| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England Wales |
| Defending champions | Manchester United |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Everton(4th title) |
| Runners-up | Watford |
The1983–84 FA Cup was the 103rd season of the world's oldestfootball knockout competition,The Football Association Challenge Cup, orFA Cup. The competition was won byEverton, who defeated first-time finalistsWatford 2–0 atWembley.
Most participating clubs that were not members of theFootball League competed in the qualifying rounds to secure one of 28 places available in the first round.
The winners from the fourth qualifying round wereFrickley Athletic,Macclesfield Town,Whitby Town,Penrith,Bangor City,Mossley,Hyde United,AP Leamington,Kettering Town,Burton Albion,Gainsborough Trinity,Boston United,Chelmsford City,Wycombe Wanderers,Harrow Borough,Wealdstone,Dagenham,Barnet,Dartford,Barking,Maidstone United,Farnborough Town,Windsor & Eton,Yeovil Town,Worcester City,Poole Town,Waterlooville andCorinthian-Casuals.
Harrow Borough was the only qualifying club appearing in the competition proper for the first time. Of the others, Chelmsford City had last featured at this stage in1974–75, Frickley Athletic had last done so in1973-74, Bangor City had last done so in1972-73, Whitby Town had not advanced from the qualifying rounds since1969-70, Gainsborough Trinity and Poole Town since1966-67, Corinthian-Casuals since1965-66 and Hyde United since1954-55.
The 48 teams from theFootball League Third andFourth Divisions entered this round along with the 28 non-league clubs from the qualifying rounds andTelford United,Northwich Victoria,Enfield andAltrincham who were given byes. The round included three clubs from the various competitions at Step 8 of English football who were the lowest-ranked teams in the draw: Penrith, Whitby Town and Corinthian-Casuals.
The first round matches were played over the weekend of 19–20 November 1983. Replays were played on 21–23 November, or 28 November.
The second round matches were played mainly on 10 December 1983, with a couple of ties and replays being played on 13–14 December, or 19 December. Whitby Town, from theNorthern League (Step 8) was the lowest-ranked team in the round.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chesterfield | 2–2 | Burnley | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Burnley | 3–2 | Chesterfield | 19 December 1983 |
| 2 | Darlington | 0–0 | Altrincham (5) | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Altrincham | 0–2 | Darlington | 14 December 1983 |
| 3 | Reading | 1–1 | Oxford United | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Oxford United | 3–0 | Reading | 14 December 1983 |
| 4 | Gillingham | 6–1 | Chelmsford City (6) | 10 December 1983 |
| 5 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–0 | Mansfield Town | 10 December 1983 |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Sheffield United | 1–0 | Lincoln City | 19 December 1983 |
| 7 | Windsor & Eton (7) | 0–0 | AFC Bournemouth | 13 December 1983 |
| Replay | AFC Bournemouth | 2–0 | Windsor & Eton | 19 December 1983 |
| 8 | Bangor City (5) | 1–1 | Blackpool | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Blackpool | 2–1 | Bangor City | 13 December 1983 |
| 9 | Brentford | 3–2 | Wimbledon | 10 December 1983 |
| 10 | Bristol Rovers | 1–2 | Bristol City | 10 December 1983 |
| 11 | Maidstone United (5) | 3–2 | Worcester City (5) | 10 December 1983 |
| 12 | Northampton Town | 1–1 | Telford United (5) | 10 December 1983 |
| Replay | Telford United | 3–2 | Northampton Town | 14 December 1983 |
| 13 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–1 | Barking (6) | 10 December 1983 |
| 14 | Millwall | 2–3 | Swindon Town | 10 December 1983 |
| 15 | Scunthorpe United | 2–0 | Bury | 10 December 1983 |
| 16 | York City | 0–2 | Rochdale | 13 December 1983 |
| 17 | Rotherham United | 2–1 | Hull City | 10 December 1983 |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Whitby Town (8) | 10 December 1983 |
| 19 | Colchester United | 4–0 | Wealdstone (5) | 10 December 1983 |
| 20 | Harrow Borough (6) | 1–3 | Newport County | 10 December 1983 |
Teams from theFootball League First andSecond Divisions entered in this round. The third round matches were played over the weekend 6–8 January 1984. Replays took place on 10–11 January, with second replays on 16 January. Holders Manchester United were eliminated by third-tier AFC Bournemouth. Maidstone United and Telford United, from theAlliance Premier League (Step 5) were the lowest-ranked teams in the round.
