1983 FA Cup final

For the women's event, see 1983 WFA Cup final.

The 1983 FA Cup final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.

1983 FA Cup Final

Event	1982–83 FA Cup
Brighton & Hove Albion Manchester United
Manchester United won after a replay
Final
Brighton & Hove Albion Manchester United 2 2
After extra time
Date	21 May 1983
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Alf Grey (Norfolk)
Attendance	99,059
Replay
Brighton & Hove Albion Manchester United 0 4
Date	26 May 1983
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Alf Grey (Norfolk)
Attendance	91,534

Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season, and had never reached a cup final before. United had finished third in the league that season and already had four FA Cup victories to their name.

The final ended in a 2–2 draw, forcing a replay at Wembley five days later, which Manchester United won 4–0. It was the third successive year that the FA Cup Final required a replay.

The first match

The first match finished 2–2 after extra time. Gordon Smith and Gary Stevens scored for Brighton; Frank Stapleton and Ray Wilkins for Manchester United. The first game is famous for the radio commentary by Peter Jones "...and Smith must score" talking about a shot by Gordon Smith, which was then saved by the Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey; the quote was subsequently used as a title for a Brighton fanzine. Bailey's save forced a replay and prevented Brighton from winning the first major trophy in their history.

The replay

The second game, on a Thursday night, started the same way as the first game had, with Brighton taking the game to Manchester United. Although their chances were limited to long-range drives from Jimmy Case, United goalkeeper Gary Bailey had a couple of important saves to make. This all changed on 25 minutes, with United's first real attack. Alan Davies, who had made his FA Cup debut in the first game, set up captain Bryan Robson for a left-footed drive past Moseley into the corner of the net. Suddenly the atmosphere changed and it was the Manchester United fans who were singing loudest. This was compounded in the 30th minute, when United went 2–0 up, giving the team a two-goal cushion for the first time over the two matches. Brighton failed to clear a corner, and Davies crossed for Norman Whiteside to score with a header, making the 18 year old the youngest player to ever score in an FA Cup final as per 2024. This capped an incredible 12 months for the teenager, who had played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup for Northern Ireland, and scored in the League Cup final defeat to Liverpool earlier that year.

Brighton were rocked but continued to press, yet went further behind just before half time. Gordon McQueen headed on a free-kick and the ball fell to Robson to tap in at the far post, for his second goal of the game. The scoring was completed in the second half when the Dutch midfielder Arnold Mühren scored a penalty after Robson had been brought down by Stevens in the penalty area. It was the third consecutive year that a penalty had been awarded (and scored) in the Cup Final replay.

This was the first of three times that Bryan Robson captained Manchester United to FA Cup glory; he also achieved the feat in 1985 and 1990.

Match details

21 May 1983

Brighton & Hove Albion	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Manchester United
Smith 14' Stevens 87'	Report	Stapleton 55' Wilkins 72'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 99,059

Referee: Alf Grey (Great Yarmouth)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Manchester United

GK 1 Graham Moseley RB 2 Chris Ramsey CB 6 Gary Stevens CB 5 Steve Gatting LB 3 Graham Pearce RM 11 Neil Smillie CM 4 Tony Grealish (c) CM 7 Jimmy Case LM 8 Gary Howlett CF 9 Michael Robinson CF 10 Gordon Smith Substitute: MF 12 Gerry Ryan Manager: Jimmy Melia

GK 1 Gary Bailey RB 2 Mike Duxbury CB 5 Kevin Moran CB 6 Gordon McQueen LB 3 Arthur Albiston RM 11 Alan Davies CM 4 Ray Wilkins CM 7 Bryan Robson (c) LM 8 Arnold Mühren CF 9 Frank Stapleton CF 10 Norman Whiteside Substitute: MF 12 Ashley Grimes Manager: Ron Atkinson

Assistant referees: Colin Downey (Hounslow) John Pardoe (Kidderminster) Reserve official: John Connock (Bristol)

Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Replay if scores still level One named substitute Maximum of one substitution

Replay match details

26 May 1983

Brighton & Hove Albion	0–4	Manchester United
		Robson 25', 44' Whiteside 30' Mühren 62' (pen.)

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 91,534

Referee: Alf Grey (Norfolk)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Manchester United

GK 1 Graham Moseley RB 2 Steve Gatting CB 6 Gary Stevens CB 5 Steve Foster (c) LB 3 Graham Pearce RM 11 Neil Smillie CM 4 Tony Grealish CM 7 Jimmy Case LM 8 Gary Howlett CF 9 Michael Robinson CF 10 Gordon Smith Substitute: MF 12 Gerry Ryan Manager: Jimmy Melia

GK 1 Gary Bailey RB 2 Mike Duxbury CB 5 Kevin Moran CB 6 Gordon McQueen LB 3 Arthur Albiston RM 11 Alan Davies CM 4 Ray Wilkins CM 7 Bryan Robson (c) LM 8 Arnold Mühren CF 9 Frank Stapleton CF 10 Norman Whiteside Substitute: MF 12 Ashley Grimes Manager: Ron Atkinson

Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. One named substitute. Maximum of one substitution.

External links

• Line-ups