The1986 FA Cup final was the 105th final of theFA Cup. It took place on 10 May 1986 atWembley Stadium and was aMerseyside derby betweenLiverpool andEverton. The match was played seven days after Liverpool had secured theleague title, with Everton finishing as runners-up. At the time, Liverpool and Everton were widely regarded as the two leading English clubs.

1986 FA Cup Final

Thematch programme cover
Event	1985–86 FA Cup
Liverpool Everton 3 1
Date	10 May 1986
Venue	Wembley Stadium,London
Referee	Alan Robinson (Hampshire)
Attendance	98,000
←1985 1987 →

Liverpool won the match 3–1, thus completing theDouble inKenny Dalglish’s first season as a player manager. Everton led at half-time throughGary Lineker, before the second half sawIan Rush score two goals andCraig Johnston one. As Liverpool had already won the league, Everton would have claimed a place in the1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, but the ban on English clubs in European competitions following theHeysel disaster the previous season meant that they were unable to do so (in addition to Liverpool not claiming a place in theEuropean Cup for their league win).^[1]

This was Liverpool's third FA Cup Final victory, and their first since1974. Everton, meanwhile, were playing in their third consecutive FA Cup Final and suffered their second consecutive defeat; notable changes from the side that had lost toManchester Unitedthe previous year wereBobby Mimms in goal in place of the injuredNeville Southall – Everton had signed veteranPat Jennings on a short-term deal as emergency cover – and new signingGary Lineker playing in the forward position that had previously been occupied byAndy Gray.^[2]

As substituteSteve McMahon was unused, Liverpool became the first team to compete in the FA Cup Final without fielding an English player^[3] since Queen's Park fielded all-Scottish teams in 1884 and 1885.Craig Johnston became the firstAustralian to score in a FA Cup Final, when he put Liverpool ahead in the second half.^[4]

Twenty years later, in April 2006, the final was replayed in a charity game atAnfield, in aid ofThe Marina Dalglish Appeal. Liverpool won again, this time on a 1–0 scoreline, thanks to a late goal fromJohn Durnin.^[5]

• LFC History Report
• BBC Article on the match
• Guardian As It Happened