History – Arsenal have won 14 FA Cup Finals – Here are the 7 that we LOST (and how we got there) | OneFootball

Arsenals FA Cup final upsets

The Arsenal have heralded the FA Cup more times (14) than any other football team in England.

The Gunners last lifted the FA Cup in 2020 in Mikel Arteta’s first season at The Emirates, when we came back from an early goal to knock down Frank Lampard’s Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley.

Despite this impressive record The Gunners have slipped up in seven finals.

These are the following FA Cup finals The North Londoner’s have lost, some you’ll be able to remember and some before your time!

1927

Arsenal appeared in their first ever FA Cup final in 1927 against Cardiff City who had already lost in the final two years previously 1-0 versus Sheffield United. Herbert Chapman’s players would struggle to live up to the occasion, losing late on to a Hugh Ferguson strike which was partially let in by accident by the elbow of Dan Lewis in goal after struggling to hold the shot. The Cup was then paraded back to Wales for the one and only time in the history of the competition following the Bluebirds 1-0 victory.

Road to the final:

Third Round, Sheffield United 2-3 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: James Brain, Charlie Buchan, Joe Hulme

Fourth Round, Port Vale 2-2 Arsenal, replay Arsenal 1-0 Port Vale

Goalscorer’s during first game: Brain, Buchan

Goalscorer’s for replay: Buchan

Fifth Round, Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool

Goalscorer’s: Brain, Buchan

Quarter-finals, Arsenal 2-1 Wolves

Goalscorer’s: Billy Blyth, Jack Butler

Semi-finals, Arsenal 2-1 Southampton

Goalscorer’s, Hulme, Buchan

1932

After having only won the tournament two years previously for the first time in history against Huddersfield Town, Chapman’s Gunners boiled under pressure this time round. Bob John handed Arsenal the opener after a quarter of an hour gone on the referees watch, Jack Allen then equalised for the Magpies before the break before snatching the eventual 2-1 winner with 18 minutes to go. Controversy ruined Arsenals hopes of silverware, Newcastle’s winger Jimmy Richardson crossed the ball after it went out of play to Allen who ended up scoring the leveller. The official stated at the time that the ball had not run out of play, but later on through the use of photographic technology, it was obvious the ball was not in play when crossed!

Road to the final:

Third Round, Arsenal 11-1 Darwen

Goalscorer’s: David Jack (3), Hulme (2), Cliff Bastin (4), Jack Lambert (2)

Fourth Round, Arsenal 4-2 Plymouth Argyl

Goalscorer’s: Lambert (2), Hulme and own goal

Fifth Round, Portsmouth 0-2 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Bastin, Hulme

Quarter-finals, Huddersfield Town 0-1 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Herbie Roberts

Semi-finals, Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City

Goalscorer’s: Bastin

1952

Two decades later after having already lost to Newcastle once in an FA Cup final, the same happened again! A late finish from Chilean International George Robledo gifted The Tynesider’s the FA Cup again (1-0), with Thomas Whittakers’ Arsenal rather distraught. A year later though they would pick up the First Division!

Road to the final:

Third Round, Norwich City 0-5 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s, Don Roper, Peter Goring, Doug Lishman (2), Jimmy Logie

Fourth Round, Arsenal 4-0 Barnsley

Goalscorer’s: Reg Lewis (3), Lishman

Fifth Round, Leyton Orient 0-3 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Lewis, Lishman (2)

Quarter-finals, Luton 2-3 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Freddie Cox (2), Arthur Milton

Semi-finals, Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea

Goalscorer’s: Cox (2), Lishman

1972

Road to the final:

After having just won the double the season prior Bertie Mee’s Arsenal were the current Cup holders after beating Liverpool 2-1 in 1971 at Wembley. They would struggle to retain their honour with the all conquering Leeds United of the 1960s and early 1970s just about dismantling The Gunners 1-0. Allan Clarke jumped up with the winner in front of 100,000 spectators eight minutes into the second half with his close range header. This was the only time that Leeds have won the competition, ever!

Third Round, Swindon 0-2 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: George Armstrong, Alan Ball

Fourth Round, Arsenal 2-1 Reading

Goalscorer’s: Pat Rice and own goals

Fifth Round, Derby 2-2 Arsenal, replay Arsenal 0-0 Derby, second replay Arsenal 1-0 Derby

Goalscorer’s: original game Charlie George (2), second replay Ray Kennedy

Quarter-finals, Orient (Leyton Orient) 0-1 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Alan Ball

Semi-finals, Arsenal 1-1 Stoke, replay Arsenal 2-1 Stoke

Goalscorer’s: original game, George Armstrong, replay, George, John Radford

1978

It was Arsenals first appearance in the FA Cup final since their earlier beating six years beforehand to Don Revie’s “dirty” Leeds United. Terry Neil’s men would suffer again at the hands of their opposition (Ipswich) with Bobby Robson in charge who would later take England to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990. After 77 minutes of fighting Roger Osborne flew in the 1-0 winner from inside the Arsenal box with no mercy.

Road to the final:

Third Round, Sheffield United 0-5 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Malcolm Macdonald (2), Davod O’ Leary, Frank Stapleton (2)

Fourth Round, Arsenal 2-1 Wolves

Goalscorer’s: Macdonald, Alan Sunderland

Fifth Round, Arsenal 4-1 Walsall

Goalscorers: Stapleton (2), Sunderland, Macdonald

Quarter-finals, Wrexham 2-3 Arsenal

Goalscorers:  Macdonald, Sunderland, Willie Young

Semi-finals, Arsenal 3-0 Orient (Leyton Orient)

Goalscorers: Macdonald (2), Graham Rix

1980

The occasion marked Arsenals third consecutive FA Cup final on the trot which would see only one win come in 1979 versus Manchester United 3-2 in dramatic fashion. In the 1980 final West Ham’s Sir Trevor Brooking scored the goal which would win the East Londoner’s their latest FA cup (1-0) after only 13 minutes in ferocious style.

Route to the final:

Third Round, Cardiff 0-0 Arsenal, replay Arsenal 2-1 Cardiff

Goalscorer’s: replay, Alan Sunderland (2)

Fourth Round, Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Goalscorer’s: Sammy Nelson, Brian Talbot

Fifth Round: Bolton Wanderer’s 1-1 Arsenal, replay Arsenal 3-0 Bolton

Goalscorer’s: original game,  Frank Stapleton, replay Sunderland (2), Stapleton

Quarter-finals, Watford 1-2 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Stapleton (2)

Semi-finals: Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool, first replay 1-1 Liverpool, second replay Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool, third replay Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool

Goalscorers: first replay, Sunderland, second replay Sunderland, third replay Talbot

2001

Arsene Wenger would go onto win a record seven FA Cups however it could’ve been eight had The Gunners not let go against Liverpool. After a tough first half in the final, Freddie Ljungberg came out of his shell to hand Arsenal the opener after 72 minutes but in the final seven minutes a young Michael Owen came into his own netting twice to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory for Liverpool.

Route to final:

Third Round, Carlisle 0-1 Arsenal

Goalscorer: Sylvain Wiltord

Fourth Round, QPR 0-6 Arsenal

Goalscorer’s: Christopher Plummer Own goal, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Wiltord (2) ,Matthew Rose

Fifth Round, Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Goalscorers: Thierry Henry, Wiltord (2)

Quarter-finals, Arsenal 3-0 Bolton

Goalscorer’s: Wiltord, Pires, Tony Adams

Semi-Finals, Arsenal 2-1 Spurs

Goalscorer’s: Pires, Patrick Vieira

Liam Harding

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