1978 FA Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1978 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Arsenal
and Ipswich Town
. While Ipswich were considered underdogs, with Arsenal fielding a number of well-known players, including England
striker Malcolm Macdonald
, Ipswich won the match 1–0.
Ipswich dominated the game, hitting the woodwork three times (including twice from John Wark
) before Clive Woods
and David Geddis
combined to produce a chance for Roger Osborne
, who scored with a left-foot shot. Osborne promptly fainted at the emotion of the moment and was brought round by smelling salts prior to being substituted.
It remains Ipswich Town's only FA Cup triumph to date and they have not appeared in the final since, although they did appear in the semi-final three years later
. Their only major trophy since then was the UEFA Cup
in 1981.
Coverage
The Final was televised by both the BBC
and ITV
as part of their respective Grandstand
and World of Sport
shows. David Coleman
and Lawrie McMenemy
were the commentary team for the BBC with Brian Moore
and Jack Charlton
for ITV. BBC Radio coverage was anchored by Des Lynam
with commentary from Alan Parry
and Peter Jones
alongside Frank McLintock
Round 3: Sheffield United
0–5 Arsenal
Round 4: Arsenal 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Round 5: Arsenal 4–1 Walsall
Round 6: Wrexham
2–3 Arsenal
Semi-final: Leyton Orient
0–3 Arsenal (at Stamford Bridge
, London
)
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Round 3: Cardiff City
0–2 Ipswich Town
Round 4: Ipswich Town 4–1 Hartlepool United
Round 5: Bristol Rovers
2–2 Ipswich Town
Round 6: Millwall
1–6 Ipswich Town
Semi-final: Ipswich 3–1 West Bromwich Albion
(at Highbury
, London
)
|}
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. While Ipswich were considered underdogs, with Arsenal fielding a number of well-known players, including England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker Malcolm Macdonald
Malcolm Macdonald
Malcolm Ian Macdonald is a former English footballer nicknamed Supermac, famed for scoring goals for Luton Town, Newcastle United and Arsenal.-Football career:...
, Ipswich won the match 1–0.
Ipswich dominated the game, hitting the woodwork three times (including twice from John Wark
John Wark
John Wark is a Scottish former footballer who spent most of his playing time with Ipswich Town. He won a record four Player of the Year awards before becoming one of the four inaugural members of the club's Hall of Fame...
) before Clive Woods
Clive Woods
Clive Woods is a former professional footballer who has played for both Ipswich Town and derby rivals Norwich City....
and David Geddis
David Geddis
David Geddis, , is a football coach and scout, a former professional football player and England youth international.-Playing career:...
combined to produce a chance for Roger Osborne
Roger Osborne
Roger Charles Osborne is a former professional footballer who is best known for scoring the winning goal in the 1978 FA Cup Final.-Biography:...
, who scored with a left-foot shot. Osborne promptly fainted at the emotion of the moment and was brought round by smelling salts prior to being substituted.
It remains Ipswich Town's only FA Cup triumph to date and they have not appeared in the final since, although they did appear in the semi-final three years later
1980-81 in English football
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889...
. Their only major trophy since then was the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1981.
Coverage
The Final was televised by both the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
as part of their respective Grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
and World of Sport
World of Sport (UK TV series)
World of Sport was a British television sport anthology programme which ran on ITV between 2 January 1965 to 28 September 1985 in response to competition from BBC's Grandstand...
shows. David Coleman
David Coleman
David Coleman, OBE is an English former sports commentator and TV presenter who worked for the BBC for almost fifty years. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic movement....
and Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy MBE is a retired English football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club...
were the commentary team for the BBC with Brian Moore
Brian Moore (commentator)
Brian Moore was a British sports commentator.-Early life:Moore was born in Gillingham, Kent and educated at the Cranbrook School, Kent, which was also the school of fellow commentators Peter West and Barry Davies....
and Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
for ITV. BBC Radio coverage was anchored by Des Lynam
Des Lynam
Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE is an Irish television and radio presenter based in the UK.He has hosted television coverage of high profile events for many years...
with commentary from Alan Parry
Alan Parry
Alan Parry is a British sports commentator, born and raised in Garston, Liverpool, concentrating on football and athletics. He has commentated for all three main broadcasters of football in the UK - the BBC, ITV and Sky TV, as well as for both BBC and commercial radio.Starting his career at BBC...
and Peter Jones
Peter Jones (broadcaster)
Peter Jones was a Welsh-born broadcaster, best known as a sports commentator on BBC radio in the United Kingdom, although many of his commentaries were also broadcast internationally on the BBC World Service...
alongside Frank McLintock
Frank McLintock
Francis "Frank" McLintock MBE is a Scottish former football defender who played for Leicester City, Arsenal and QPR.-Leicester City:...
Match details
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MATCH RULES
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Arsenal
Home teams listed first.Round 3: Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
0–5 Arsenal
Round 4: Arsenal 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
Round 5: Arsenal 4–1 Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
Round 6: Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
2–3 Arsenal
Semi-final: Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
0–3 Arsenal (at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
)
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Ipswich Town
Home teams listed first.Round 3: Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
0–2 Ipswich Town
Round 4: Ipswich Town 4–1 Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
Round 5: Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
2–2 Ipswich Town
- Replay: Ipswich Town 3–0 Bristol Rovers
Round 6: Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
1–6 Ipswich Town
Semi-final: Ipswich 3–1 West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
(at Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
)
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External links
- Match report at fa-cupfinals.co.uk
- Game facts at soccerbase.com
- Photo gallery on BBC Suffolk