1997–98 FA Cup
Tournament details
Country England
 Wales
Defending championsChelsea
Final positions
ChampionsArsenal (7th title)
Runner-upNewcastle United
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorer(s)Andy Cole
Alan Shearer
Gareth Dodds
(5 goals)

The 1997–98 FA Cup (known as The FA Cup sponsored by Littlewoods for sponsorship reasons) was the 117th staging of the FA Cup. The competition was won by Arsenal with a 2–0 victory against Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.

Calendar

RoundInitial MatchesNew EntriesClubs
Preliminary roundSaturday 30 August 1997318563 → 404
First round qualifyingSaturday 13 September 1997129404 → 260
Second round qualifyingSaturday 27 September 1997none260 → 188
Third round qualifyingSaturday 11 October 1997none188 → 152
Fourth round qualifyingSaturday 25 October 199720152 → 124
First round properSaturday 15 November 199752124 → 84
Second round properSaturday 6 December 1997none84 → 64
Third round properSaturday 3 January 19984464 → 32
Fourth round properSaturday 24 January 1998none32 → 16
Fifth round properSaturday 14 February 1998none16 → 8
Sixth round properSaturday 7 March 1998none8 → 4
Semi-finalsSunday 5 April 1998none4 → 2
FinalSaturday 16 May 1998none2 → 1

Qualifying

First round proper

Teams from the Football League Second and Third Division entered in this round, and four non-league teams, Woking, Dagenham & Redbridge, Stevenage Borough and Hednesford Town, were given byes to this round. The matches were played on 14 November 1997. There were fourteen replays, with four ties requiring a penalty shootout to settle them.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Blackpool4–3Blyth Spartans15 November 1997
2Chester City2–1Winsford United15 November 1997
3Chesterfield1–0Northwich Victoria15 November 1997
4Darlington1–1Solihull Borough15 November 1997
ReplaySolihull Borough3–3Darlington26 November 1997
Darlington won 4–2 on penalties
5AFC Bournemouth3–0Heybridge Swifts15 November 1997
6Barnet1–2Watford15 November 1997
7Bristol City1–0Millwall15 November 1997
8Preston North End3–2Doncaster Rovers15 November 1997
9Rochdale0–2Wrexham15 November 1997
10Walsall2–0Lincoln United15 November 1997
11Woking0–2Southend United15 November 1997
12Notts County2–0Colwyn Bay16 November 1997
13Lincoln City1–1Gainsborough Trinity15 November 1997
ReplayLincoln City3–2Gainsborough Trinity25 November 1997
14Luton Town0–1Torquay United15 November 1997
15Shrewsbury Town1–1Grimsby Town15 November 1997
ReplayGrimsby Town4–0Shrewsbury Town25 November 1997
16Wycombe Wanderers2–2Basingstoke Town15 November 1997
ReplayBasingstoke Town2–2Wycombe Wanderers25 November 1997
Basingstoke Town won 5–4 on penalties
17Brentford2–2Colchester United15 November 1997
ReplayColchester United0–0Brentford25 November 1997
Colchester United won 4–2 on penalties
18Bristol Rovers2–2Gillingham14 November 1997
ReplayGillingham0–2Bristol Rovers25 November 1997
19King's Lynn1–0Bromsgrove Rovers15 November 1997
20Plymouth Argyle0–0Cambridge United15 November 1997
ReplayCambridge United3–2Plymouth Argyle25 November 1997
21Hull City0–2Hednesford Town15 November 1997
22Carlisle United0–1Wigan Athletic15 November 1997
23Oldham Athletic1–1Mansfield Town15 November 1997
ReplayMansfield Town0–1Oldham Athletic25 November 1997
24Exeter City1–1Northampton Town15 November 1997
ReplayNorthampton Town2–1Exeter City25 November 1997
25Scunthorpe United2–1Scarborough15 November 1997
26Margate1–2Fulham16 November 1997
27Cheltenham Town2–1Tiverton Town15 November 1997
28Southport0–4York City15 November 1997
29Morecambe1–1Emley15 November 1997
ReplayEmley3–3Morecambe25 November 1997
Emley won 3–1 on penalties
30Carshalton Athletic0–0Stevenage Borough15 November 1997
ReplayStevenage Borough5–0Carshalton Athletic24 November 1997
31Hereford United2–1Brighton & Hove Albion15 November 1997
32Rotherham United3–3Burnley15 November 1997
ReplayBurnley0–3Rotherham United25 November 1997
33Hayes0–1Boreham Wood15 November 1997
34Hendon2–2Leyton Orient15 November 1997
ReplayLeyton Orient0–1Hendon25 November 1997
35Ilkeston Town2–1Boston United15 November 1997
36Slough Town1–1Cardiff City15 November 1997
ReplayCardiff City3–2Slough Town25 November 1997
37Swansea City1–4Peterborough United14 November 1997
38Farnborough Town0–1Dagenham & Redbridge15 November 1997
39Hartlepool United2–4Macclesfield Town15 November 1997
40Billericay Town2–3Wisbech Town15 November 1997

