The 1978–79 FA Cup was the 98th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The final saw Arsenal beat Manchester United 3–2, three of the five goals being scored in the last five minutes.

1978–79 FA Cup
Tournament details
Country England
 Wales
Defending championsIpswich Town
Final positions
ChampionsArsenal (5th title)
Runner-upManchester United

First round proper

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Teams from the Football League Third and Fourth Division entered in this round plus Altrincham, Leatherhead, Scarborough and Wycombe Wanderers were given byes. The first round of games were played on 25 November 1978. Replays were played mainly on 28–29 November, with two on 5–6 December.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 2–1 Lincoln City 25 November 1978
2 Chester 1–1 Runcorn 25 November 1978
Replay Runcorn 0–5 Chester 28 November 1978
3 Darlington 1–1 Chesterfield 25 November 1978
Replay Chesterfield 0–1 Darlington 6 December 1978
4 Dartford 1–2 AP Leamington 25 November 1978
5 AFC Bournemouth 2–1 Hitchin Town 25 November 1978
6 Barnet 3–3 Woking 25 November 1978
Replay Woking 3–3 Barnet 28 November 1978
Replay Woking 3–0 Barnet 5 December 1978
7 Rochdale 0–1 Droylsden 25 November 1978
8 Watford 3–0 Dagenham 25 November 1978
9 Yeovil Town 0–1 Barking 25 November 1978
10 Reading 0–0 Gillingham 25 November 1978
Replay Gillingham 1–2 Reading 28 November 1978
11 Walsall 0–2 Torquay United 25 November 1978
12 Swindon Town 2–0 March Town United 25 November 1978
13 Doncaster Rovers 2–1 Huddersfield Town 25 November 1978
14 Tranmere Rovers 2–1 Boston United 25 November 1978
15 Stockport County 5–1 Morecambe 25 November 1978
16 Chorley 0–1 Scarborough 25 November 1978
17 Barnsley 5–1 Worksop Town 25 November 1978
18 Maidstone United 1–0 Wycombe Wanderers 25 November 1978
19 Portsmouth 2–0 Northampton Town 25 November 1978
20 Bradford City 1–0 Port Vale 25 November 1978
21 Hull City 2–1 Stafford Rangers 25 November 1978
22 Carlisle United 1–0 Halifax Town 25 November 1978
23 Worcester City 2–0 Plymouth Argyle 25 November 1978
24 Altrincham 4–3 Southport 25 November 1978
25 Southend United 3–2 Peterborough United 25 November 1978
26 Exeter City 1–0 Brentford 25 November 1978
27 Scunthorpe United 1–1 Sheffield Wednesday 25 November 1978
Replay Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Scunthorpe United 28 November 1978
28 Mansfield Town 0–2 Shrewsbury Town 25 November 1978
29 Wealdstone 0–5 Enfield 25 November 1978
30 York City 1–1 Blyth Spartans 25 November 1978
Replay Blyth Spartans 3–5 York City 28 November 1978
31 Hereford United 0–1 Newport County 25 November 1978
32 Rotherham United 3–0 Workington 25 November 1978
33 Aldershot 1–1 Weymouth 25 November 1978
Replay Weymouth 0–2 Aldershot 29 November 1978
34 Wigan Athletic 2–2 Bury 25 November 1978
Replay Bury 4–1 Wigan Athletic 28 November 1978
35 Colchester United 4–2 Oxford United 25 November 1978
36 Nuneaton Borough 0–2 Crewe Alexandra 25 November 1978
37 Gravesend & Northfleet 0–0 Wimbledon 25 November 1978
Replay Wimbledon 1–0 Gravesend & Northfleet 28 November 1978
38 Leatherhead 2–1 Merthyr Tydfil 25 November 1978
39 Swansea City 4–1 Hillingdon Borough 25 November 1978
40 Hartlepool United 1–0 Grimsby Town 25 November 1978

