1993 FA Cup Final: Arsenal 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (won after a replay)
The last replay final

The footage

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1993

The match report

Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday arrived at Wembley with the uncomfortable familiarity of teams repeating a final. They had met there in the League Cup the previous month, when Arsenal won 2-1, and now became the first pair to contest both English domestic cup finals in the same season. Both had also played an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. The first match of this final therefore gave each club a third visit to the ground in six weeks, with the replay still to come.[16][15][12]

The routes had already tested both sides beyond their Wembley derbies. Arsenal survived a 2-2 home draw with Leeds and won the replay 3-2 after extra time, then scored six goals across away wins at Yeovil and Ipswich before edging Tottenham 1-0 in the semi-final. Wednesday also needed a quarter-final replay after drawing 3-3 at Derby and winning 1-0 at Hillsborough, then beat city rivals Sheffield United 2-1 after extra time. Neither route was a procession: each finalist arrived after one replay and one extra-time tie. Wednesday's semi-final had itself required extra time at Wembley, whereas Arsenal's north London derby was settled in normal time.[11][15]

The drawn match began with Wednesday making the clearer chances. Carlton Palmer's header and Chris Waddle's free-kick both required David Seaman saves, but Arsenal took control as Nigel Winterburn advanced from left back and Paul Davis restricted John Sheridan. The lead came from a set piece: Davis delivered, Andy Linighan headed across goal and Ian Wright finished at the far post. It was the first of two goals Wright would score across this tie.[1][7]

Wednesday's reply also came through a chain of headers. Sheridan crossed, Mark Bright flicked the ball on, John Harkes returned it into the danger area and David Hirst drove past Seaman with his left foot. Both scorers had arrived short of full fitness: Wright had broken a toe and Hirst was still working back from injury. Their ability to finish rescued a match in which neither midfield created enough. The contemporary account describes deliberate cancellations: John Jensen followed Waddle, Davis shadowed Sheridan, and Paul Warhurst played at centre-back rather than continuing as Wednesday's emergency striker. That helps explain why both goals grew from aerial second balls instead of a clean pass through midfield.[1][2]

A late Woods save from Wright forced extra time, but the substitutions made the match still more cautious. Anderson's injury moved Palmer into the Wednesday defence, while David O'Leary replaced Wright for Arsenal. No further goal came. After 120 minutes the score remained 1-1, and the players were told to return to the same ground five days later.[1][7][10]

Both managers changed the balance for the replay. Arsenal promoted Alan Smith and left out Ray Parlour, shifting Kevin Campbell away from the centre. Wednesday lost Anderson after a fitness test on his bruised knee, moved Palmer into central defence and put Danny Wilson into midfield. The night brought wintry rain, and a motorway accident delayed thousands travelling south and pushed the kick-off back by half an hour.[3][12]

The changes opened the match. Smith's flick released Wright to beat Palmer and Warhurst before clipping the ball across Woods for the first goal. Wednesday answered after the interval: Harkes crossed from the right, the Arsenal defence did not clear and Waddle's shot travelled in off Dixon. Bright then missed the clearest chance to give Wednesday the lead, shooting wide with only Seaman to beat.[3][12]

Extra time brought chances at both ends and the first penalty shoot-out in a Wembley final moved closer. Then Paul Merson took a corner in the final minute. Linighan, already playing with a broken nose after a challenge from Bright, rose above the defence and headed through Woods' attempt to save. One minute later penalties would have begun. Instead Arsenal won 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday ended a season of admired football with two cup-final defeats to the same opponent.[3][12][14]

The result made Arsenal the first English club to win the FA Cup and League Cup in one season. It was their sixth FA Cup and George Graham's second major trophy of the campaign. For the competition it was also an ending: no later final went to a replay. The rule survived for several more seasons, but when the next final finished level the cup was settled on the day.[12][15][18]

How the match unfolded

1. opening minutesCarlton Palmer heads a John Sheridan corner beneath the bar and David Seaman pushes it away. Seaman then turns Chris Waddle's free-kick over.[1]
2. 20'Ian Wright puts Arsenal ahead. Paul Davis sends in a free-kick, Andy Linighan heads it across goal and Wright heads in at the far post.[7][1]
3. 61'David Hirst equalises for Sheffield Wednesday. Sheridan crosses, Mark Bright and John Harkes keep the move alive with headers, and Hirst drives a left-footed shot past Seaman.[7][1]
4. 66'Arsenal replace Ray Parlour with Alan Smith.[7][1]
5. 85'Viv Anderson leaves with a leg injury and Graham Hyde replaces him, forcing Carlton Palmer back into the Wednesday defence.[7][1]
6. one minute before normal time endsWright meets a head-high ball across the Wednesday penalty area, but Chris Woods deflects the volley over and the match goes to extra time.[1]
7. 90'David O'Leary replaces the injured Wright as extra time begins.[7][1]
8. 112'Chris Bart-Williams replaces Waddle during extra time.[7]
9. after extra timeThe first match ends 1-1 and the cup remains undecided. A replay is required at Wembley five days later.[1][10]

The replay

Five days after the draw, the teams returned to Wembley on a wet Thursday night. A motorway accident delayed the kick-off by half an hour, two starting places changed, and another two hours of football were needed before Andy Linighan settled the last replayed FA Cup final.

