1980 FA Cup final

1980 FA Cup final

Match programme cover
Event	1979–80 FA Cup
West Ham United Arsenal 1 0
Date	10 May 1980
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	George Courtney (County Durham)
Attendance	100,000
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The 1980 FA Cup final was contested by West Ham United and Arsenal at Wembley. West Ham won by a single goal, scored by Trevor Brooking. To date, it is the last time a team from outside the top flight has won the FA Cup. It was West Ham's third FA Cup triumph and the last time that they had won a major trophy until their UEFA Europa Conference League victory in 2023.

Match details

The 1980 Cup Final was the 99th final to be played since 1872, and the 52nd to be played at Wembley since 1923. The tie involved Arsenal, who had played in the previous two FA Cup Finals and were a strong First Division side, and two time F.A. Cup winners West Ham United, a Second Division side that had only ever played at Wembley five times before and were huge underdogs on the day.

Present as the royal guests were the Duke and Duchess of Kent. The Duke was introduced to the teams directly after the national anthem and just prior to kick off. West Ham won the coin toss and captain Billy Bonds chose to stay at the end his team was already at.

The game started slowly with Arsenal playing their traditional defensive keep ball style of football. West Ham gained possession after Arsenal gave away a free kick due to Liam Brady being caught offside. After this West Ham maintained possession, frustrating Arsenal before Alan Devonshire broke down the left wing in the 12th minute, hitting a cross into the Arsenal box which fell to David Cross, whose shot was blocked by Arsenal's Willie Young. Stuart Pearson then shot at the Arsenal goal but his shot went across the goalmouth, where England international Trevor Brooking was the fastest player to react; with the Arsenal defence stranded he flicked a header past Jennings for the only goal of the game after 13 minutes.

Arsenal and West Ham both had attacks during the rest of the first half, Arsenal having more of the game as had been anticipated, but Phil Parkes and the West Ham defence held firm and they were unable to unlock the West Ham defence. The second half was again mainly Arsenal in possession, but the underdogs held out and almost made it two with minutes remaining. Paul Allen was through on goal with only Pat Jennings to beat, Young tackled the 17-year-old, taking him down just outside the penalty box. It was a challenge from behind on the then youngest player to play in an FA Cup Final at Wembley,^[1] however Young only earned himself a yellow card (the professional foul rule had not yet been instituted).

Despite their possession, Arsenal failed to break West Ham down in the second half, and West Ham ran out 1–0 winners. Bonds collected the trophy from the Duchess of Kent, and raised it above his head toward the jubilant West Ham fans to a chorus of cheers and "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", the East End team's adopted anthem.

Match line-ups

10 May 1980

West Ham United	1–0	Arsenal
Brooking 13'	(Report)

Wembley, London

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: George Courtney (County Durham)

West Ham United

Arsenal

GK 1 Phil Parkes RB 2 Ray Stewart LB 3 Frank Lampard Sr. CB 4 Billy Bonds (c) CB 5 Alvin Martin LM 6 Alan Devonshire RM 7 Paul Allen CF 8 Stuart Pearson CF 9 David Cross CM 10 Trevor Brooking CM 11 Geoff Pike Substitute: LB 12 Paul Brush Manager: John Lyall

GK 1 Pat Jennings RB 2 Pat Rice (c) LB 3 John Devine  61' CM 4 Brian Talbot CB 5 David O'Leary CB 6 Willie Young CM 7 Liam Brady CF 8 Alan Sunderland CF 9 Frank Stapleton RM 10 David Price LM 11 Graham Rix Substitute: LB 12 Sammy Nelson  61' Manager: Terry Neill

References

External links

• Detailed look back from BBC News