Match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 1976–77 FA Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 21 May 1977 | ||||||
| Venue | Wembley Stadium,London | ||||||
| Referee | Bob Matthewson (Bolton) | ||||||
| Attendance | 99,252 | ||||||
←1976 1978 → | |||||||
The1977 FA Cup final was the final match of the1976–77 FA Cup, the 96th season of England's premier cupfootball competition. The match was played on 21 May 1977 atWembley Stadium,London, and it was contested byManchester United andLiverpool. United won the game 2–1.[1] All three goals came in a five-minute period early in the second half.Stuart Pearson opened the scoring when he latched onto a long ball forward and drove a hard shot pastRay Clemence. Liverpool equalised throughJimmy Case soon after, as he turned and hooked a right foot half-volley into the top corner, giving Stepney no chance. However, just three minutes later, United regained the lead whenLou Macari's shot deflected off teammateJimmy Greenhoff's chest and looped into the net past Clemence andPhil Neal on the line.Jimmy Greenhoff's brotherBrian was also in the United line-up, making them the first pair of brothers to play in a winning FA Cup final team sinceGeorge andTed Robledo played forNewcastle United in 1952.
Liverpool had already won the league title, which meant Manchester United qualified for the1977–78 European Cup Winners' Cup regardless of the result. Liverpool then won theEuropean Cupfour days later, so United's victory prevented them from becoming the first club to win thecontinental treble of League, FA Cup, and European Cup titles – United would instead become the first English club to achieve this feat22 years later.
ForTommy Docherty, this was his first FA Cup final win in four attempts: he had lost as a player with Preston in1954, as a manager with Chelsea in1967 and with Manchester United in1976.
| Liverpool | 1–2 | Manchester United |
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| Case | Report | Pearson J. Greenhoff |
![]() ![]() ![]() Liverpool | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Manchester United |
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Match officials
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Peter Corrigan andJulie Welch (22 May 1977). "United win the Cup".The Observer. p. 1.