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FA Cup
1989–90
FA Cup.3
Region England
Defending champions Liverpool
Champions Manchester United
Runner-up Crystal Palace
 ← 1988-89
1990-91 → 

The FA Cup 1989–90 was the 109th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. The competition started in September 1989 for teams outside the football league who played in a qualifying competition.

First round proper[]

For the qualifying rounds, see 1989–90 FA Cup Qualifying Rounds.

The first round of games was played over the weekend 17–19 November 1989, with a first round of replays being played on the 21st–22nd. The Bristol Rovers–Reading match went to a second replay, on the 27th.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 2–1 Bolton Wanderers 18 Nov 1989
2 Darlington 6–2 Northwich Victoria 18 Nov 1989
3 Dartford 1–1 Exeter City 18 Nov 1989
Replay Exeter City 4–1 Dartford 22 Nov 1989
4 Bath City 2–2 Fulham 19 Nov 1989
Replay Fulham 2–1 Bath City 22 Nov 1989
5 Bristol City 2–0 Barnet 18 Nov 1989
6 Burnley 1–1 Stockport County 18 Nov 1989
Replay Stockport County 1–2 Burnley 22 Nov 1989
7 Preston North End 1–0 Tranmere Rovers 18 Nov 1989
8 Sutton United 1–1 Torquay United 18 Nov 1989
Replay Torquay United 4–0 Sutton United 22 Nov 1989
9 Marine 0–1 Rochdale 17 Nov 1989
10 Gillingham 0–0 Welling United 18 Nov 1989
Replay Welling United 1–0 Gillingham 22 Nov 1989
11 Macclesfield Town 1–1 Chester City 18 Nov 1989
Replay Chester City 3–2 Macclesfield Town 21 Nov 1989
12 Crewe Alexandra 2–0 Congleton Town 18 Nov 1989
13 Lincoln City 1–0 Billingham Synthonia 18 Nov 1989
14 Stafford Rangers 2–3 Halifax Town 18 Nov 1989
15 Scarborough 0–1 Whitley Bay 18 Nov 1989
16 Shrewsbury Town 2–3 Chesterfield 18 Nov 1989
17 Doncaster Rovers 1–0 Notts County 18 Nov 1989
18 Bishop Auckland 2–0 Tow Law Town 18 Nov 1989
19 Kidderminster Harriers 2–3 Swansea City 18 Nov 1989
20 Aylesbury United 1–0 Southend United 18 Nov 1989
21 Brentford 0–1 Colchester United 18 Nov 1989
22 Bristol Rovers 1–1 Reading 18 Nov 1989
Replay Reading 1–1 Bristol Rovers 21 Nov 1989
Replay Bristol Rovers 0–1 Reading 27 Nov 1989
23 Maidstone United 2–1 Yeovil Town 19 Nov 1989
24 Carlisle United 3–0 Wrexham 18 Nov 1989
25 Scunthorpe United 4–1 Matlock Town 18 Nov 1989
26 Cardiff City 1–0 Halesowen Town 18 Nov 1989
27 York City 1–2 Grimsby Town 18 Nov 1989
28 Kettering Town 0–1 Northampton Town 18 Nov 1989
29 Rotherham United 0–0 Bury 18 Nov 1989
Replay Bury 1–2 Rotherham United 21 Nov 1989
30 Aldershot 0–1 Cambridge United 17 Nov 1989
31 Gloucester City 1–0 Dorchester Town 18 Nov 1989
32 Wigan Athletic 2–0 Mansfield Town 19 Nov 1989
33 Peterborough United 1–1 Hayes 18 Nov 1989
Replay Hayes 0–1 Peterborough United 21 Nov 1989
34 Leyton Orient 0–1 Birmingham City 18 Nov 1989
35 Basingstoke Town 3–0 Bromsgrove Rovers 18 Nov 1989
36 Slough Town 1–2 Woking 18 Nov 1989
37 Telford United 0–3 Walsall 18 Nov 1989
38 Redditch United 1–3 Merthyr Tydfil 18 Nov 1989
39 Farnborough Town 0–1 Hereford United 18 Nov 1989
40 Hartlepool United 0–2 Huddersfield Town 18 Nov 1989

Second round proper[]