Second round proper

The second round of the competition featured the winners of the first round ties. The matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday 6 December 1997, with nine replays and three penalty shootouts required, each of which featured a team who won on penalties in the previous round.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Chester City0–2Wrexham5 December 1997
2AFC Bournemouth3–1Bristol City7 December 1997
3Preston North End2–2Notts County6 December 1997
ReplayNotts County1–2Preston North End16 December 1997
4Wisbech Town0–2Bristol Rovers6 December 1997
5Grimsby Town2–2Chesterfield6 December 1997
ReplayChesterfield0–2Grimsby Town16 December 1997
6Macclesfield Town0–7Walsall6 December 1997
7Lincoln City2–2Emley6 December 1997
ReplayEmley3–3Lincoln City17 December 1997
Emley won 4–3 on penalties
8Hednesford Town0–1Darlington6 December 1997
9Fulham1–0Southend United6 December 1997
10Northampton Town1–1Basingstoke Town6 December 1997
ReplayBasingstoke Town0–0Northampton Town16 December 1997
Northampton Town won 4–3 on penalties
11Oldham Athletic2–1Blackpool6 December 1997
12Scunthorpe United1–1Ilkeston Town6 December 1997
ReplayIlkeston Town1–2Scunthorpe United17 December 1997
13Cardiff City3–1Hendon6 December 1997
14Cheltenham Town1–1Boreham Wood6 December 1997
ReplayBoreham Wood0–2Cheltenham Town16 December 1997
15Torquay United1–1Watford6 December 1997
ReplayWatford2–1Torquay United16 December 1997
16Rotherham United6–0King's Lynn6 December 1997
17Wigan Athletic2–1York City6 December 1997
18Peterborough United3–2Dagenham & Redbridge6 December 1997
19Colchester United1–1Hereford United6 December 1997
ReplayHereford United1–1Colchester United16 December 1997
Hereford United won 5–4 on penalties
20Cambridge United1–1Stevenage Borough6 December 1997
ReplayStevenage Borough2–1Cambridge United15 December 1997

Third round proper

The third round was scheduled for Saturday 3 January 1998, although six matches were postponed until later dates. This round marked the point at which the teams in the two highest divisions in the English league system, the Premiership and the Football League First Division, entered the competition. There were eight replays, with two of these games requiring a penalty shootout to settle it.

