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1993 FA Cup Final
Old Wembley Stadium (external view)
FA Cup Final
EventFA Cup 1992–93
Date15 May 1993
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeKeren Barratt
Attendance79,347
Replay
Date20 May 1993
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeKeren Barratt
Attendance62,267
WeatherRain
1992
1994

The 1993 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley. The original match, played on 15 May 1993, finished 1–1. Arsenal won the replay on 20 May, 2–1 after extra-time.

It was Arsenal's sixth FA Cup Final victory, and their first since the 1979 FA Cup Final. They became the first English side to achieve a domestic cup double, having also won the 1993 Football League Cup Final.

It was Sheffield Wednesday's first appearance in the FA Cup final since 1966. They also reached the League Cup final that season, also losing 2–1 to Arsenal (though without a replay). They have not appeared in a domestic cup final since, reaching two League Cup semi-finals since then.

The replay is also notable as the last Arsenal appearance by veteran defender David O'Leary, who left shortly afterwards to join Leeds United, after an 18-year spell with the Gunners which had yielded 722 competitive games and six major trophies.

Match summary[]

Original match[]

Arsenal took the lead in the 20th minute, when Ian Wright headed in a cross. Sheffield Wednesday equalised in the 61st minute, when David Hirst turned in a low drive, past the advancing Arsenal goalkeeper, David Seaman.

Replay[]

The replay a rainy Thursday night was a much better encounter. The kick-off for the replay was delayed by 30 minutes after an accident on the M1 motorway had delayed the arrival of most of Sheffield Wednesday's fans.

Once again, Ian Wright opened the scoring for Arsenal, running onto a through ball to prod the ball past Chris Woods, into the corner of the net. This was his fourth goal in FA Cup Finals at Wembley, just one behind the record-holder Ian Rush. Wednesday attacked Arsenal in the second half, and their persistence paid off when Chris Waddle's shot deflected off Arsenal defender Lee Dixon into the net.

The game went into extra time, and just when it seemed that the FA Cup Final would need to be decided on penalties, central defender Andy Linighan rose highest from a Paul Merson corner to head the ball goalwards. Goalkeeper Chris Woods fumbled and Graham Hyde could only help the ball into the top of the net. Linighan had played most of the game with a broken nose after Mark Bright had struck him in the face with his elbow and fittingly, it was Bright who Linighan outjumped in order to score.

Firsts and lasts[]

The matches were notable for several reasons; uniquely, the two clubs had already contested the season's League Cup Final, a match which Arsenal had won 2–1.

It was also dubbed the 'longest' FA Cup final. It had not only gone to extra-time in the replay – a match which was delayed by thirty minutes – but was just one minute away from the first ever FA Cup final penalty shoot-out. It was also the last ever FA Cup final to go to a replay; from 1999 onwards, it was decided that all FA Cup finals would be decided on the day.

This was the first FA Cup final in which squad numbers had been used, having been trialled in the League Cup final. Players from both clubs retained the same numbers for the three matches. The system was fully adopted by the Premier League for the following season.

Steve Morrow became the first player to receive a winner's medal before a cup final. He had scored the winning goal in the League Cup final, but suffered a broken arm in celebrations afterwards, and missed the subsequent presentation.

For Arsenal, David O'Leary played his last two official matches after joining the club as an apprentice in 1973. His testimonial took place between the final and the replay, on 17 May 1993. During extra-time in the replay Alan Smith received the only yellow card of his professional career.

In league matches between the two clubs that season, Arsenal won 2–1 at home on 29 August 1992, while Wednesday won their home fixture 1-0 on 6 May 1993.

