As Liverpool prepare to face Brighton in the 5th round of football’s oldest cup competition and hope to forge another path to Wembley this season, let’s take a quick look back at our cup winning (and losing) pedigree.
Liverpool F.C. have been to 13 FA Cup finals, winning seven of those which makes us joint-fourth overall (alongside Villa) in the all-time winners list. However, our first two trips to the final both ended in defeat – in 1914 losing 1-0 to Burnley, and in 1950 losing 2-0 to Arsenal.
The Reds finally got their hands on the famous old trophy in 1965; an 2-1 extra-time victory over Leeds United before feeling the heartbreak of losing after extra-time versus Arsenal once more in 1971.
The 1970’s brought two more Wembley Cup Finals; ’74 with Shankly and Keegan marked the infamous 3-0 win over Newcastle United, before succumbing to bitter rivals Manchester United 2-1 in ’77; losing out on what would have been a famous treble that season.
Wembley seemed to be Liverpool’s second home for the all-conquering sides of the 80’s. Under Kenny Dalglish, the defeat to Wimbledon in ’88 was sandwiched between glorious ’86 and ’88 wins over derby rivals Everton – remember Ian Rush smashing that camera in the corner of the net?
Liverpool won the cup again in 1992 under Graeme Souness’ reign, lost against Manchester United in ’96 (shudder at those suits…) before winning it twice in Cardiff, due to the heroics of Michael Owen in 2001 and Steven Gerrard in 2006, versus Arsenal and West Ham United respectively.
What’s your favourite Reds FA Cup memory? Share it with us below…
Just to clarify, Old big ears is the champions league trophy not the fa cup.