1986 FA Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1986 FA Cup Final was a Merseyside derby
between Liverpool
and Everton
at Wembley. The match was played seven days after Liverpool had secured the league title, with Everton finishing as runners-up. Liverpool went on to win this match 3–1, with two goals from Ian Rush
, and one from Craig Johnston
after Gary Lineker
had put Everton ahead in the first half.
This match is notable in that it was the first FA Cup Final to feature a team without any English footballers in the starting lineup. Even the Cardiff FA Cup sides of 1925 and 1927 had an English player, Billy Hardy
. However, Liverpool did name an English player as substitute, Steve McMahon
(who did not come on in the game), and did start with English-born Mark Lawrenson
– who had opted to play for the Republic of Ireland due to his ancestry.
Liverpool had already won the First Division title, and so completed the double. Everton
had also finished as runners-up to Liverpool in the league. However, the ban on English clubs in European competitions imposed after the previous season's Heysel disaster remained in force, meaning that Everton were unable to compete in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup (Liverpool as league champions would have gone into the European Cup
).
Notable changes to the Everton side who had been runners-up in the final a year earlier were the absence of goalkeeper Neville Southall
due to injury (his place in the team being taken by Bobby Mimms) and new signing Gary Lineker playing in the forward position which had previously been occupied by Andy Gray.
Liverpool, on the other hand, were competing in their first FA Cup final for 9 years, they had not won it for 12, and had no players remaining from the side that had won the 1974 final.
The last remaining player to leave winners Liverpool was Ian Rush, who departed in 1996, while Kevin Ratcliffe's departure from Everton in 1992 meant that the runners-up had lost all of their players from the FA Cup final team within six years.
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
EVERTON:
|
GK
1
Bobby Mimms
RB
2
Gary Stevens
LB
3
Pat Van Den Hauwe
CB
4
Kevin Ratcliffe
(c)
CB
5
Derek Mountfield
CM
6
Peter Reid
CM
7
Trevor Steven
CF
8
Gary Lineker
CF
9
Graeme Sharp
RM
10
Paul Bracewell
LM
11
Kevin Sheedy
Substitute:
MF
12
Adrian Heath
Manager:
Howard Kendall
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
between Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Wembley. The match was played seven days after Liverpool had secured the league title, with Everton finishing as runners-up. Liverpool went on to win this match 3–1, with two goals from Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
, and one from Craig Johnston
Craig Johnston
Craig Johnston is a former football player who was one of the first Australians to make a major impact in the English game. He is remembered for his time spent with Liverpool throughout the 1980s...
after Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
had put Everton ahead in the first half.
This match is notable in that it was the first FA Cup Final to feature a team without any English footballers in the starting lineup. Even the Cardiff FA Cup sides of 1925 and 1927 had an English player, Billy Hardy
Billy Hardy
Billy Hardy is a former bantamweight and featherweight boxer champion. He held the British championship at bantamweight and featherweight, as well as the European and Commonwealth featherweight titles....
. However, Liverpool did name an English player as substitute, Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
(who did not come on in the game), and did start with English-born Mark Lawrenson
Mark Lawrenson
Mark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
– who had opted to play for the Republic of Ireland due to his ancestry.
Liverpool had already won the First Division title, and so completed the double. Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
had also finished as runners-up to Liverpool in the league. However, the ban on English clubs in European competitions imposed after the previous season's Heysel disaster remained in force, meaning that Everton were unable to compete in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup (Liverpool as league champions would have gone into the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
).
Notable changes to the Everton side who had been runners-up in the final a year earlier were the absence of goalkeeper Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
due to injury (his place in the team being taken by Bobby Mimms) and new signing Gary Lineker playing in the forward position which had previously been occupied by Andy Gray.
Liverpool, on the other hand, were competing in their first FA Cup final for 9 years, they had not won it for 12, and had no players remaining from the side that had won the 1974 final.
The last remaining player to leave winners Liverpool was Ian Rush, who departed in 1996, while Kevin Ratcliffe's departure from Everton in 1992 meant that the runners-up had lost all of their players from the FA Cup final team within six years.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | LIVERPOOL: | ||
| GK | 1 |  Bruce GrobbelaarBruce Grobbelaar Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar... |
|
| CB | 2 | Mark Lawrenson Mark Lawrenson Mark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his... |
|
| LB | 3 | Jim Beglin Jim Beglin James Martin "Jim" Beglin is a former Irish professional footballer.- Life and career :Beglin played schoolboy football in his native city with Bolton and Waterford Bohs before joining Shamrock Rovers in 1980... |
|
| RB | 4 | Steve Nicol Steve Nicol Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a... |
|
| LM | 5 | Ronnie Whelan Ronnie Whelan Ronald Andrew "Ronnie" Whelan is a former Irish football midfielder, and sometimes defender, who was an integral part of the dominant Liverpool side of the 1980s... |
|
| CB | 6 | Alan Hansen Alan Hansen Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland... (c) |
|
| SS | 7 | Kenny Dalglish Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and... |
|
| RM | 8 |  Craig JohnstonCraig Johnston Craig Johnston is a former football player who was one of the first Australians to make a major impact in the English game. He is remembered for his time spent with Liverpool throughout the 1980s... |
|
| CF | 9 | Ian Rush Ian Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... |
|
| CM | 10 |  Jan MølbyJan Mølby Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :... |
|
| CM | 11 | Kevin MacDonald Kevin MacDonald (footballer) Kevin Duncan MacDonald is a Scottish former footballer who played in the Liverpool "double" winning side of 1986.... |
|
| Substitute: | |||
| MF | 12 | Steve McMahon Steve McMahon Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s... |
|
| Player/Manager: | |||
| Kenny Dalglish Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and... |
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Bobby MimmsBobby Mimms
Robert Andrew "Bobby" Mimms is an English former football goalkeeper.-Playing career:Born in York, Mimms began his footballing career as an apprentice at Halifax Town. However, he failed to break into the first team and joined Rotherham United in November 1981 for a fee of £15,000...
Gary StevensGary Stevens
Gary Michael Stevens is a retired English footballer who is best remembered playing in defence for a successful Everton side of the 1980s, as well as for the England national football team....
Pat Van Den HauwePat Van Den Hauwe
Patrick William Roger "Pat" Van Den Hauwe is a former professional footballer who made 401 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall...
Kevin RatcliffeKevin Ratcliffe
Kevin Ratcliffe is a former Welsh footballer who spent most of his career playing for Everton. He was born in Mancot, near Queensferry in North Wales.-Club career:...
(c)
Derek MountfieldDerek Mountfield
Derek Mountfield is an English former football player, who played as a centre-back.His time at top-flight clubs Everton and subsequently Aston Villa were where he gained most fame, as Everton enjoyed successful periods at this time...
Peter ReidPeter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
Trevor StevenTrevor Steven
Trevor McGregor Steven is a football talent scout. He was formerly an England footballer who shot to fame with the successful Everton side of the 1980s....
Gary LinekerGary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
Graeme SharpGraeme Sharp
Graeme Marshall Sharp is a former footballer. He started his playing career at Dumbarton before signing for Everton for £120,000 in 1980....
Paul BracewellPaul Bracewell
Paul Bracewell , in Heswall, Merseyside), but was brought up in Newport, Shropshire, is an English former international footballer who played as a midfielder, although his career was hampered by injuries as the years went by.-Career:...
Kevin Sheedy Adrian HeathAdrian Heath
Adrian Paul Heath is an English football manager and former player. He manages American USL Pro Orlando franchise. As a player he is remembered as part of the Everton side of the 1980s, where he won several trophies...
Howard KendallHoward Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....