Date

Thursday 20 May 1993

Venue

Wembley Stadium

Attendance

62,267The replay drew 62,267, the smallest recorded FA Cup final crowd at the original Wembley.[10][12]

Referee

Keren Barratt (Coventry)[3][10]

Scorers

Ian Wright 34'
Chris Waddle 68'
Andy Linighan 119'[3][10][12]

Changes from the first match

• Alan Smith started at centre forward in place of Ray Parlour. George Graham wanted a more attacking shape after the first match had stalled.[3][10]
• Danny Wilson came into midfield and Carlton Palmer moved back into central defence in place of Viv Anderson. Anderson failed a late fitness test on a bruised knee.[3][10]

1. 16'Alan Smith releases Paul Merson in the inside-left channel, but Merson's shot is weak and Chris Woods saves.[3]
2. 25'Lee Dixon crosses from the right and Andy Linighan heads wide from close range.[3]
3. 34'Ian Wright beats Palmer and Warhurst before clipping the opening goal past Woods.[3][12]
4. 62'Graham Hyde replaces Danny Wilson for Sheffield Wednesday.[3][10]
5. 68'Chris Waddle equalises with a shot that deflects off Lee Dixon after John Harkes crosses from the right.[3][12]
6. 71'Mark Bright has a clear chance to put Wednesday ahead but shoots wide.[3]
7. 81'David O'Leary replaces Wright in what becomes O'Leary's final competitive appearance for Arsenal.[3][12]
8. 118'Chris Bart-Williams replaces Roland Nilsson as penalties approach.[3][10]
9. 119'Linighan heads Merson's corner over the line to win the cup for Arsenal before a shoot-out can begin.[3][12][14]

Match facts

Date

Saturday 15 May 1993

Venue

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance

79,347The recorded attendance for the drawn first match is 79,347.[7][10]

Referee

Keren Barratt (Coventry)[1][7][10]

Scorers

Ian Wright 20'
David Hirst 61'[1][10][7]

Half-time

1-0

Competition

1992-93 FA Cup

Where they played

Both sides as they lined up. Choose any player to read what they did in this final.

Select a shirt for that player's note.

Route to the final

Line-ups

Trivia and detail

• The two clubs met in three Wembley cup-final matches that season: the League Cup final, the drawn FA Cup final and the FA Cup final replay. Arsenal's aggregate score across 330 minutes was 5-3.[16][1][3]
• The replay was David O'Leary's final competitive appearance for Arsenal. He had joined the club as an apprentice in 1973 and finished with the club appearance record.[12][13]
• Alan Smith received the only yellow card of his professional career during extra time in the replay.[12]
• The replay crowd of 62,267 was the smallest recorded for an FA Cup final at the original Wembley.[12][15]
• The first match was the first FA Cup final in which players wore persistent squad numbers and names on their shirts, after the system had been trialled in the League Cup final between the same clubs.[17][18]
• John Harkes became the first United States player to appear in an FA Cup final.[18]
• Ian Wright was the 1992-93 FA Cup's leading scorer, with 10 goals in seven appearances. His two goals across the final matches completed that total.[8][9]
• Steve Morrow scored Arsenal's League Cup final winner against Wednesday but missed both FA Cup final matches after fracturing his right arm when Tony Adams accidentally dropped him during the Wembley celebrations. Morrow received his League Cup medal immediately before the drawn FA Cup final.[5][6]

How well do you know the 1993 final?

Five questions. Every answer is sourced from the material on this page.