The second round of games was played on 9 December 1989, with the first round of replays being played on the 12th–13th. Two games went to second replays and one of these went to a third replay.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 3–0 Chester City 9 Dec 1989
2 Chesterfield 0–2 Huddersfield Town 9 Dec 1989
3 Darlington 3–0 Halifax Town 9 Dec 1989
4 Bristol City 2–1 Fulham 9 Dec 1989
5 Rochdale 3–0 Lincoln City 9 Dec 1989
6 Reading 0–0 Welling United 9 Dec 1989
Replay Welling United 1–1 Reading 13 Dec 1989
Replay Reading 0–0 Welling United 19 Dec 1989
Replay Welling United 1–2 Reading 22 Dec 1989
7 Walsall 1–0 Rotherham United 9 Dec 1989
8 Grimsby Town 1–0 Doncaster Rovers 9 Dec 1989
9 Crewe Alexandra 1–1 Bishop Auckland 9 Dec 1989
Replay Bishop Auckland 0–2 Crewe Alexandra 13 Dec 1989
10 Maidstone United 1–1 Exeter City 9 Dec 1989
Replay Exeter City 3–2 Maidstone United 13 Dec 1989
11 Northampton Town 0–0 Aylesbury United 9 Dec 1989
Replay Aylesbury United 0–1 Northampton Town 13 Dec 1989
12 Whitley Bay 2–0 Preston North End 9 Dec 1989
13 Scunthorpe United 2–2 Burnley 9 Dec 1989
Replay Burnley 1–1 Scunthorpe United 12 Dec 1989
Replay Burnley 5–0 Scunthorpe United 18 Dec 1989
14 Cardiff City 2–2 Gloucester City 9 Dec 1989
Replay Gloucester City 0–1 Cardiff City 12 Dec 1989
15 Hereford United 3–2 Merthyr Tydfil 9 Dec 1989
16 Wigan Athletic 2–0 Carlisle United 9 Dec 1989
17 Colchester United 0–2 Birmingham City 9 Dec 1989
18 Basingstoke Town 2–3 Torquay United 9 Dec 1989
19 Cambridge United 3–1 Woking 9 Dec 1989
20 Swansea City 3–1 Peterborough United 9 Dec 1989

Third round proper[]

The third round of games in the FA Cup was played over the weekend 6–7 January 1990, with the first set of replays being played on the 9th–10th. Two games went to second replays, which were completed the week after.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 1–0 Burnley 6 Jan 1990
2 Bristol City 2–1 Swindon Town 6 Jan 1990
3 Rochdale 1–0 Whitley Bay 6 Jan 1990
4 Watford 2–0 Wigan Athletic 6 Jan 1990
5 Reading 2–1 Sunderland 6 Jan 1990
6 Leicester City 1–2 Barnsley 6 Jan 1990
7 Nottingham Forest 0–1 Manchester United 7 Jan 1990
8 Blackburn Rovers 2–2 Aston Villa 6 Jan 1990
Replay Aston Villa 3–1 Blackburn Rovers 10 Jan 1990
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–2 Sheffield Wednesday 6 Jan 1990
10 Middlesbrough 0–0 Everton 6 Jan 1990
Replay Everton 1–1 Middlesbrough 10 Jan 1990
Replay Everton 1–0 Middlesbrough 17 Jan 1990
11 West Bromwich Albion 2–0 Wimbledon 6 Jan 1990
12 Sheffield United 2–0 Bournemouth 6 Jan 1990
13 Tottenham Hotspur 1–3 Southampton 6 Jan 1990
14 Manchester City 0–0 Millwall 6 Jan 1990
Replay Millwall 1–1 Manchester City 9 Jan 1990
Replay Millwall 3–1 Manchester City 15 Jan 1990
15 Northampton Town 1–0 Coventry City 6 Jan 1990
16 Brighton & Hove Albion 4–1 Luton Town 6 Jan 1990
17 Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Oxford United 6 Jan 1990
18 Hull City 0–1 Newcastle United 6 Jan 1990
19 Crystal Palace 2–1 Portsmouth 6 Jan 1990
20 Chelsea 1–1 Crewe Alexandra 6 Jan 1990
Replay Crewe Alexandra 0–2 Chelsea 10 Jan 1990
21 Exeter City 1–1 Norwich City 6 Jan 1990
Replay Norwich City 2–0 Exeter City 10 Jan 1990
22 Huddersfield Town 3–1 Grimsby Town 6 Jan 1990
23 Cardiff City 0–0 Queens Park Rangers 6 Jan 1990
Replay Queens Park Rangers 2–0 Cardiff City 10 Jan 1990
24 Port Vale 1–1 Derby County 7 Jan 1990
Replay Derby County 2–3 Port Vale 10 Jan 1990
25 Charlton Athletic 1–1 Bradford City 7 Jan 1990
Replay Bradford City 0–3 Charlton Athletic 10 Jan 1990
26 Leeds United 0–1 Ipswich Town 6 Jan 1990
27 Torquay United 1–0 West Ham United 6 Jan 1990
28 Hereford United 2–1 Walsall 6 Jan 1990
29 Stoke City 0–1 Arsenal 6 Jan 1990
30 Birmingham City 1–1 Oldham Athletic 6 Jan 1990
Replay Oldham Athletic 1–0 Birmingham City 10 Jan 1990
31 Cambridge United 0–0 Darlington 6 Jan 1990
Replay Darlington 1–3 Cambridge United 9 Jan 1990
32 Swansea City 0–0 Liverpool 6 Jan 1990
Replay Liverpool 8–0 Swansea City 9 Jan 1990

