FA Cup Final 1980

West Ham United

(Brooking)

Parkes, Stewart, Lampard, Bonds, Martin, Devonshire, Allen, Pearson, Cross, Brooking, Pike

Arsenal

Jennings, Rice, Devine (Nelson), Talbot, O'leary, Young, Brady ,Sunderland, Stapleton, Price, Rix

Referee: G Courtney

Arsenal started as hot favourites against a team which must have lost a certain amount of confidence after gradually slipping out of the promotion race from the Second Division in the weeks leading up to the Final.

Manager Lyall had taken the gamble of playing Paul Alien in his West Ham team ‑the youngest player ever to appear in a Final at 17 years and 256 days ‑and, more than that, detailing him to mark Arsenal's immensely talented Eire international Brady.

Brady pulled out all the stops in the second half, organizing most of Arsenal's attacking movements, but by that time West Ham had taken the initiative, thanks to Brooking's thirteenth‑minute goal.

The move that led to the goal began with Devonshire beating Talbot and Rice out on the left and crossing to the far post. Jennings got a touch, Cross's shot was blocked and then Pearson's hard drive from the rebound was expertly glanced into the net from directly in front of goal by Brooking's head.

A lot of the game was dull and featureless, one suspects partly due to the heat and partly due to West Ham feeling that the denial of the ball to Arsenal was their best method of defence. They held out to become the third Second Division club in eight seasons to win the Cup.

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Semi‑Final

ARSENAL v Liverpool 0‑0, 1 ‑1, 1 ‑1, 1 ‑0; Everton v W. HAM 1‑1, 1‑2

Sixth Round

Watford v ARSENAL 1‑2, Spurs v Liverpool 0‑1 , Everton v Ipswich T 2‑1; W. HAM v Aston Villa 1 ‑0

Fifth Round 

Bolton Wand v ARSENAL 1‑1, 0‑3; Wolves v Watford 0‑2; Spurs v Birmingham C 3‑1; Liverpool v Bury 2‑0, Everton v Wrexham 5‑2, Ipswich T v Chester 2‑1; Blackburn R v Aston Villa 1 ‑1, 0‑1; W. HAM v Swansea C 2‑0

Fourth Round

ARSENAL v Brighton & H Alb 2‑0; Bolton Wand v Halifax T 2‑0; Wolves v Norwich C 1‑1, 3‑2; Watford v Harlow T 4‑3; Swindon T v Spurs 0‑0, 1‑2; Birmingham C v Middlesbro 2‑1, Nott'm Forest v Liverpool 0‑2. Bury v Burnley 1 ‑0, Everton v Wigan Ath 3‑0; Carlisle Utd v Wrexham 0‑0, 1‑3; Bristol C v Ipswich T 1‑2, Chester v Millwall 2‑0; Blackburn R v Coventry C 1 ‑0, Cambridge Utd v Aston Villa 1‑1, 1‑4; Swansea C v Reading 4‑1; Orient v W. HAM 2‑3

Third Round

Cardiff C v ARSENAL 0‑0, 1‑2; Mansfield T v Brighton & H Alb 0‑2; Sunderland v Bolton Wand 0‑ 1; Halifax T v Man C 1 ‑0; Notts C v Wolves 0‑3; Yeovil T v Norwich C 0‑3; QPR v Watford 1‑2; Leicester C v Harlow T 1‑1, 0‑1; Luton T v Swindon T 0‑2; Spurs v Man Ltd 1‑1, 1‑0; Birmingham C v Southampton 2‑1; Portsmouth v Middlesbro 1‑1, 0‑3; Leeds Utd v Nott'm Forest 1‑4; Liverpool v Grimsby T 5‑0; Rochdale v Bury 1‑1, 2‑3; Burnley v Stoke C 1‑0; Everton v Aldershot 4‑1; Chelsea v Wigan Ath 0‑1; Carlisle Utd v Bradford C 3‑2; Wrexham v Charlton Ath 6‑0; Bristol C v Derby Co 6‑2; PNE v Ipswich T 0‑3; Newcastle Utd v Chester 0‑2; Millwall v Shrewsbury T 5‑ 1; Blackburn R v Fulham 1‑1, 1‑0; Oldham Ath v Coventry C 0‑1; Chesham  Utd v Cambridge Utd 0‑2; Bristol R v Aston Villa 1‑2; Swansea C v Crystal Palace 2‑2, 3‑3, 2‑1 Reading v Colchester Lltd 2‑0; Altrincham v Orient 1‑1, 1‑2; WBA v W. HAM 1‑1, 1‑2