The 1983 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion was billed as another potential David & Goliath clash.  History hadn’t always favoured the more fancied side and this year again the outsiders gave a good account of themselves in a 2-2 draw.  Unfortunately for the seaside-club the replay was far less satisfactory.

Manchester United finished 3rd in the First Division behind Liverpool and Watford while Brighton finished last and suffered the ignominy of relegation.  The Cup Final became their final chance to grab some glory from a very poor season where they won just 9 of their 42 League matches.

This was Brighton’s first appearance in a Cup Final while their more illustrious northern rivals had already climbed the famous Wembley steps five times to accept the trophy.

The underdogs scored first in the 14th minute through a Gordon Smith header and they held on to the lead at half-time.  Ten minutes into the second stanza Manchester United’s Frank Stapleton leveled the score and when Ray Wilkins scored from long range in the 77th minute it looked like Brighton’s brave fight was over.  Gary Stevens was the hero for Brighton when he tied the match up at 2-2 with just 3 minutes to play.  Extra-time was largely uneventful until the last few minutes when Gordon Smith was seemingly clear on goal but Gary Bailey in United’s goal pulled off a magnificent save to send the final into a replay.

Brighton were not able to get themselves up for a second match against the might of Manchester United and they ran all over them in the replay winning 4-0,  the largest winning margin since Bury beat Derby 6-0 in 1903.  18-year-old Norman Whiteside scored between 2 first-half strikes from Bryan Robson and when Dutchman Arnold Muhren converted a penalty in the 62nd minute the red ribbons were tied to the FA Cup.

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