Fourth round proper[]

The fourth round of games was played over the weekend 27–28 January 1990, with replays being played on the 30th–31st.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 1–0 Torquay United 27 Jan 1990
2 Bristol City 3–1 Chelsea 27 Jan 1990
3 Rochdale 3–0 Northampton Town 27 Jan 1990
4 Southampton 1–0 Oxford United 27 Jan 1990
5 Reading 3–3 Newcastle United 27 Jan 1990
Replay Newcastle United 4–1 Reading 31 Jan 1990
6 Aston Villa 6–0 Port Vale 27 Jan 1990
7 Sheffield Wednesday 1–2 Everton 28 Jan 1990
8 West Bromwich Albion 1–0 Charlton Athletic 27 Jan 1990
9 Sheffield United 1–1 Watford 27 Jan 1990
Replay Watford 1–2 Sheffield United 30 Jan 1990
10 Barnsley 2–0 Ipswich Town 27 Jan 1990
11 Norwich City 0–0 Liverpool 28 Jan 1990
Replay Liverpool 3–1 Norwich City 31 Jan 1990
12 Millwall 1–1 Cambridge United 27 Jan 1990
Replay Cambridge United 1–0 Millwall 30 Jan 1990
13 Oldham Athletic 2–1 Brighton & Hove Albion 27 Jan 1990
14 Crystal Palace 4–0 Huddersfield Town 27 Jan 1990
15 Arsenal 0–0 Queens Park Rangers 27 Jan 1990
Replay Queens Park Rangers 2–0 Arsenal 31 Jan 1990
16 Hereford United 0–1 Manchester United 28 Jan 1990

Fifth round proper[]

The fifth set of games was played over the weekend 17–18 February 1990, with a first round of replays being played on the 21st. Each of these finished in a draw, meaning a second round of replays had to be completed.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Blackpool 2–2 Queens Park Rangers 18 Feb 1990
Replay Queens Park Rangers 0–0 Blackpool 21 Feb 1990
Replay Queens Park Rangers 3–0 Blackpool 26 Feb 1990
2 Bristol City 0–0 Cambridge United 17 Feb 1990
Replay Cambridge United 1–1 Bristol City 21 Feb 1990
Replay Cambridge United 5–1 Bristol City 27 Feb 1990
3 Liverpool 3–0 Southampton 17 Feb 1990
4 West Bromwich Albion 0–2 Aston Villa 17 Feb 1990
5 Sheffield United 2–2 Barnsley 18 Feb 1990
Replay Barnsley 0–0 Sheffield United 21 Feb 1990
Replay Barnsley 0–1 Sheffield United 5 Mar 1990
6 Newcastle United 2–3 Manchester United 18 Feb 1990
7 Oldham Athletic 2–2 Everton 17 Feb 1990
Replay Everton 1–1 Oldham Athletic 21 Feb 1990
Replay Oldham Athletic 2–1 Everton 10 Mar 1990
8 Crystal Palace 1–0 Rochdale 17 Feb 1990

Sixth round proper[]

Most of the sixth round of FA Cup games were played over the weekend 10–11 March 1990, with the Oldham Athletic – Aston Villa game and the Liverpool – QPR replay being played on the 14th.

Alex Ferguson continued to defy the odds with a Manchester United side that was struggling in the league but performing wonders in the cup, as they defeated Sheffield United 1–0.

Liverpool built up their hopes of a unique second double (which had eluded them in dramatic fashion during the previous two seasons) by beating QPR in a quarter-final replay.