The fourth round matches were mainly played over the weekend of 28–29 January 1984. Some games were instead played or replayed on 30 January–1 February.Telford United was the last non-league club left in the competition.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 3–2 | Coventry City | 30 January 1984 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 2–0 | AFC Bournemouth | 31 January 1984 |
| 3 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–0 | Scunthorpe United | 1 February 1984 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 1–2 | Birmingham City | 28 January 1984 |
| 5 | Derby County | 3–2 | Telford United (5) | 1 February 1984 |
| 6 | Everton | 0–0 | Gillingham | 28 January 1984 |
| Replay | Gillingham | 0–0 | Everton | 31 January 1984 |
| Replay | Gillingham | 0–3 | Everton | 6 February 1984 |
| 7 | Swindon Town | 1–2 | Blackburn Rovers | 28 January 1984 |
| 8 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–0 | Ipswich Town | 28 January 1984 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–0 | Norwich City | 28 January 1984 |
| Replay | Norwich City | 2–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1 February 1984 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 0–1 | Southampton | 28 January 1984 |
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2–0 | Liverpool | 29 January 1984 |
| 12 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–1 | Darlington | 28 January 1984 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 1–1 | West Ham United | 28 January 1984 |
| Replay | West Ham United | 2–0 | Crystal Palace | 31 January 1984 |
| 14 | Huddersfield Town | 1–2 | Notts County | 1 February 1984 |
| 15 | Charlton Athletic | 0–2 | Watford | 28 January 1984 |
| 16 | Oxford United | 2–1 | Blackpool | 28 January 1984 |
The fifth round matches were all played on 17–18 February 1984, with no replays required. Third Division sides Plymouth Argyle and Oxford United were the lowest-ranked teams in the round.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford | 3–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 18 February 1984 |
| 2 | Notts County | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | 18 February 1984 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–1 | Southampton | 17 February 1984 |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion | 0–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 18 February 1984 |
| 5 | Derby County | 2–1 | Norwich City | 18 February 1984 |
| 6 | Everton | 3–0 | Shrewsbury Town | 18 February 1984 |
| 7 | Birmingham City | 3–0 | West Ham United | 18 February 1984 |
| 8 | Oxford United | 0–3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 18 February 1984 |
The sixth round matches were played on the weekend of 10–11 March 1984 with replays on 14 and 20 March. Plymouth Argyle, from the Third Division, was again the lowest-ranked team in the round.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notts County | 1–2 | Everton | 10 March 1984 |
| 2 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–0 | Southampton | 11 March 1984 |
| Replay | Southampton | 5–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 20 March 1984 |
| 3 | Plymouth Argyle | 0–0 | Derby County | 10 March 1984 |
| Replay | Derby County | 0–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 14 March 1984 |
| 4 | Birmingham City | 1–3 | Watford | 10 March 1984 |
Referee:- George Courtney (Spennymoor)
Referee:- Joe Worrall (Warrington)
          Everton |      Watford |
The right to show FA Cup games were, as with Football League matches, shared between the BBC and ITV network. For the first time, four games were allowed to be screened Live from the Third round to the Sixth round and shared between the two companies, as well as the Final. An attempt by the broadcasters to show the Semi-Finals live on consecutive Sunday afternoons was rejected by the FA in November 1983. Other games were shown in a highlights format. ITV coverage was now nationalized for the first time, although a strike prevented ITV coverage of the Third round. No highlights or live games were screened from Rounds One and Two.Third RoundBBC Liverpool v Newcastle United (LIVE-Friday Evening), Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City v Aston Villa (Midweek replay), Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham (Midweek replay)ITV No games broadcast due to strike (Though one of the 2 scheduled ITV ties Bournemouth v Manchester United was filmed by ITV cameras the goals were shown on On The Ball the football preview segment of World Of Sport the following week).Fourth RoundBBC Shrewsbury Town v Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City, Portsmouth v SouthamptonITV Brighton & Hove Albion v Liverpool (LIVE-Sunday Afternoon), Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur (Midweek replay)Fifth RoundBBC Blackburn Rovers v Southampton (LIVE-Friday Evening)ITV Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion, Derby County v Norwich City, Oxford United v Sheffield WednesdaySixth Round BBC Birmingham City v Watford, Plymouth Argyle v Derby County, Notts County v Everton, Derby County v Plymouth Argyle (Midweek replay)ITV Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton (LIVE-Sunday Afternoon)Semi-FinalsBBC Plymouth Argyle v WatfordITV Everton v SouthamptonFinal Everton v Watford, shown Live by both the BBC & ITV.
