1986–87 FA Cup


The 1986–87 FA Cup was the 106th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the FA Cup. The competition was won by Coventry City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2, after extra-time, in the final at Wembley Stadium. It was Tottenham's only defeat in eight finals up to that point. The tournament started in August 1986, with non-league teams competing in the qualifying rounds. Clubs from the First and Second Divisions entered in the third round.

First round proper

The first round of games were played over the weekend 15–16 November 1986, with the exception of the Bristol Rovers – Brentford game. Replays were played either in the midweek fixtures on 17th-18th or on 24th.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester City1–1Rotherham United15 November 1986
ReplayRotherham United1–1Chester City18 November 1986
ReplayChester City1–0Rotherham United24 November 1986
2Darlington2–1Mansfield Town16 November 1986
3Dartford1–1Enfield15 November 1986
ReplayEnfield3–0Dartford18 November 1986
4Bournemouth7–2Fareham Town15 November 1986
5Bath City3–2Aylesbury United15 November 1986
6Bristol City3–1VS Rugby15 November 1986
7Preston North End5–1Bury15 November 1986
8Walsall2–0Chesterfield15 November 1986
9Woking1–1Chelmsford City15 November 1986
ReplayChelmsford City2–1Woking17 November 1986
10Notts County1–1Carlisle United15 November 1986
ReplayCarlisle United0–3Notts County18 November 1986
11Middlesbrough3–0Blackpool15 November 1986
12Swindon Town4–0Farnborough Town15 November 1986
13Wrexham2–1Hartlepool United15 November 1986
14Chorley1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers15 November 1986
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers1–1Chorley18 November 1986
ReplayChorley3–0Wolverhampton Wanderers24 November 1986
15Bristol Rovers0–0Brentford3 December 1986
ReplayBrentford2–0Bristol Rovers6 December 1986
16Northampton Town3–0Peterborough United16 November 1986
17Spennymoor United2–3Tranmere Rovers15 November 1986
18Southend United4–1Halesowen Town15 November 1986
19Exeter City1–1Cambridge United15 November 1986
ReplayCambridge United2–0Exeter City19 November 1986
20Scunthorpe United2–0Southport15 November 1986
21Ton Pentre1–4Cardiff City15 November 1986
22Bromsgrove Rovers0–1Newport County15 November 1986
23Port Vale1–0Stafford Rangers15 November 1986
24Halifax Town1–1Bolton Wanderers15 November 1986
ReplayBolton Wanderers1–1Halifax Town18 November 1986
ReplayHalifax Town1–3Bolton Wanderers24 November 1986
25Wealdstone1–1Swansea City15 November 1986
ReplaySwansea City4–1Wealdstone24 November 1986
26Runcorn1–1Boston United15 November 1986
ReplayBoston United1–2Runcorn19 November 1986
27York City3–1Crewe Alexandra15 November 1986
28Hereford United3–3Fulham15 November 1986
ReplayFulham4–0Hereford United24 November 1986
29Bishop's Stortford1–1Colchester United15 November 1986
ReplayColchester United2–0Bishop's Stortford18 November 1986
30Kettering Town0–3Gillingham15 November 1986
31Aldershot1–0Torquay United15 November 1986
32Wigan Athletic3–1Lincoln City15 November 1986
33Nuneaton Borough0–3Rochdale15 November 1986
34Woodford Town0–1Orient15 November 1986
35Slough Town1–1Bognor Regis Town15 November 1986
ReplayBognor Regis Town0–1Slough Town18 November 1986
36Whitby Town2–2Doncaster Rovers15 November 1986
ReplayDoncaster Rovers3–2Whitby Town18 November 1986
37Telford United3–0Burnley15 November 1986
38Frickley Athletic0–0Altrincham15 November 1986
ReplayAltrincham4–0Frickley Athletic18 November 1986
39Welling United1–1Maidstone United15 November 1986
ReplayMaidstone United4–1Welling United24 November 1986
40Caernarfon Town1–0Stockport County15 November 1986

Second round Proper

The second round of games were played over 6–7 December 1986, with replays being played on 9th–10th.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester City3–1Doncaster Rovers6 December 1986
2Darlington0–5Wigan Athletic6 December 1986
3Bournemouth0–1Orient6 December 1986
4Bristol City1–1Bath City6 December 1986
ReplayBristol City3–0Bath City9 December 1986
5Rochdale1–4Wrexham6 December 1986
6Walsall5–0Port Vale6 December 1986
7Gillingham2–0Chelmsford City6 December 1986
8Notts County0–1Middlesbrough7 December 1986
9Bolton Wanderers2–0Tranmere Rovers6 December 1986
10Swindon Town3–0Enfield6 December 1986
11Chorley0–0Preston North End6 December 1986
ReplayPreston North End5–0Chorley9 December 1986
12Fulham2–0Newport County6 December 1986
13Maidstone United1–0Cambridge United7 December 1986
14Southend United4–4Northampton Town5 December 1986
ReplayNorthampton Town3–2Southend United10 December 1986
15Scunthorpe United1–0Runcorn6 December 1986
16Cardiff City2–0Brentford9 December 1986
17Aldershot3–2Colchester United6 December 1986
18Telford United1–0Altrincham6 December 1986
19Swansea City3–0Slough Town6 December 1986
20Caernarfon Town0–0York City6 December 1986
ReplayYork City1–2Caernarfon Town9 December 1986