Second round proper

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The second round of games were played on 16 December 1978. Replays took place mainly on 18–19 with one on 28 December and another on 9 January 1979.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Darlington 2–1 Chester 16 December 1978
2 Barking 1–2 Aldershot 16 December 1978
3 Bury 3–1 Blackpool 16 December 1978
4 Watford 1–1 Southend United 16 December 1978
Replay Southend United 1–0 Watford 18 December 1978
5 Crewe Alexandra 0–1 Hartlepool United 16 December 1978
6 Swindon Town 3–0 Enfield 16 December 1978
7 Doncaster Rovers 0–3 Shrewsbury Town 16 December 1978
8 Tranmere Rovers 1–1 Sheffield Wednesday 16 December 1978
Replay Sheffield Wednesday 4–0 Tranmere Rovers 19 December 1978
9 Stockport County 4–2 Bradford City 16 December 1978
10 Barnsley 1–1 Rotherham United 16 December 1978
Replay Rotherham United 2–1 Barnsley 9 January 1979
11 Maidstone United 1–0 Exeter City 16 December 1978
12 Portsmouth 0–1 Reading 16 December 1978
13 Carlisle United 3–0 Hull City 16 December 1978
14 Wimbledon 1–1 AFC Bournemouth 16 December 1978
Replay AFC Bournemouth 1–2 Wimbledon 28 December 1978
15 Newport County 0–0 Worcester City 16 December 1978
Replay Worcester City 1–2 Newport County 18 December 1978
16 York City 3–0 Scarborough 16 December 1978
17 Droylsden 0–2 Altrincham 16 December 1978
18 Leatherhead 1–1 Colchester United 16 December 1978
Replay Colchester United 4–0 Leatherhead 19 December 1978
19 Swansea City 2–2 Woking 16 December 1978
Replay Woking 3–5 Swansea City 19 December 1978
20 AP Leamington 0–1 Torquay United 16 December 1978

Third round proper

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Teams from the Football League First and Second Division entered in this round. The third round of games in the FA Cup were intended to be played on 6 January 1979, but only four games were actually played on this date. Twenty more ties were played midweek over 8–10 January with a few more taking place on 15–16 and one on 18 January. Replays were intended for 9–10 January but again took place at various times. One tie, between Wrexham and Stockport County, suffered six postponements before finally being played on 1 February, by which time Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday had played five times, the tie needing a fourth replay before being settled..

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Darlington 0–1 Colchester United 9 January 1979
2 Bristol City 3–1 Bolton Wanderers 9 January 1979
3 Preston North End 3–0 Derby County 16 January 1979
4 Leicester City 3–0 Norwich City 6 January 1979
5 Notts County 4–2 Reading 9 January 1979
6 Nottingham Forest 2–0 Aston Villa 10 January 1979
7 Blackburn Rovers 2–1 Millwall 10 January 1979
8 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Arsenal 6 January 1979
Replay Arsenal 1–1 Sheffield Wednesday 9 January 1979
Replay Sheffield Wednesday 2–2 Arsenal 15 January 1979
Replay Arsenal 3–3 Sheffield Wednesday 17 January 1979
Replay Sheffield Wednesday 0–2 Arsenal 22 January 1979
9 Middlesbrough 1–1 Crystal Palace 9 January 1979
Replay Crystal Palace 1–0 Middlesbrough 15 January 1979
10 Sunderland 2–1 Everton 10 January 1979
11 Swindon Town 3–0 Cardiff City 9 January 1979
12 Shrewsbury Town 3–1 Cambridge United 6 January 1979
13 Wrexham 6–2 Stockport County 1 February 1979
14 Sheffield United 0–0 Aldershot 9 January 1979
Replay Aldershot 1–0 Sheffield United 15 January 1979
15 Ipswich Town 3–2 Carlisle United 10 January 1979
16 Newcastle United 3–1 Torquay United 16 January 1979
17 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Altrincham 10 January 1979
Replay Altrincham 0–3 Tottenham Hotspur 16 January 1979
18 Manchester City 0–0 Rotherham United 15 January 1979
Replay Rotherham United 2–4 Manchester City 17 January 1979
19 Fulham 2–0 Queens Park Rangers 9 January 1979
20 Coventry City 2–2 West Bromwich Albion 9 January 1979
Replay West Bromwich Albion 4–0 Coventry City 15 January 1979
21 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 9 January 1979
22 Manchester United 3–0 Chelsea 15 January 1979
23 Wimbledon 0–2 Southampton 9 January 1979
24 Southend United 0–0 Liverpool 10 January 1979
Replay Liverpool 3–0 Southend United 17 January 1979
25 Newport County 2–1 West Ham United 9 January 1979
26 Charlton Athletic 1–1 Maidstone United 9 January 1979
Replay Maidstone United 1–2 Charlton Athletic 15 January 1979
27 York City 2–0 Luton Town 9 January 1979
28 Stoke City 0–1 Oldham Athletic 17 January 1979
29 Birmingham City 0–2 Burnley 6 January 1979
30 Orient 3–2 Bury 9 January 1979
31 Swansea City 0–1 Bristol Rovers 8 January 1979
32 Hartlepool United 2–6 Leeds United 18 January 1979

