The 1984 FA Cup final was contested by Everton and Watford at Wembley. Everton won 2–0, with one goal by Graeme Sharp and a controversial goal from Andy Gray. He was adjudged by many to have fouled the Watford goalkeeper Steve Sherwood by heading the ball from Sherwood's hands. Everton had reached the final seven times previously, winning in 1906, 1933 and 1966. This was Watford's first FA Cup Final appearance.
With the exception of Andy Gray (who had been a Football League Cup winner earlier in his career with Aston Villa and then Wolverhampton Wanderers), this was the first major honour that any of the Everton players in this match had collected. It also ended Everton's 14-year wait for a trophy and was the first of eight honours they would win over the next four seasons. The period would prove to be the most successful spell in the club's history.
The closest Watford came to scoring was inside the first three minutes when John Barnes miscued a shot on the Everton goal, while Les Taylor's 25-yard shot went wide and Mo Johnston had a narrow miss with a header.
Match details
GK 1 Neville SouthallRB 2 Gary StevensLB 3 John BaileyDF 4 Kevin Ratcliffe (c)DF 5 Derek MountfieldMF 6 Peter ReidMF 7 Trevor StevenFW 8 Adrian HeathFW 9 Graeme SharpFW 10 Andy GrayMF 11 Kevin RichardsonSubstitute:DF 12 Alan HarperManager: Howard Kendall GK 1 Steve SherwoodRB 2 David BardsleyLB 3 Neil Price MF 4 Les Taylor (c)DF 5 Steve TerryDF 6 Lee SinnottRM 7 Nigel CallaghanFW 8 Mo JohnstonFW 9 George ReillyMF 10 Kenny JackettLM 11 John BarnesSubstitute:FW 12 Paul Atkinson Manager: Graham Taylor Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Replay if scores still level One named substitute Maximum of one substitution
References
External links FA Cup Finals Match Report FA Cup Final Programme