1. Who scored Arsenal's winning goal in the replay?

   Andy LinighanIan WrightPaul MersonAlan Smith
   Answer

   Andy Linighan. Linighan headed in Merson's corner in the final minute of extra time.[3][12]

2. Who equalised for Sheffield Wednesday in the drawn first match?

   David HirstChris WaddleMark BrightJohn Harkes
   Answer

   David Hirst. Hirst drove in with his left foot after Bright and Harkes headed the ball into his path.[1][7]

3. Which Arsenal player started the replay in place of Ray Parlour?

   Alan SmithDavid O'LearyIan SelleyMartin Keown
   Answer

   Alan Smith. George Graham promoted Smith to lead the attack and moved Kevin Campbell to the right.[3][10]

4. Why was the replay kick-off delayed?

   A motorway accident delayed travelling supportersThe Wembley floodlights failedThe pitch needed a late inspectionThe first match overran
   Answer

   A motorway accident delayed travelling supporters. An accident on the M1 held up thousands travelling from the north, so kick-off moved back by half an hour.[3][12]

5. What domestic achievement did Arsenal complete with the replay win?

   The first FA Cup and League Cup doubleThe first unbeaten league and cup doubleThe first European and FA Cup doubleThe first treble by an English club
   Answer

   The first FA Cup and League Cup double. Arsenal had already beaten the same opponents in the League Cup final and became the first English club to win both cups in one season.[3][12]

What is not settled

Honesty matters more than tidiness. These details are contested or unrecorded, and we have not guessed at them:

• Goal-minute notation differs systematically. 11v11 and modern tables label the first-match goals 20 and 61, while the contemporary Independent report says they came after 21 and 62 minutes. In the replay, the tables label Wright's goal 34 while the newspaper says it came after 33 minutes. This record uses elapsed-minute labels and preserves the contemporary wording here.
• The contemporary first-match report and 11v11 differ by one minute on Alan Smith replacing Ray Parlour, giving 65 and 66. This record follows the elapsed-minute database figure of 66.
• The contemporary first-match report and 11v11 differ by one minute on Chris Bart-Williams replacing Chris Waddle, giving 111 and 112. This record follows the elapsed-minute database figure of 112.
• The Independent replay report spells the referee's surname Barrett. 11v11, RSSSF and standard reference works use Barratt, which is the form used here.
• The replay attendance is consistently recorded as 62,267 by RSSSF, Arsenal and FA Cup Finals. One Arsenal season summary prints 62,367; that appears to be a transcription error and is not used.
• The formations are reconstructed as 4-4-2 from the named XIs and the contemporary descriptions of roles. The sources establish the players and tactical changes, but do not print formation diagrams.

How we know

Every claim on this page is tied to a numbered source below. These are the contemporary records behind it, each one fetched and matched word for word before publication rather than taken on trust:

• Norman Fox match report, 16 May 1993 · The Independent
• Trevor Haylett, 17 May 1993 · The Independent
• Joe Lovejoy match report, 21 May 1993 · The Independent
• Final preview, 15 May 1993 · The Independent
• Joe Lovejoy League Cup final report, 19 April 1993 · The Independent
• News report, 13 May 1993 · The Independent
• Nigel Worthington interview, 7 November 2013 · The Football Association
• Chris Woods Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper FA Cup final 1993 shirt · The National Football Shirt Collection

Where a primary record and a modern account disagree, we show both rather than choosing the tidier number.

Sources

1. FA Cup Final: Hirst keeps Wednesday in the hunt · The Independent
2. FA Cup Final: Labour shortage forces strike action from production line · The Independent
3. FA Cup Final Replay: Wednesday left in Linighan's wake · The Independent
4. FA Cup Final: Adams' final ambition poses threat to England · The Independent
5. Football: Arsenal's triumph devalued · The Independent
6. Football: Morrow's medal · The Independent
7. Arsenal v Sheffield Wednesday, 15 May 1993 · 11v11
8. Ian Wright football player statistics · 11v11
9. FA Cup 1992-93 statistics · zerozero
10. England - FA Cup Finals 1946-2000 · Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
11. England - FA Challenge Cup 1992-1993 · Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
12. GGM 42: Last-gasp Linighan clinches FA Cup · Arsenal FC
13. May 2, 1958: David O'Leary's birthday · Arsenal FC
14. York boss Worthington on top FA Cup moment · The Football Association
15. 1993 FA Cup Final: Arsenal vs Sheffield Wednesday · FA Cup Finals
16. 1993 Football League Cup final · Wikipedia
17. Chris Woods Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper FA Cup final 1993 shirt · The National Football Shirt Collection
18. 1993 FA Cup final · Wikipedia

Elsewhere in the encyclopedia

Other finals involving these clubs

• 1971 Arsenal: Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
• 1979 Arsenal: Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
• 1998 Arsenal: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United
• 2001 Arsenal: Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool
• 2002 Arsenal: Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
• 2003 Arsenal: Arsenal 1-0 Southampton

Other finals at Wembley Stadium

• 1923 Bolton Wanderers 2-0 West Ham United
• 1953 Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers
• 1971 Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
• 1973 Sunderland 1-0 Leeds United
• 1979 Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
• 1987 Coventry City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Elsewhere on WhatChan