Fourth round proper

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The fourth round of games were intended to be played over the weekend 26–27 January 1979, but by this time only eight matches had been played, of which three went to replays. The other games were completed either midweek on 29–31st, or on 5 or 12 February. Replays were played at various times after the initial games.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Burnley 1–1 Sunderland 21 February 1979
Replay Sunderland 0–3 Burnley 26 February 1979
2 Liverpool 1–0 Blackburn Rovers 30 January 1979
3 Preston North End 0–1 Southampton 12 February 1979
4 Nottingham Forest 3–1 York City 27 January 1979
5 Leeds United 3–3 West Bromwich Albion 26 February 1979
Replay West Bromwich Albion 2–0 Leeds United 1 March 1979
6 Shrewsbury Town 2–0 Manchester City 27 January 1979
7 Ipswich Town 0–0 Orient 27 January 1979
Replay Orient 0–2 Ipswich Town 30 January 1979
8 Newcastle United 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 27 January 1979
Replay Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Newcastle United 22 February 1979
9 Tottenham Hotspur 3–3 Wrexham 12 February 1979
Replay Wrexham 2–3 Tottenham Hotspur 21 February 1979
10 Fulham 1–1 Manchester United 31 January 1979
Replay Manchester United 1–0 Fulham 12 February 1979
11 Bristol Rovers 1–0 Charlton Athletic 5 February 1979
12 Oldham Athletic 3–1 Leicester City 26 February 1979
13 Crystal Palace 3–0 Bristol City 29 January 1979
14 Newport County 0–0 Colchester United 30 January 1979
Replay Colchester United 1–0 Newport County 5 February 1979
15 Arsenal 2–0 Notts County 27 January 1979
16 Aldershot 2–1 Swindon Town 30 January 1979

Fifth round proper

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The fifth set of games were played on either 20, 26 or 28 February, or 10 March 1979. Two replays were played on 26 February and 12 March.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Liverpool 3–0 Burnley 28 February 1979
2 Nottingham Forest 0–1 Arsenal 26 February 1979
3 West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Southampton 10 March 1979
Replay Southampton 2–1 West Bromwich Albion 12 March 1979
4 Ipswich Town 6–1 Bristol Rovers 26 February 1979
5 Oldham Athletic 0–1 Tottenham Hotspur 28 February 1979
6 Crystal Palace 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 26 February 1979
7 Aldershot 2–2 Shrewsbury Town 20 February 1979
Replay Shrewsbury Town 3–1 Aldershot 26 February 1979
8 Colchester United 0–1 Manchester United 20 February 1979

Sixth round proper

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The sixth round of FA Cup games were played on 10 March 1979, except for the Southampton–Arsenal match which began on 19 March. Holders Ipswich Town were eliminated by Liverpool. There were three replays.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Southampton 1–1 Arsenal 19 March 1979
Replay Arsenal 2–0 Southampton 21 March 1979
2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Shrewsbury Town 10 March 1979
Replay Shrewsbury Town 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 March 1979
3 Ipswich Town 0–1 Liverpool 10 March 1979
4 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Manchester United 10 March 1979
Replay Manchester United 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur 14 March 1979

Semi finals

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Manchester United2–2Liverpool
Jordan  
B. Greenhoff  
Dalglish  
Hansen  
Referee: David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire)
Arsenal2–0Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stapleton  
Sunderland  
Referee: Pat Partridge (County Durham)

Replay

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Liverpool0–1Manchester United
J. Greenhoff  
Referee: David Richardson (Great Harwood, Lancashire)

Final

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Arsenal3–2Manchester United
Talbot   12'
Stapleton   43'
Sunderland   89'
(Report) McQueen   86'
McIlroy   88'
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ron Challis (Kent)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arsenal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester United

Television Coverage

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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. No games from Rounds 1 or 2 were shown. Occasional highlights of replays would be shown on either the BBC or ITV.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

These matches were.

Round BBC1 ITV
Third round proper Leicester City v Norwich City 1
Shrewsbury Town v Cambridge United
Southend United v Liverpool 2
Sheffield Wednesday v ArsenalYorkshire 1
Stoke City v Oldham AthleticATV (abandoned) 1
Fourth round proper Shrewsbury Town v Manchester City 1
Arsenal v Notts County 1
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Yorkshire 1
Nottingham Forest v York City – ATV
Ipswich Town v OrientAnglia 1
Fulham v Manchester United 3
Manchester United v Fulham 3 (Replay)
Wrexham v Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Replay)
Fifth round proper Nottingham Forest v Arsenal2
Sixth round proper Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur 1,2 (Replay) Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town – ATV 1
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester UnitedLWT
Semi-finals Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Liverpool v Manchester United2 (Replay) 1
Manchester United vs LiverpoolGranada shown in All Regions1
Final Arsenal vs Manchester United 1 Arsenal vs Manchester United 1

1Footage available on YouTube
2featured on Sportsnight
3featured on Midweek Sports Special

References

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  1. ^ "MOTD Listings 1978–79".
  2. ^ "The Big Match". Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Kick Off Match". Archived from the original on 27 January 2009.
  4. ^ "Shoot (Tyne Tees)". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Yorkshire ITV Football". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Star Soccer". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Match of the Week". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Mid-Week Football". Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
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