1979 FA Cup Final

Event	FA Cup 1978–79
Arsenal Manchester United 3 2
Date	12 May 1979
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Ron Challis (Kent)
Attendance	99,219
← 1978 1980 →

The 1979 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 12 May 1979 at Wembley Stadium. The match was contested by Arsenal and Manchester United. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest-ever finishes in an FA Cup final.^[1][2] For over 85 minutes the game had been unremarkable, with Arsenal taking a 2–0 half time lead through goals from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton. In the 86th minute, however, Gordon McQueen scored following a set-piece, and two minutes later Sammy McIlroy dribbled past two Arsenal players to score a dramatic equaliser. With the game poised for extra time, United's celebrations proved short-lived, as Alan Sunderland scored a last-minute winner, making the final result Arsenal 3–2 Manchester United. This match is often referred to as the "Five-minute Final".

The 1979 FA Cup was the only major trophy that Arsenal won during the seven-year management of Terry Neill, who was appointed in 1976 and remained as manager until he was dismissed in 1983.

It was also the only cup final that Manchester United reached under the management of Dave Sexton, who had been appointed as manager in 1977 and remained there until 1981 when he was sacked having failed to bring a major trophy to the club.

[edit] Match details

12 May 1979	Arsenal	3 – 2	Manchester United	Wembley, London Attendance: 99,219 Referee: Ron Challis (Kent)
	Talbot  12' Stapleton  43' Sunderland  89'	(Report)	McQueen  86' McIlroy  88'

Arsenal

Manchester United

ARSENAL: GK 1 Pat Jennings RB 2 Pat Rice (c) LB 3 Sammy Nelson CM 4 Brian Talbot CB 5 David O'Leary CB 6 Willie Young RM 7 Liam Brady CF 8 Alan Sunderland CF 9 Frank Stapleton CM 10 David Price 83' LM 11 Graham Rix Substitute: DF 12 Steve Walford 83' Manager: Terry Neill

MANCHESTER UNITED: GK 1 Gary Bailey RB 2 Jimmy Nicholl LB 3 Arthur Albiston CM 4 Sammy McIlroy CB 5 Gordon McQueen CB 6 Martin Buchan (c) RM 7 Steve Coppell CF 8 Jimmy Greenhoff CF 9 Joe Jordan CM 10 Lou Macari LM 11 Mickey Thomas Substitute: DF 12 Brian Greenhoff Manager: Dave Sexton

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Line-ups
• Match Report