1989–90 FA Cup
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
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 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, opened the scoring against Manchester United through Earl Barrett in a game that eventually ended 3–3, forcing a replay. United won the replay 2–1.
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Final
, 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 forced a replay.Replay
, 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.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.The matches shown live on the BBC were: Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United ; Norwich City vs Liverpool ; Newcastle United vs Manchester United ; Queens Park Rangers vs Liverpool ; both Crystal Palace vs Liverpool and Manchester United vs Oldham Athletic ; Manchester United vs Oldham Athletic ; and Crystal Palace vs Manchester United in both the Final and its replay.
This was the first season to feature live semi finals; both were shown on the same Sunday afternoon with an EastEnders omnibus edition scheduled inbetween, though this was altered when the Liverpool vs Crystal Palace match required extra time. The semi final replay, shown on a Wednesday evening, co-incided with ITV showing a different game between Arsenal and Aston Villa in the first division, which is thought to be the only occasion on which BBC One and ITV have showed different football matches live at the same time.