1987 FA Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1987 FA Cup Final took place on 16 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Coventry City
and Tottenham Hotspur
. Spurs were appearing in their third final in seven seasons, having won the trophy in 1981
and 1982
and were strong favourites, while unfancied Coventry were appearing in their first ever final after 104 years of trying. Spurs were going for a record eighth victory and had never lost a final. In an exciting match, Coventry eventually triumphed 3–2 after extra time.
BBC commentator John Motson stated it was "the finest Cup Final I've had the pleasure of commentating on". It was a clean, good-willed yet well-contested final, with no bookings and high-quality football being produced by both sides. Both teams exercised quick, neat passing ability interspersed with exciting wing play and it was generally considered a good advertisement for English football.
Tottenham had also been knocked out of the Football League Cup
in the semi-finals, and had finished third in the league, and so having spent most of the season challenging for a unique domestic treble, they ended it with no major trophies at all.
One downside to Coventry's remarkable triumph was that they would not be able to make a challenge for the European Cup Winners' Cup
; UEFA
had voted for the ban on English clubs in European competitions, imposed in 1985 following the Heysel disaster, to continue for a third season. In an attempt to show some reward for their achievement, Coventry arranged 'the Anglo-Scottish Challenge Cup', a two-legged match against the Scottish Cup winners St Mirren. After a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road, attended by less than 5,000 spectators, the second leg at Love Street was postponed and eventually forgotten.
Steve Ogrizovic, who remained with Coventry until retiring as a player in 2000, remained with the winning side for longer than any of the other 12 players who featured. Gary Mabbutt, who remained with Tottenham until 1998, was the last player to leave runners-up Tottenham. London Rockers Chas & Dave Released a song called Hot Shot Tottenham!
. It reached No. 18 in the charts.
scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic
at the near-post from a perfect Chris Waddle
cross. Within seven minutes though, the Sky Blues were level through Dave Bennett
, a Cup Final loser in 1981 for Manchester City
, coincidentally at the hands of Spurs.
The London club were back in front five minutes before the break though through defender Gary Mabbutt
. Midway through the second half the Midlanders were level again - Bennett's pinpoint cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen
with a diving header for a memorable goal, which was voted in the top 10 goals ever scored at Wembley. Houchen was also awarded the BBC's Goal of the Season.
The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra-time. Six minutes in, the unfortunate Mabbutt scored an own goal
after Lloyd McGrath
centred the ball and it took a deflection off of the Spurs defender's knee and over keeper Ray Clemence
. In the late-1980s and early-1990s, one of Coventry's fanzines was mischievously entitled 'Gary Mabbutt's Knee'.
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TOTTENHAM:
|
GK
1
Ray Clemence
RB
2
Chris Hughton
LB
3
Mitchell Thomas
MF
4
Steve Hodge
CB
5
Richard Gough
(c)
CB
6
Gary Mabbutt
CF
7
Clive Allen
MF
8
Paul Allen
MF
9
Chris Waddle
MF
10
Glenn Hoddle
MF
11
Ossie Ardiles
Substitutes:
FW
12
Nico Claesen
DF
14
Gary Stevens
Manager:
David Pleat
Round 4: Manchester United
0–1 Coventry City
Round 5: Stoke City
0–1 Coventry City
Round 6: Sheffield Wednesday
1–3 Coventry City
Semi-final: Coventry City 3–2 Leeds United
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Round 4: Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 Crystal Palace
Round 5: Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Newcastle United
Round 6: Wimbledon
0–2 Tottenham Hotspur
Semi-final: Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 Watford
|}
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. Spurs were appearing in their third final in seven seasons, having won the trophy in 1981
1981 FA Cup Final
The 1981 FA Cup Final was contested by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Wembley. The match finished 1–1 after extra time; Tommy Hutchison opened the scoring for City, and then scored an own-goal eleven minutes from time to bring Spurs level. In the replay, Spurs won 3–2, with...
and 1982
1982 FA Cup Final
The 1982 FA Cup Final took place on 22 May 1982 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers.Spurs were the holders of the trophy, and were hot favourites, while unfancied QPR had just missed out on promotion from the Second Division.After three and a half...
and were strong favourites, while unfancied Coventry were appearing in their first ever final after 104 years of trying. Spurs were going for a record eighth victory and had never lost a final. In an exciting match, Coventry eventually triumphed 3–2 after extra time.
BBC commentator John Motson stated it was "the finest Cup Final I've had the pleasure of commentating on". It was a clean, good-willed yet well-contested final, with no bookings and high-quality football being produced by both sides. Both teams exercised quick, neat passing ability interspersed with exciting wing play and it was generally considered a good advertisement for English football.
