1978–79 Arsenal F.C. season
The 1978–79 season was Arsenal Football Club's 53rd consecutive season in the Football League First Division. The club finished seventh in the league but won the 1978-79 FA Cup. It was their second of three consecutive FA Cup finals under manager Terry Neill. Known as the "Five Minute Final," Arsenal went 2-0 up until the 85th minute, before Manchester United brought it to a tie. Alan Sunderland scored the winning goal for Arsenal and Arsenal won the FA Cup 3-2.
Arsenal were rather less successful in other cup competitions, going out to Rotherham United in the second round in the League Cup. The team had qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing fifth the previous season, but went out in the third round to Red Star Belgrade.
In the transfer market, Neill brought in Brian Talbot from Ipswich Town halfway through the season to strengthen Arsenal's midfield, especially with a tough cup run. Paul Barron was brought in as the understudy to goalkeeper Pat Jennings at the beginning of the season.[1]
Season summary
Arsenal had their first trophy since 1971, when they won the FA Cup final against Manchester United. Terry Neill had what was to be his only trophy as manager,[2] and became the fifth Arsenal manager to win the FA Cup.
Arsenal had earned a place in the UEFA Cup with a fifth-place finish in the 1977-78 Football League. They faced Lokomotiv Leipzig, Hajduk Split (a game which brought Liam Brady's first goal in Europe), and Red Star Belgrade. Arsenal were eliminated by Red Star Belgrade in the third round of the competition. The Serbian side won 2-1 on aggregate, and the crucial last minute goal was scored by Dusan Savic at Highbury.[3][4] In the League Cup, Arsenal went out early, losing 3-1 to Rotherham United.
For a while Arsenal had flirted with the notion of winning the league as they sat in the top four by Christmas, but the marathon battle with Sheffield Wednesday in January 1979 had put all the focus on the FA Cup, and league results had been at best average in the second half of the season.[5]
However, the focus on the FA Cup paid dividends as Arsenal reached the "Five Minute Final." Arsenal's toughest opponent in the run up had been Third Division side managed by Jack Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday. The tie went to five matches in sixteen days. Arsenal won the fourth replay 2-0.[6][7] After the first replay, Arsenal bought Brian Talbot from Ipswich for £400,000, an essential player in the team that had beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final the previous year. Talbot made his FA Cup debut in a 2-0 defeat of Notts Country before Arsenal faced Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in the fifth round. Arsenal beat Forest 1-0 in a game where Forest hit the woodwork three times. It was Forest's first home defeat in 52 matches. Arsenal then beat Southampton in a replay, though lost Brady to injury thirty minutes from the end. Arsenal next faced Wolves under new manager John Barnwell in the semifinal. Alan Sunderland scored the second goal against his former club.[4][5]
Arsenal faced Manchester United the FA Cup final. United had beaten the world-class Liverpool in the semifinal and Arsenal had played 9 games in 34 days (about 1 in every 4 days) in the run up to the final.[5] Arsenal scored twice through Sunderland and Talbot. However, with five minutes remaining in the match, United recovered with goals from Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy. From the second kick-off, Brady booted a pass to Graham Rix who crossed to the far post for Sunderland. United goalkeeper Gary Bailey misjudged the cross and Sunderland scored. Arsenal won the final, 3-2, with three goals of the five goals scored in the last five minutes of the match.[4][5][8] Arsenal qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with the victory.
After the season, Brady announced that he would leave the club when his contract ran out in 1980, hoping for a new challenge in European football.[4] Malcolm Macdonald announced his retirement in August 1979 at just 29 years old. [9][10]
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Results
First Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Leeds United | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 70 | 52 | +18 | 50 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 63 | 49 | +14 | 49 | |
| 7 | Arsenal | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 61 | 48 | +13 | 48 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[a] |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 42 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 59 | 49 | +10 | 46 | |
| 9 | Manchester United | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 60 | 63 | −3 | 45 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Arsenal qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1978–79 FA Cup winners.