Aston Villa's double hopes were ended when they crashed 3–0 to an Oldham Athletic team that hadn't played top-division football since 1923.

Cambridge United's hopes of becoming the first Fourth Division team to reach the FA Cup semi-finals were ended with a 1–0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace, who moved closer to a first FA Cup final but were first faced with the task of overcoming a Liverpool side that had crushed them 9–0 in the league earlier in the season.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Sheffield United 0–1 Manchester United 11 Mar 1990
2 Queens Park Rangers 2–2 Liverpool 11 Mar 1990
Replay Liverpool 1–0 Queens Park Rangers 14 Mar 1990
3 Oldham Athletic 3–0 Aston Villa 14 Mar 1990
4 Cambridge United 0–1 Crystal Palace 10 Mar 1990

Semi-finals[]

The semi-final matches were played on 8 April 1990.

Seven months after losing 9–0 to them in a league game, Crystal Palace found a 10-goal improvement to defeat Liverpool 4–3 and give them their first FA Cup final appearance as well as ending their opposition's hopes of a second double – the third season running that Liverpool had suffered a late blow to their double hopes.

Oldham Athletic, a Second Division side, gave Manchester United a real run for their money; opening the scoring through Earl Barrett in a game that eventually ended 3–3, forcing a replay.

United won the replay 2–1 but some people have claimed that referee Joe Worrall should have awarded Oldham Athletic an early goal since Nick Henry's shot may have crossed the line.

8 April 1990
K.O 12 Noon
Crystal Palace 4 – 3
(a.e.t.)
Liverpool Villa Park, Birmingham
Attendance: 38,389
Referee: George Courtney (Spennymoor, County Durham)
Bright Goal 46'
O'Reilly Goal 70'
Gray Goal 88'
Pardew Goal 109'
Rush Goal 14'
McMahon Goal 81'
Barnes Goal 83' (pen.)

8 April 1990
K.O 3:30pm
Manchester United 3 – 3
(a.e.t.)
Oldham Athletic Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance: 44,026
Referee: Joe Worrall (Cheshire)
Robson Goal 29'
Webb Goal 72'
Wallace Goal 92'
Barrett Goal 5'
Marshall Goal 75'
Palmer Goal 113'

11 April 1990
K.O 7:45pm
Oldham Athletic 1 – 2
(a.e.t.)
Manchester United Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance: 35,005
Referee: Joe Worrall (Cheshire)
Ritchie Goal 81' McClair Goal 50'
Robins Goal 114'

Final[]

Main article: 1990 FA Cup Final

Crystal Palace, playing in their first FA Cup final, took on a Manchester United side that already had six FA Cups to its name, and a thrilling game ended 3–3 with Palace taking the lead twice and United once before a late equaliser by Mark Hughes (his second goal of the game) forced a replay.

12 May 1990
Manchester United 3 – 3
(a.e.t.)
Crystal Palace Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Allan Gunn (Sussex)
Robson Goal 35'
Hughes Goal 62'109'
O'Reilly Goal 18'
Wright Goal 72'92'

Replay[]

Lee Martin, a 21-year-old defender who nearly didn't play due to Alex Ferguson's doubts about his fitness, scored the winning goal as Manchester United sealed their first major trophy in five years and their first under Ferguson's management, ending months of speculation that his job was at risk due to dismal league performances.

17 May 1990
Manchester United 1 – 0 Crystal Palace Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Allan Gunn (Sussex)
Martin Goal 59'

Media coverage[]

For the second consecutive season in the United Kingdom, the BBC were the free to air broadcasters while Sky Sports were the subscription broadcasters.

External links[]

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Template:1989–90 in European Football (UEFA)

1989–90 in English football
FA competitions
FA Cup (Qualifying Rounds, Final · FA Charity Shield · FA Trophy (Final)
League cups
League Cup (Final) · Full Members Cup (Final) · Football League Trophy (Final)
Football League
Football League (First Division · Second Division · Third Division · Fourth Division) · Play-offs (Second Division Final · Third Division Final · Fourth Division Final)
Lower leagues
Football Conference · Isthmian League · Northern Premier League · Southern League · North West Counties League · Northern Counties East League · Wessex League · Western League
European competitions
Champions League (Final) · Europa League (Final)
National teams
Senior · Bobby Robson · 1990 FIFA World Cup (knockout stage · Final)

1988-89                                                        1990-91

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