Tottenham had also been knocked out of the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in the semi-finals, and had finished third in the league, and so having spent most of the season challenging for a unique domestic treble, they ended it with no major trophies at all.
One downside to Coventry's remarkable triumph was that they would not be able to make a challenge for the European Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
; UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
had voted for the ban on English clubs in European competitions, imposed in 1985 following the Heysel disaster, to continue for a third season. In an attempt to show some reward for their achievement, Coventry arranged 'the Anglo-Scottish Challenge Cup', a two-legged match against the Scottish Cup winners St Mirren. After a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road, attended by less than 5,000 spectators, the second leg at Love Street was postponed and eventually forgotten.
Steve Ogrizovic, who remained with Coventry until retiring as a player in 2000, remained with the winning side for longer than any of the other 12 players who featured. Gary Mabbutt, who remained with Tottenham until 1998, was the last player to leave runners-up Tottenham. London Rockers Chas & Dave Released a song called Hot Shot Tottenham!
Hot Shot Tottenham!
"Hot Shot Tottenham!" was a single released by the English football team Tottenham Hotspur, accompanied by Chas & Dave, to celebrate reaching the 1987 FA Cup Final. It reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart....
. It reached No. 18 in the charts.
Match summary
After only two minutes, Clive AllenClive Allen
Clive Darren Allen is a retired English footballer, a prolific scorer for a number of clubs.Allen is the son of ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward Les Allen, who was a member of the legendary team which won the First Division title and FA Cup "double" in 1961...
scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic
Steve Ogrizovic
Steven "Oggy" Ogrizovic is a former English goalkeeper who achieved fame during 16 years at Coventry City...
at the near-post from a perfect Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
cross. Within seven minutes though, the Sky Blues were level through Dave Bennett
Dave Bennett
David Anthony Bennett is an English former Association football player. He is most famous for playing in two FA Cup Finals; 1981 for Manchester City, when he finished on the losing side, and 1987, when he produced a Man of the Match performance as Coventry City beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2.-Playing...
, a Cup Final loser in 1981 for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, coincidentally at the hands of Spurs.
The London club were back in front five minutes before the break though through defender Gary Mabbutt
Gary Mabbutt
Gary Mabbutt MBE is an English former professional footballer who made more than 600 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Bristol Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, and won 16 caps for the England national team. He was most regularly seen in central defence but was a...
. Midway through the second half the Midlanders were level again - Bennett's pinpoint cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen
Keith Houchen
Keith Morton Houchen is an English former footballer and football manager. A forward, he score 162 goals in 509 league games....
with a diving header for a memorable goal, which was voted in the top 10 goals ever scored at Wembley. Houchen was also awarded the BBC's Goal of the Season.
The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra-time. Six minutes in, the unfortunate Mabbutt scored an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
after Lloyd McGrath
Lloyd McGrath
Lloyd McGrath is a retired English professional footballer.A hard-working midfielder, McGrath made his senior debut for Coventry City on 28 April 1984 in one of their heaviest defeats ever - an 8-2 Football League First Division defeat at Southampton...
centred the ball and it took a deflection off of the Spurs defender's knee and over keeper Ray Clemence
Ray Clemence
Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:...
