1983 FA Cup final

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The 1983 FA Cup final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.

1983 FA Cup Final
Event1982–83 FA Cup
Manchester United won after a replay
Final
After extra time
Date21 May 1983
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeAlf Grey (Norfolk)
Attendance99,059
Replay
Date26 May 1983
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeAlf Grey (Norfolk)
Attendance91,534
1982
1984

Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season, and had never reached a cup final before. United had finished third in the league that season and already had four FA Cup victories to their name.

The final ended in a 2–2 draw, forcing a replay at Wembley five days later, which Manchester United won 4–0. It was the third successive year that the FA Cup Final required a replay.[1]

The first match edit

The first match finished 2–2 after extra time. Gordon Smith and Gary Stevens scored for Brighton; Frank Stapleton and Ray Wilkins for Manchester United. The first game is famous for the radio commentary by Peter Jones "...and Smith must score" talking about a shot by Gordon Smith, which was then saved by the Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey; the quote was subsequently used as a title for a Brighton fanzine. Bailey's save forced a replay and prevented Brighton from winning the first major trophy in their history.

The replay edit

The second game, on a Thursday night, started the same way as the first game had, with Brighton taking the game to Manchester United. Although their chances were limited to long-range drives from Jimmy Case, United goalkeeper Gary Bailey had a couple of important saves to make. This all changed on 25 minutes, with United's first real attack. Alan Davies, who had made his FA Cup debut in the first game, set up captain Bryan Robson for a left-footed drive past Moseley into the corner of the net. Suddenly the atmosphere changed and it was the Manchester United fans who were singing loudest. This was compounded in the 30th minute, when United went 2–0 up, giving the team a two-goal cushion for the first time over the two matches. Brighton failed to clear a corner, and Davies crossed for Norman Whiteside to score with a header, making the 18 year old the youngest player to ever score in an FA Cup final as per 2019. This capped an incredible 12 months for the teenager, who had played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup for Northern Ireland, and scored in the League Cup final defeat to Liverpool earlier that year.

Brighton were rocked but continued to press, yet went further behind just before half time. Gordon McQueen headed on a free-kick and the ball fell to Robson to tap in at the far post, for his second goal of the game. The scoring was completed in the second half when the Dutch midfielder Arnold Mühren scored a penalty after Robson had been brought down by Stevens in the penalty area. It was the third consecutive year that a penalty had been awarded (and scored) in the Cup Final replay.

This was the first of three times that Bryan Robson captained Manchester United to FA Cup glory; he also achieved the feat in 1985 and 1990.

Match details edit

Brighton & Hove Albion2–2 (a.e.t.)Manchester United
Smith   14'
Stevens   87'
Report Stapleton   55'
Wilkins   72'
Attendance: 99,059
Referee: Alf Grey (Great Yarmouth)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brighton & Hove Albion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester United
GK 1   Graham Moseley
RB 2   Chris Ramsey
CB 6   Gary Stevens
CB 5   Steve Gatting
LB 3   Graham Pearce
RM 11   Neil Smillie
CM 4   Tony Grealish (c)
CM 7   Jimmy Case
LM 8   Gary Howlett
CF 9   Michael Robinson
CF 10   Gordon Smith
Substitute:
MF 12   Gerry Ryan
Manager:
  Jimmy Melia
 
GK 1   Gary Bailey
RB 2   Mike Duxbury
CB 5   Kevin Moran
CB 6   Gordon McQueen
LB 3   Arthur Albiston
RM 11   Alan Davies
CM 4   Ray Wilkins
CM 7   Bryan Robson (c)
LM 8   Arnold Mühren
CF 9   Frank Stapleton
CF 10   Norman Whiteside
Substitute:
MF 12   Ashley Grimes
Manager:
  Ron Atkinson

Assistant referees:
Colin Downey (Hounslow)
John Pardoe (Kidderminster)
Reserve official:
John Connock (Bristol)

Match rules

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
  • Replay if scores still level
  • One named substitute
  • Maximum of one substitution

Replay match details edit

Brighton & Hove Albion0–4Manchester United
Robson   25', 44'
Whiteside   30'
Mühren   62' (pen.)
Attendance: 91,534
Referee: Alf Grey (Norfolk)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brighton & Hove Albion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester United
GK 1   Graham Moseley
RB 2   Steve Gatting
CB 6   Gary Stevens
CB 5   Steve Foster (c)
LB 3   Graham Pearce
RM 11   Neil Smillie
CM 4   Tony Grealish
CM 7   Jimmy Case
LM 8   Gary Howlett
CF 9   Michael Robinson
CF 10   Gordon Smith
Substitute:
MF 12   Gerry Ryan
Manager:
  Jimmy Melia
 
GK 1   Gary Bailey
RB 2   Mike Duxbury
CB 5   Kevin Moran
CB 6   Gordon McQueen
LB 3   Arthur Albiston
RM 11   Alan Davies
CM 4   Ray Wilkins
CM 7   Bryan Robson (c)
LM 8   Arnold Mühren
CF 9   Frank Stapleton
CF 10   Norman Whiteside
Substitute:
MF 12   Ashley Grimes
Manager:
  Ron Atkinson

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • One named substitute.
  • Maximum of one substitution.

References edit

  1. ^ Ross, James M. (6 August 2020). "England FA Challenge Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 August 2020.

External links edit