | 14 January 1980 |
| 21 | Millwall | 5–1 | Shrewsbury Town | 5 January 1980 |
| 22 | Carlisle United | 3–2 | Bradford City | 5 January 1980 |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic | 0–1 | Coventry City | 5 January 1980 |
| 24 | Chelsea | 0–1 | Wigan Athletic | 14 January 1980 |
| 25 | Altrincham (5) | 1–1 | Orient | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Orient | 2–1 | Altrincham (5) | 9 January 1980 |
| 26 | Mansfield Town | 0–2 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 5 January 1980 |
| 27 | Cardiff City | 0–0 | Arsenal | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 2–1 | Cardiff City | 8 January 1980 |
| 28 | Halifax Town | 1–0 | Manchester City | 5 January 1980 |
| 29 | Chesham United (7) | 0–2 | Cambridge United | 5 January 1980 |
| 30 | Leeds United | 1–4 | Nottingham Forest | 5 January 1980 |
| 31 | Birmingham City | 2–1 | Southampton | 5 January 1980 |
| 32 | Swansea City | 2–2 | Crystal Palace | 5 January 1980 |
| Replay | Crystal Palace | 3–3 | Swansea City | 8 January 1980 |
| Replay | Swansea City | 2–1 | Crystal Palace | 14 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Chester | 2–0 | Millwall | 26 January 1980 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 1–2 | Ipswich Town | 26 January 1980 |
| 3 | Bury | 1–0 | Burnley | 26 January 1980 |
| 4 | Watford | 4–3 | Harlow Town (6) | 26 January 1980 |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 0–2 | Liverpool | 26 January 1980 |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Coventry City | 26 January 1980 |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–0 | Halifax Town | 26 January 1980 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | Norwich City | 26 January 1980 |
| Replay | Norwich City | 2–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30 January 1980 |
| 9 | Everton | 3–0 | Wigan Athletic | 26 January 1980 |
| 10 | Swindon Town | 0–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 26 January 1980 |
| Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–1 | Swindon Town | 30 January 1980 |
| 11 | Carlisle United | 0–0 | Wrexham | 26 January 1980 |
| Replay | Wrexham | 3–1 | Carlisle United | 29 January 1980 |
| 12 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 26 January 1980 |
| 13 | Birmingham City | 2–1 | Middlesbrough | 26 January 1980 |
| 14 | Cambridge United | 1–1 | Aston Villa | 26 January 1980 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 4–1 | Cambridge United | 30 January 1980 |
| 15 | Orient | 2–3 | West Ham United | 26 January 1980 |
| 16 | Swansea City | 4–1 | Reading | 26 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 no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Liverpool | 2–0 | Bury | 16 February 1980 |
| 2 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Aston Villa | 16 February 1980 |
| Replay | Aston Villa | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 20 February 1980 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–1 | Arsenal | 16 February 1980 |
| Replay | Arsenal | 3–0 | Bolton Wanderers | 19 February 1980 |
| 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–3 | Watford | 16 February 1980 |
| 5 | Everton | 5–2 | Wrexham | 16 February 1980 |
| 6 | Ipswich Town | 2–1 | Chester | 16 February 1980 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–1 | Birmingham City | 16 February 1980 |
| 8 | West Ham United | 2–0 | Swansea City | 16 February 1980 |

## Sixth round proper

The sixth round of games were played on 8 March 1980. There were no replays.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
| 1 | Watford | 1–2 | Arsenal | 8 March 1980 |
| 2 | Everton | 2–1 | Ipswich Town | 8 March 1980 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–1 | Liverpool | 8 March 1980 |
| 4 | West Ham United | 1–0 | Aston Villa | 8 March 1980 |

## Final

| West Ham | Arsenal |

## 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.
| Round | BBC1 | ITV |
| Third round proper | Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest Cardiff City vs Arsenal Yeovil Town vs Norwich City$^1$ Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur (replay)$^1$ | 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 proper | Nottingham 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 (Replay) |
| Fifth round proper | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford Blackburn Rovers vs Aston Villa Everton vs Wrexham Aston Villa vs Blackburn Rovers (Replay) | Tottenham Hotspur vs Birmingham City – LWT Bolton Wanderers vs Arsenal – Granada Ipswich Town vs Chester – Anglia |
| Sixth round proper | Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool Watford vs Arsenal | West Ham United vs Aston Villa – LWT $^1$ Everton vs Ipswich Town – Granada $^1$ |
| Semi-finals | West Ham United vs Everton $^1$ Arsenal vs Liverpool (Replay) West Ham United vs Everton (Replay) $^1$ | Arsenal vs Liverpool Arsenal vs Liverpool (2nd Replay) Arsenal vs Liverpool (3rd Replay) |
| Final | Arsenal vs West Ham United $^1$ | Arsenal vs West Ham United $^1$ |
$^1$Footage available on YouTube