1984–85 FA Cup

Qualifying rounds

Most participating clubs that were not members of the Football League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 28 places available in the first round.

The winners from the fourth qualifying round were Penrith, Stalybridge Celtic, Goole Town, Blue Star, Whitby Town, Tow Law Town, Macclesfield Town, Frickley Athletic, Nuneaton Borough, Barnet, King's Lynn, Burton Albion, VS Rugby, Kettering Town, Buckingham Town, Metropolitan Police, Fisher Athletic, Bishop's Stortford, Dagenham, Enfield, Dartford, Staines Town, Barry Town, Weymouth, Bognor Regis Town, Yeovil Town, Farnborough Town and Windsor & Eton.

Appearing in the competition proper for the first time were Blue Star, VS Rugby, Buckingham Town, Fisher Athletic and Staines Town. Of the others, King's Lynn had last featured at this stage in 1973–74, Bognor Regis Town had last done so in 1972-73, Tow Law Town had last done so in 1968-69, Barry Town had last done so in 1961-62, Stalybridge Celtic had last done so in 1947-48 and Metropolitan Police had last done so in 1931-32.

Additionally, Barry Town - competing exclusively in the Welsh League this season - was the first club from outside the English football system to reach the first round of the FA Cup since (Northern) Irish side Distillery in 1889-90.

First round proper

The 48 teams from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions entered in this round along with the 28 non-league qualifiers and Northwich Victoria, Bangor City, Altrincham and Telford United who were given byes. The first round of games were played over the weekend 17–19 November 1984. Replays were played on 19th-20th, except that for Swindon Town and Dagenham, which was played on 26th. Blue Star, from the Wearside League at Step 10 of the English football system, was ostensibly the lowest-ranked team in the round as the Welsh League was the highest-standard football competition in Wales at the time.

(* Barry Town was competing in the Welsh Football League National Division, outside the English football system, this season.)

Second round proper

The second round of games were played over 7–8 December 1984, with replays being played on 11th, 12th and 17th. The round featured two teams from Step 6 of the English football system: Bognor Regis Town from the Isthmian League Premier Division and Burton Albion from the Northern Premier League.

Third round proper

Teams from the Football League First and Second Division entered in this round. Most of the third round of games in the FA Cup were played over the weekend 4–6 January 1985, with the exception of the Gillingham-Cardiff City match. Replays took place at various times over the period 8–28 January.

Burton Albion (Step 6) was again the lowest-ranked team in the round. The FA ordered their tie with Leicester City to a replay behind closed doors after the Albion goalkeeper had been struck by a bottle in the first game (played at the Baseball Ground in Derby) which had ended in a 6–1 win for Leicester. The replay was held at Coventry City's Highfield Road stadium.

Fourth round proper

The fourth round of games were mainly played over the weekend 26–27 January 1985. Some games were instead played or replayed on 29–30 January or 4 February. Telford United, from the Alliance Premier League (Step 5), was the lowest-ranked team in the round and became the first non-league club to defeat four Football League opponents in one tournament since Tottenham Hotspur in that club's 1900-01 Cup-winning campaign.

Fifth round proper

The fifth set of games were intended to be played on 15–16 February 1985, but most of these matches were not played until 4 March, with replays taking place on 6th. Telford United was the last non-league club left in the competition.

Sixth round proper

The sixth round of FA Cup games were played either at the weekend on 9–10 March or midweek on 13 March 1985. A replay was also played on this later date.

Former Everton manager Harry Catterick collapsed and died at the ground shortly after the first match between Everton and Ipswich Town. Everton players wore black armbands in the replay in his memory. The match between Luton Town and Millwall was suspended for 25 minutes by crowd violence.

Mountfield Zondervan

Whiteside Allen

Whelan

Replay

Semi-finals

(a.e.t) Stapleton Walsh

(a.e.t) Mountfield

Replay

Hughes

Final

Main article: 1985 FA Cup final

15:00 BST (a.e.t.) Whiteside

Television coverage

The right to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV. As per the arrangements of the previous season four games were allowed to be screened Live from the Third round to the sixth and shared between the two companies, as well as the Final. For the first time since 1970 ITV nationally screened a second round tie with highlights of Reading v Bognor Regis Town. Replays were shared between the two companies.

First Round BBC Met Police v Dartford (Report only)

Second Round BBC Dagenham v Peterborough United (Report only)

ITV Reading v Bognor Regis Town (Highlights shown nationally after the league game Southampton v Arsenal and the World Club Championship match from Tokyo with commentary from Peter Brackley)

Third Round BBC Leeds United v Everton (LIVE-Friday Evening) ITV Fulham v Sheffield Wednesday Hereford United v Arsenal Liverpool v Aston Villa Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest (Midweek replay) Charlton Athletic v Tottenham Hotspur (Midweek replay)

Fourth Round BBC York City v Arsenal Orient v Southampton Grimsby Town v Watford Wimbledon v Nottingham Forest (Midweek replay) ITV Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur (LIVE-Sunday Afternoon)

Fifth Round BBC Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United (LIVE-Friday Evening) Luton Town v Watford (Saturday 2nd replay) ITV York City v Liverpool Everton v Telford United

Sixth Round BBC Manchester United v West Ham United Everton v Ipswich Town Luton Town v Millwall (Midweek) Ipswich Town v Everton (Midweek replay) ITV Barnsley v Liverpool (LIVE-Sunday Afternoon)

Semi-Finals BBC Everton v Luton Town ITV Liverpool v Manchester United Liverpool v Manchester United (Midweek replay)

Final Everton v Manchester United shown Live by both the BBC & ITV.

References

• FA Cup Results Archive
• MOTD Listings https://sites.google.com/site/motdlistings/home
• ITV Listings http://carousel.royalwebhosting.net/itv/BigMatch83-88.html
• Midweek Football Listings http://carousel.royalwebhosting.net/itv/Mid-Week_c.html

References

1. [https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/cardiff-face-threat-of-ground-closure-662540.html The Independent, 8 January 2002]{{dead link. (August 2021)