Match details[]

15 May 1993
15:00 BST
Arsenal 1–1
(a.e.t.)
Sheffield Wednesday Wembley, London
Attendance: 79,347
Referee: Keren Barratt
Wright Goal 20' Report Hirst Goal 61'
Kit left arm arsenal1994
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body arsenal1994
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm arsenal1994
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long
Arsenal
Kit left arm white stripes
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body 3stripesonwhite
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm white stripes
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long
Sheffield Wednesday
GK 1 Flag of England David Seaman
DF 2 Flag of England Lee Dixon
DF 5 Flag of England Andy Linighan
DF 6 Flag of England Tony Adams (c)
DF 3 Flag of England Nigel Winterburn
MF 10 Flag of England Paul Merson
MF 14 Flag of England Paul Davis
MF 17 Flag of Denmark John Jensen
MF 11 Flag of England Ray Parlour Substituted off in the 66th minute 66'
FW 7 Flag of England Kevin Campbell
FW 8 Flag of England Ian Wright Substituted off in the 90th minute 90'
Substitutes:
DF 22 Flag of Republic of Ireland David O'Leary Substituted on in the 90th minute 90'
FW 9 Flag of England Alan Smith Substituted on in the 66th minute 66'
Manager:
Flag of Scotland George Graham
GK 1 Flag of England Chris Woods
RB 2 Flag of Sweden Roland Nilsson
CB 6 Flag of England Viv Anderson (c) Substituted off in the 85th minute 85'
CB 9 Flag of England Paul Warhurst
LB 3 Flag of Northern Ireland Nigel Worthington
RM 8 Flag of England Chris Waddle Substituted off in the 112th minute 112'
CM 4 Flag of England Carlton Palmer
CM 11 Flag of Republic of Ireland John Sheridan
LM 15 Flag of United States John Harkes
CF 5 Flag of England David Hirst
CF 10 Flag of England Mark Bright
Substitutes:
MF 14 Flag of England Chris Bart-Williams Substituted on in the 112th minute 112'
MF 17 Flag of England Graham Hyde Substituted on in the 85th minute 85'
Manager:
Flag of England Trevor Francis

Match officials

  • Assistant referees:
    • Roy Pearson
    • Brian Wigginton
  • Fourth official: Roger Dilkes

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Replay if scores still level.
  • Two named substitutes.
  • Maximum of two substitutions.

Replay[]

20 May 1993
20:30 BST
Arsenal 2–1
(a.e.t.)
Sheffield Wednesday Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 62,267
Referee: Keren Barratt
Wright Goal 34'
Linighan Goal 119'
Waddle Goal 68'
Kit left arm arsenal1994
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body arsenal1994
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm arsenal1994
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long
Arsenal
Kit left arm white stripes
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body 3stripesonwhite
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm white stripes
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long
Sheffield Wednesday
GK 1 Flag of England David Seaman
RB 2 Flag of England Lee Dixon
CB 5 Flag of England Andy Linighan
CB 6 Flag of England Tony Adams (c)
LB 3 Flag of England Nigel Winterburn
RM 14 Flag of England Paul Davis
CM 17 Flag of Denmark John Jensen
LM 10 Flag of England Paul Merson
RF 7 Flag of England Kevin Campbell
CF 8 Flag of England Ian Wright Substituted off in the 81st minute 81'
LF 9 Flag of England Alan Smith
Substitutes:
DF 22 Flag of Republic of Ireland David O'Leary Substituted on in the 81st minute 81'
MF 4 Flag of England Ian Selley
Manager:
Flag of Scotland George Graham
GK 1 Flag of England Chris Woods
RB 2 Flag of Sweden Roland Nilsson Substituted off in the 118th minute 118'
CB 4 Flag of England Carlton Palmer (c)
CB 9 Flag of England Paul Warhurst
LB 3 Flag of Northern Ireland Nigel Worthington
RM 8 Flag of England Chris Waddle
CM 7 Flag of Northern Ireland Danny Wilson Substituted off in the 62nd minute 62'
CM 11 Flag of Republic of Ireland John Sheridan
LM 15 Flag of United States John Harkes
CF 5 Flag of England David Hirst
CF 10 Flag of England Mark Bright
Substitutes:
MF 14 Flag of England Chris Bart-Williams Substituted on in the 118th minute 118'
MF 17 Flag of England Graham Hyde Substituted on in the 62nd minute 62'
Manager:
Flag of England Trevor Francis

Match officials

  • Assistant referees:
    • Roy Pearson
    • Brian Wigginton
  • Fourth official: Roger Dilkes

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Two named substitutes.
  • Maximum of two substitutions.

External links[]

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