Emley of the Northern Premier League made national headlines, when, after coming through the non-league qualifying, and seeing off Morecambe and Lincoln City in the previous rounds, they only lost narrowly to a West Ham United team containing the likes of Rio Ferdinand, David Unsworth, Eyal Berkovic, John Hartson and Frank Lampard.[1]

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Darlington0–4Wolverhampton Wanderers14 January 1998
2AFC Bournemouth0–1Huddersfield Town13 January 1998
3Liverpool1–3Coventry City3 January 1998
4Preston North End1–2Stockport County3 January 1998
5Watford1–1Sheffield Wednesday3 January 1998
ReplaySheffield Wednesday0–0Watford14 January 1998
Sheffield Wednesday won 5–3 on penalties
6Leicester City4–0Northampton Town3 January 1998
7Blackburn Rovers4–2Wigan Athletic3 January 1998
8Grimsby Town3–0Norwich City3 January 1998
9Crewe Alexandra1–2Birmingham City3 January 1998
10West Bromwich Albion3–1Stoke City13 January 1998
11Derby County2–0Southampton3 January 1998
12Everton0–1Newcastle United4 January 1998
13Swindon Town1–2Stevenage Borough3 January 1998
14Sheffield United1–1Bury3 January 1998
ReplayBury1–2Sheffield United13 January 1998
15Tottenham Hotspur3–1Fulham5 January 1998
16Manchester City2–0Bradford City3 January 1998
17Queens Park Rangers2–2Middlesbrough3 January 1998
ReplayMiddlesbrough2–0Queens Park Rangers13 January 1998
18Barnsley1–0Bolton Wanderers3 January 1998
19Bristol Rovers1–1Ipswich Town3 January 1998
ReplayIpswich Town1–0Bristol Rovers13 January 1998
20Portsmouth2–2Aston Villa3 January 1998
ReplayAston Villa1–0Portsmouth14 January 1998
21West Ham United2–1Emley3 January 1998
22Crystal Palace2–0Scunthorpe United3 January 1998
23Chelsea3–5Manchester United4 January 1998
24Wimbledon0–0Wrexham4 January 1998
ReplayWrexham2–3Wimbledon13 January 1998
25Cardiff City1–0Oldham Athletic3 January 1998
26Charlton Athletic4–1Nottingham Forest3 January 1998
27Arsenal0–0Port Vale3 January 1998
ReplayPort Vale1–1Arsenal14 January 1998
Arsenal won 4–3 on penalties
28Cheltenham Town1–1Reading13 January 1998
ReplayReading2–1Cheltenham Town20 January 1998
29Leeds United4–0Oxford United3 January 1998
30Hereford United0–3Tranmere Rovers13 January 1998
31Rotherham United1–5Sunderland3 January 1998
32Peterborough United0–2Walsall13 January 1998

Fourth round proper

The fourth round ties were played with the 32 winners of the previous round. The matches were originally scheduled for Saturday 24 January 1998. There were five replays, with one penalty shootout.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Aston Villa4–0West Bromwich Albion24 January 1998
2Sheffield Wednesday0–3Blackburn Rovers26 January 1998
3Middlesbrough1–2Arsenal24 January 1998
4Ipswich Town1–1Sheffield United24 January 1998
ReplaySheffield United1–0Ipswich Town3 February 1998
5Tranmere Rovers1–0Sunderland24 January 1998
6Tottenham Hotspur1–1Barnsley24 January 1998
ReplayBarnsley3–1Tottenham Hotspur4 February 1998
7Manchester City1–2West Ham United25 January 1998
8Coventry City2–0Derby County24 January 1998
9Manchester United5–1Walsall24 January 1998
10Crystal Palace3–0Leicester City24 January 1998
11Huddersfield Town0–1Wimbledon24 January 1998
12Cardiff City1–1Reading24 January 1998
ReplayReading1–1Cardiff City3 February 1998
Reading won 4–3 on penalties
13Charlton Athletic1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers24 January 1998
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers3–0Charlton Athletic3 February 1998
14Leeds United2–0Grimsby Town24 January 1998
15Birmingham City2–1Stockport County24 January 1998
16Stevenage Borough1–1Newcastle United25 January 1998
ReplayNewcastle United2–1Stevenage Borough4 February 1998

Fifth round proper

The fifth-round matches were scheduled for Saturday 14 February 1998. There were four replays, with one penalty shootout.