| 19 August 1978 1 | Arsenal | 2–2 | Leeds United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 22 August 1978 2 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| Stadium: Maine Road |
| 26 August 1978 3 | Everton | 1–0 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| Stadium: Goodison Park |
| 9 September 1978 5 | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Stadium: City Ground |
| 16 September 1978 6 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Bolton Wanderers | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 23 September 1978 7 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Manchester United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 30 September 1978 8 | Middlesbrough | 2–3 | Arsenal | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium: Ayresome Park |
| 7 October 1978 9 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 14 October 1978 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Arsenal | Wolverhampton |
| Stadium: Molineux |
| 21 October 1978 11 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 28 October 1978 12 | Bristol City | 1–3 | Arsenal | Bristol |
| Stadium: Ashton Gate |
| 4 November 1978 13 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Ipswich Town | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 11 November 1978 14 | Leeds United | 0–1 | Arsenal | Leeds |
| Stadium: Elland Road |
| 25 November 1978 16 | Coventry City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Coventry |
| Stadium: Highfield Road |
| 9 December 1978 18 | Norwich City | 0–0 | Arsenal | Norwich |
| Stadium: Carrow Road |
| 16 December 1978 19 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Derby County | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 23 December 1978 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–5 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: White Hart Lane |
| 26 December 1978 21 | Arsenal | 1–2 | West Bromwich Albion | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 30 December 1978 22 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Birmingham City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 13 January 1979 23 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Nottingham Forest | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 3 February 1979 24 | Manchester United | 0–2 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| Stadium: Old Trafford |
| 10 February 1979 25 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 13 February 1979 26 | Queen's Park Rangers | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Loftus Road |
| 24 February 1979 27 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 3 March 1979 28 | Southampton | 2–0 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell |
| 10 March 1979 29 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Bristol City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 17 March 1979 30 | Ipswich Town | |||
| Stadium: Portman Road |
| 24 March 1979 31 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Manchester City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 26 March 1979 32 | Bolton Wanderers | 4–2 | Arsenal | Bolton |
| Stadium: Burnden Park |
| 3 April 1979 33 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Coventry City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 10 April 1979 35 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 14 April 1979 36 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | Arsenal | West Bromwich |
| Stadium: The Hawthorns |
| 21 April 1979 38 | Derby County | 2–0 | Arsenal | Derby |
| Stadium: Baseball Ground |
| 25 April 1979 39 | Aston Villa | 5–1 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| Stadium: Villa Park |
| 28 April 1979 40 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Norwich City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 5 May 1979 41 | Birmingham City | 0–0 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| Stadium: St Andrew's |
| 19 May 1979 42 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Stamford Bridge |
Football League Cup
| 29 August 1978 Second round | Rotherham United | 3–1 | Arsenal | Rotherham |
| Stadium: Millmoor |
FA Cup
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Sheffield Wednesday.
| 6 January 1979 Third round | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–1 | Arsenal | Sheffield |
| Johnson | Sunderland | Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium |
| 9 January 1979 Third round replay | Arsenal | 1–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | London |
| Brady | Wylde | Stadium: Highbury |
| 15 January 1979 Third round 2nd replay | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 (aet) | Arsenal | Leicester |
| Hornsby (2, 1 pen) | Brady Sunderland |
Stadium: Filbert Street |
| 17 January 1979 Third round 3rd replay | Arsenal | 3–3 (aet) | Sheffield Wednesday | Leicester |
| Stapleton (2) Young |
Rushbury Lowey Hornsby (pen) |
Stadium: Filbert Street |
| 22 January 1979 Third round 4th replay | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–2 | Arsenal | Leicester |
| Gatting Stapleton |
Stadium: Filbert Street |
| 26 February 1979 Fifth round | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
Stapleton  78' |
Stadium: City Ground |
| 19 March 1979 Sixth round | Southampton | 1–1 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Hayes | Price | Stadium: The Dell |
| 21 March 1979 Sixth round replay | Arsenal | 2–0 | Southampton | London |
| Sunderland 32', 75' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 28 April 1979 Semi-Final | Arsenal | 2–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Birmingham |
| Stapleton 50' Sunderland 79' |
Stadium: Villa Park |
| 12 May 1979 Final | Arsenal | 3–2 | Manchester United | London |
| Talbot 12' Stapleton 43'Sunderland 89' |
McQueen 86' McIlroy 88' |
Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 100,000 |
UEFA Cup
| 27 September 1978 First round (2nd Leg) | Lokomotive Leipzig  | 1–4 (1–7 agg.) |  Arsenal | Leipzig |
| Stadium: Bruno-Plache-Stadion |
| 19 October 1978 Second round (1st Leg) | Hajduk Split  | 2–1 | Arsenal | Split |
| Stadium: Plinara Stadion |
| 22 November 1978 Third Round (1st Leg) | Red Star Belgrade | 1–0 | Arsenal | Belgrade |
| Stadium: Red Star Stadium |
| 6 December 1978 Third Round (2nd Leg) | Arsenal | 1–1 (1–2 agg.) | Red Star Belgrade | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
Top scorers
First Division
Frank Stapleton 17- Liam Brady 13
Alan Sunderland 9
References
- ^ "Paul Barron". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ Mason, Peter (31 July 2022). "Terry Neill obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Iz arhive: Kako smo bacili Arsenal na kolena". FK Crvena Zvezda (in Bosnian). 3 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023.
- ^ ISBN 0600588262.
- ^ a b c d Atwood, Tony (18 March 2014). "How Arsenal won the FA Cup in 1979". The History of Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ Pye, Steven (23 September 2023). "When Arsenal won the FA Cup ... after playing four replays in the same round". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023.
- ^ "Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal, 1979 FA Cup". The 1888 Letter. 12 January 2019. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023.
- ^ Brodkin, Jon (19 May 2005). "Five minutes that will live forever". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ Soar, Phil (2003). The official illustrerad history of Arsenal. Hamlyn. p. 134.
- ^ "Malcom Macdonald". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023.
- ^ "All Arsenal players: 1979". 11 vs 11. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Arsenal First Team Line ups". The Arsenal History. 1 April 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
External links
- Arsenal 1978–79 on statto.com