Third round proper

Most of the third round of games in the FA Cup were played over the weekend 10–11 January 1987. Various matches and replays were played as late as 31 January, however.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Bristol City1–1Plymouth Argyle10 January 1987
ReplayPlymouth Argyle3–1Bristol City19 January 1987
2Watford3–1Maidstone United10 January 1987
3Reading1–3Arsenal10 January 1987
4Aston Villa2–2Chelsea10 January 1987
ReplayChelsea2–1Aston Villa21 January 1987
5Sheffield Wednesday1–0Derby County26 January 1987
6Grimsby Town1–1Stoke City10 January 1987
ReplayStoke City1–1Grimsby Town26 January 1987
ReplayStoke City6–0Grimsby Town28 January 1987
7Middlesbrough0–1Preston North End10 January 1987
8Luton Town0–0Liverpool11 January 1987
ReplayLiverpool0–0Luton Town26 January 1987
ReplayLuton Town3–0Liverpool28 January 1987
9Everton2–1Southampton10 January 1987
10Shrewsbury Town1–2Hull City31 January 1987
11Wrexham1–2Chester City10 January 1987
12Sheffield United0–0Brighton & Hove Albion10 January 1987
ReplayBrighton & Hove Albion1–2Sheffield United21 January 1987
13Ipswich Town0–1Birmingham City10 January 1987
14Newcastle United2–1Northampton Town21 January 1987
15Tottenham Hotspur3–2Scunthorpe United10 January 1987
16Queens Park Rangers5–2Leicester City10 January 1987
17Fulham0–1Swindon Town10 January 1987
18Coventry City3–0Bolton Wanderers10 January 1987
19Portsmouth2–0Blackburn Rovers10 January 1987
20Manchester United1–0Manchester City10 January 1987
21Norwich City1–1Huddersfield Town10 January 1987
ReplayHuddersfield Town2–4Norwich City21 January 1987
22Millwall0–0Cardiff City10 January 1987
ReplayCardiff City2–2Millwall20 January 1987
ReplayCardiff City1–0Millwall26 January 1987
23Oldham Athletic1–1Bradford City10 January 1987
ReplayBradford City5–1Oldham Athletic19 January 1987
24Crystal Palace1–0Nottingham Forest11 January 1987
25Wimbledon2–1Sunderland10 January 1987
26Charlton Athletic1–2Walsall10 January 1987
27Aldershot3–0Oxford United10 January 1987
28Wigan Athletic2–1Gillingham19 January 1987
29Orient1–1West Ham United10 January 1987
ReplayWest Ham United4–1Orient31 January 1987
30Telford United1–2Leeds United11 January 1987
31Swansea City3–2West Bromwich Albion10 January 1987
32Caernarfon Town0–0Barnsley10 January 1987
ReplayBarnsley1–0Caernarfon Town26 January 1987

Fourth round Proper

The fourth round of games were played mainly over the weekend 31 January – 1 February 1987. All other ties took place on 3rd-4 February.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Chester City1–1Sheffield Wednesday31 January 1987
ReplaySheffield Wednesday3–1Chester City4 February 1987
2Watford1–0Chelsea1 February 1987
3Walsall1–0Birmingham City31 January 1987
4Luton Town1–1Queens Park Rangers31 January 1987
ReplayQueens Park Rangers2–1Luton Town4 February 1987
5Swindon Town1–2Leeds United3 February 1987
6Newcastle United2–0Preston North End31 January 1987
7Tottenham Hotspur4–0Crystal Palace31 January 1987
8West Ham United4–0Sheffield United9 February 1987
9Manchester United0–1Coventry City31 January 1987
10Bradford City0–1Everton31 January 1987
11Wimbledon4–0Portsmouth31 January 1987
12Arsenal6–1Plymouth Argyle31 January 1987
13Stoke City2–1Cardiff City31 January 1987
14Aldershot1–1Barnsley31 January 1987
ReplayBarnsley3–0Aldershot3 February 1987
15Wigan Athletic1–0Norwich City31 January 1987
16Swansea City0–1Hull City3 February 1987

Fifth Round Proper

The fifth set of games were played over the weekend 21–22 February 1987, with the first set of replays on 24th-25th.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Walsall1–1Watford21 February 1987
ReplayWatford4–4Walsall24 February 1987
ReplayWalsall0–1Watford2 March 1987
2Sheffield Wednesday1–1West Ham United21 February 1987
ReplayWest Ham United0–2Sheffield Wednesday25 February 1987
3Tottenham Hotspur1–0Newcastle United21 February 1987
4Wimbledon3–1Everton22 February 1987
5Arsenal2–0Barnsley21 February 1987
6Leeds United2–1Queens Park Rangers21 February 1987
7Stoke City0–1Coventry City21 February 1987
8Wigan Athletic3–0Hull City21 February 1987

Sixth Round Proper

The sixth round of FA Cup games were played over the weekend 14–15 March 1987. There were no replays.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate
1Sheffield Wednesday1–3Coventry City14 March 1987
2Wimbledon0–2Tottenham Hotspur15 March 1987
3Arsenal1–3Watford14 March 1987
4Wigan Athletic0–2Leeds United15 March 1987

Semi-Finals

Seven time winners Tottenham Hotspur were drawn with 1984 finalists Watford for the Villa Park semi-final, which saw the North Londoners win 4-1 and reach their eighth final, having won all of their previous FA Cup finals.
Hillsborough was the venue for the other semi-final. Leeds United, managed by their former captain Billy Bremner, were pushing for promotion in the Second Division and making their first serious challenge for a major trophy in over 10 years. Their opponents were Coventry City, who had never reached an FA Cup semi-final before. In a closely fought game, Coventry won 3-2.
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Final

After two minutes, Clive Allen scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic at the near-post from a Chris Waddle cross. Within seven minutes though, Coventry were level through Dave Bennett, a Cup Final loser in 1981 for Manchester City at the hands of Spurs. Tottenham were back in front five minutes before the break through past defender Gary Mabbutt.
Midway through the second half Coventry were level again – Bennett's cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen with a diving header. The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra time. Six minutes in, 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.