. In the late-1980s and early-1990s, one of Coventry's fanzines was mischievously entitled 'Gary Mabbutt's Knee'.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | COVENTRY: | |||
| GK | 1 | Steve Ogrizovic Steve Ogrizovic Steven "Oggy" Ogrizovic is a former English goalkeeper who achieved fame during 16 years at Coventry City... |
||
| RB | 2 |  David PhillipsDavid Phillips (Welsh footballer) David Owen Phillips is a former professional and Welsh international footballer who played as a midfielder for Plymouth Argyle, Manchester City, Coventry City, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City and Stevenage Borough.-Plymouth Argyle & Manchester City:Phillips was... |
||
| LB | 3 | Greg Downs Greg Downs (footballer) Gregory Downs is a former professional English footballer. Originally a centre-forward, he switched to left full-back early in his career.... |
||
| MF | 4 | Lloyd McGrath Lloyd McGrath Lloyd McGrath is a retired English professional footballer.A hard-working midfielder, McGrath made his senior debut for Coventry City on 28 April 1984 in one of their heaviest defeats ever - an 8-2 Football League First Division defeat at Southampton... |
||
| CB | 5 | Brian Kilcline Brian Kilcline Brian Kilcline is an English former centre-half with Coventry City, Newcastle United, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Swindon Town, Mansfield Town and Halifax Town, famous for his long hair and moustache.... (c) |
||
| CB | 6 | Trevor Peake Trevor Peake Trevor Peake is a retired English footballer. He was a member of Coventry City's FA Cup winning team in 1987 and is current assistant academy director of Leicester City.-Coaching career:... |
||
| MF | 7 | Dave Bennett Dave Bennett David Anthony Bennett is an English former Association football player. He is most famous for playing in two FA Cup Finals; 1981 for Manchester City, when he finished on the losing side, and 1987, when he produced a Man of the Match performance as Coventry City beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2.-Playing... |
||
| MF | 8 | Micky Gynn Micky Gynn Michael "Micky" Gynn is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Peterborough United, Coventry City and Stoke City.-Career:... |
||
| CF | 9 | Cyrille Regis Cyrille Regis Cyrille Regis, MBE is a French-born English former footballer. His professional playing career spanned 19 years, where he made 610 league appearances and scored 159 league goals, most prolifically at West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City.-Early life:Regis was born in Maripasoula, French Guiana,... |
||
| CF | 10 | Keith Houchen Keith Houchen Keith Morton Houchen is an English former footballer and football manager. A forward, he score 162 goals in 509 league games.... |
||
| MF | 11 | Nick Pickering Nick Pickering Nicholas "Nick" Pickering is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Sunderland, Coventry City, Derby County, Darlington and Burnley... |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| DF | 14 | Graham Rodger Graham Rodger Graham Rodger is a Scottish born English former professional footballer and football manager. He played as a defender from 1984 until 1998 for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Coventry City and Luton Town before finishing his career with a six year stint at Grimsby Town, where he retired in 1998 following... |
||
| MF | 12 | Steve Sedgley Steve Sedgley Stephen Philip "Steve" Sedgley is an English former professional footballer who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League and Premier League for Coventry City, Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He played as a midfielder or defender... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| John Sillett John Sillett John Charles Sillett is a former football player and manager.His father Charlie Sillett was a footballer with Southampton between 1931 and 1938. He is the younger brother of Peter Sillett, also a footballer.Sillett played for Chelsea, Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle... |
||||
Ray ClemenceRay Clemence
Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:...
Chris HughtonChris Hughton
Christopher William Gerard "Chris" Hughton is a professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Birmingham City F.C....
Mitchell ThomasMitchell Thomas
Mitchell Thomas is a retired English football defender. Whilst at Tottenham Hotspur he started in the 1987 FA Cup Final.-Playing career:...
Steve HodgeSteve Hodge
Stephen Brian Hodge is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a high-profile club and international career in the 1980s and 1990s.- Playing career :...
Richard GoughRichard Gough (footballer)
Charles Richard Gough is a former Scottish football central defender who enjoyed great success as captain of Rangers. He also played for Scotland 61 times and had a brief spell as manager of Livingston...
(c)
Gary MabbuttGary Mabbutt
Gary Mabbutt MBE is an English former professional footballer who made more than 600 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Bristol Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, and won 16 caps for the England national team. He was most regularly seen in central defence but was a...
Clive AllenClive Allen
Clive Darren Allen is a retired English footballer, a prolific scorer for a number of clubs.Allen is the son of ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward Les Allen, who was a member of the legendary team which won the First Division title and FA Cup "double" in 1961...
Paul AllenPaul Allen (footballer)
Paul Kevin Allen is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Luton Town, Stoke City, Swindon Town, Bristol City and Millwall in the 1980s and 1990s...
Chris WaddleChris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
Glenn HoddleGlenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
Ossie Ardiles Nico ClaesenNico Claesen
Nicolaas "Nico" Pieter Claesen is a former Belgian football player who works as head coach of RFC Liège.-Time at Tottenham:...
Gary StevensGary A. Stevens
Gary Andrew Stevens is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth. He won seven caps for England.-Career:...
David PleatDavid Pleat
David John Pleat is an English football player turned manager and sports commentator.He is remembered by his contemporaries primarily for his career as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town football clubs, and for an oft-televised clip of him running onto the pitch in 1983 to celebrate after...
MATCH RULES
|
Coventry City
Round 3: Coventry City 3–0 Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
Round 4: Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
0–1 Coventry City
Round 5: Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
0–1 Coventry City
Round 6: Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
1–3 Coventry City
Semi-final: Coventry City 3–2 Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
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Tottenham Hotspur
Round 3: Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
Round 4: Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
Round 5: Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
Round 6: Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
0–2 Tottenham Hotspur
Semi-final: Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
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