The biggest surprise of the round was arguably Barnsley's 3–2 win (in the replay that followed a 1–1 draw) over Manchester United. Barnsley were in their first season as a top division side (and ended it with relegation), while United were defending league champions and were also in contention for the league title and the European Cup at this time, although they ended the season trophyless.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Aston Villa0–1Coventry City14 February 1998
2Sheffield United1–0Reading13 February 1998
3Newcastle United1–0Tranmere Rovers14 February 1998
4West Ham United2–2Blackburn Rovers14 February 1998
ReplayBlackburn Rovers1–1West Ham United25 February 1998
West Ham United won 5–4 on penalties
5Manchester United1–1Barnsley15 February 1998
ReplayBarnsley3–2Manchester United25 February 1998
6Wimbledon1–1Wolverhampton Wanderers14 February 1998
ReplayWolverhampton Wanderers2–1Wimbledon25 February 1998
7Arsenal0–0Crystal Palace15 February 1998
ReplayCrystal Palace1–2Arsenal25 February 1998
8Leeds United3–2Birmingham City14 February 1998

Sixth round proper

The sixth round ties were scheduled for the weekend of 7 and 8 March 1998. Two replays were played on the 17th, both of which went to penalties.

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United, Division One sides, both progressed to the semi-finals at the expense of Premier League sides. Wolverhampton Wanderers were particularly impressive in doing this, as the side they eliminated from the cup (Leeds United) went on to finish fifth in the Premier League.

Coventry City1–1Sheffield United
Dublin 32' (pen) Marcelo 45'
Attendance: 23,084
Referee: Steve Dunn
Leeds United0–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Goodman 82'
Attendance: 39,902
Referee: Paul Durkin
Arsenal1–1West Ham United
Bergkamp 26' (pen) Pearce 12'
Attendance: 38,077
Referee: Mike Reed
Newcastle United3–1Barnsley
Ketsbaia 16'
Speed 27'
Batty 90'		 Liddell 57'
Attendance: 36,695
Referee: Neale Barry

Replays

Sheffield United1–1Coventry City
Holdsworth 89' Telfer 10'
Attendance: 29,034
Referee: Steve Dunn

Sheffield United won 3–1 on penalties.

West Ham United1–1Arsenal
Hartson 81' Anelka 45'
Bergkamp Red card
Attendance: 25,859
Referee: Mike Reed

Arsenal won 4–3 on penalties.

Semi-finals

The two semi-final matches were played on Sunday 5 April 1998. Both ties were played at neutral venues and resulted in victories for Arsenal and Newcastle United, who went on to meet in the final at Wembley. The losing sides were both Division One teams, who endured further disappointment over the next few weeks by being pipped to promotion.

Wolverhampton Wanderers0–1Arsenal
Wreh 12'
Attendance: 39,372
Newcastle United1–0Sheffield United
Shearer 60'
Attendance: 53,452
Referee: Graham Poll

Final

The 1998 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Newcastle United at Wembley on 16 May 1998. Arsenal won 2–0, with goals by Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka to complete their second league title/FA Cup double. They joined Manchester United as only the second English team to achieve this, although Arsenal did so with an entirely different set of players (their first double was in 1971, whereas United's doubles were in 1994 and 1996).

Arsenal2–0Newcastle United
Overmars 23'
Anelka 69'		 (Report)
Attendance: 79,183
Referee: Paul Durkin (Dorset)
Arsenal
Newcastle United

Media coverage

In the United Kingdom, ITV were the free to air broadcasters, taking over from the BBC, while Sky Sports were the subscription broadcasters for the tenth consecutive season.

The matches shown live on ITV Sport were: Everton 0–1 Newcastle United (R3); Manchester City 1–2 West Ham United (R4); Arsenal 0–0 Crystal Palace (R5); Arsenal 1–1 West Ham United (QF); Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Arsenal (SF); and Arsenal 2–0 Newcastle United (Final)

References

  1. ↑ "West Ham United v Emley, 03 January 1998".
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