Great FA Cup Runs – No.2
This week’s ‘Great FA Cup Run’ is Plymouth Argyle’s run to the 1984 FA Cup Semi Final.
Argyle became the first Third Division club for eight years to reach the FA Semi Final. Just like Crystal Palace in 1976, they would fall at the final hurdle, just missing out on a place in the FA Cup Final.
It all began back in November 1983 with a trip to Roots Hall to play Fourth Division Southend United. The tie ended goalless so it went to a replay at Argyle’s Home Park.
There was to be no upset though as Argyle easily disposed of Southend 2-0, setting up a potentially tricky tie at home to non-league Barking.
There was to be no upset though as Argyle won 2-1 in front of 4,754 fans, goals coming from Mark Rowe and Lindsay Smith.
With the First Division clubs coming in to the Cup at the Third Round stage, Plymouth fans were dreaming up trips to Anfield, Old Trafford or Highbury.
Instead, they were paired with Newport County, also of the Third Division.
The Third Round tie with County ended in a 2-2 draw, the replay set at Newport’s Somerton Park four days later.
A single Andy Rogers goal was enough to send Argyle through to the Fourth Round and a home tie with Darlington.
Darlington were disposed of in a 2-1 win at home to set up a tie away to First Division West Bromwich Albion.
This was to be Argyle’s first match against a team from a higher division and they provided the shock of the round. Tommy Tynan netted the only goal of the game, sending the Third Division side into the Quarter Finals.
A huge crowd of 34,365 fans packed into Home Park with the majority hoping to see Plymouth go through to the Semi-Finals for the first time in their history.
The match was a tense affair, with neither side giving anything away. The match ended in a goalless draw and so a replay was required to separate the sides.
The replay at Derby’s Baseball Ground was played four days later. A rather fortuitous goal by frontman Andy Rogers direct from a corner won the game for the visitors. Plymouth were through to the Semi-Final and Graham Taylor’s Watford lay in wait for them.
Villa Park was the chosen venue to host the semi-final. Both sides had never reached the FA Cup Final before, so it was an historic match.
20,000 Plymouth fans had made their way up to Villa Park, all hoping to see the Third Division side complete another Cup upset.
Sadly, it wasn’t to be and the Argyle fairytale came to an end here, with George Reilly scoring for The Hornets. John Barnes took the ball down the left flank before floating a cross in and George Reilly raced across to head in at the near post.
The closest Argyle came to reaching the semi-finals again was back in 2007. They reached the quarter-finals where they were beaten by……Watford!
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