Three Consecutive FA Cup Finals – FA Cup Factfile
This season Manchester City have become the ninth different club to reach the FA Cup Final in three successive seasons. It is the tenth time this particular feat has been achieved, and to follow are details of how clubs fared in their three consecutive FA Cup Finals in the past.
The Wanderers – 1876, 1877 and 1878
In the early days of the FA Cup The Wanderers were the dominant club of the competition having lifted the Trophy in both the first two campaigns. And they would face both the clubs they vanquished in those two Finals when returning to the Oval in three consecutive seasons a few years later.
The Wanderers reached the 1876 FA Cup Final having conceded just one goal and scoring 12 in their four matches. In the Final they faced the previous season’s runners-up Old Etonians who had also conceded just the once but had scored 14 times in their games.
Just as in the previous season the Final ended in a one-one draw after Old Etonians had opened the scoring, but unlike the previous season there was to be no extra time and the game went straight to a replay.
The Wanderers dominated the replay a week later, winning by three goals to nil and lifting the Trophy for the third time in five years.
The following season, due to the continued increase in popularity of the FA Cup, an extra round was required to eliminate all but the final two, although the FA hadn’t really got around to shaping the format of the competition and subsequently Wanderers’ opponents in the 1877 FA Cup Final arrived there via a bye in the Semi-Finals.
Oxford University had been beaten by The Wanderers in the Final at the end of their first FA Cup campaign four years previously but went on to lift the Trophy themselves in the following season, so revenge for that defeat may well have been on their minds.
This time The Wanderers reached the Final without conceding a goal, although a walkover and a bye meant they played fewer games to get there than the previous season.
As per the previous season The Wanderers went behind, this time due to the first ever own goal in a Final by Lord Arthur Kinnaird, but rallied very late in the game to equalise with less than five minutes to go to create the third successive one-one draw in the Final.
This time extra time was played and William Lindsay netted what proved to be the winner in the 97th minute to secure a fourth title for The Wanderers and the second time they had retained the Trophy.
The Wanderers reached the 1878 FA Cup Final courtesy of a bye in the Semi-Finals and having netted 26 times in the four previous rounds. Their opponents this season would be the same club they defeated in the very first FA Cup Final, Royal Engineers.
The Royal Engineers had lifted the FA Cup themselves three years earlier and had overcome Oxford University after three closely fought, high scoring games in the Fourth Round in this season’s competition. They were probably the best club of the 1870s but were found wanting when facing The Wanderers in FA Cup Finals.
In this Final it was The Wanderers who took an early lead but Royal Engineers equalised 15 minutes later with a goal that no-one has ever been able to identify who scored, being attributed to a ‘rush’ at the time.
The Wanderers regained their lead a further 15 minutes later and settled the match with a third just after the hour mark to claim a third successive FA Cup Final victory and their fifth triumph over all. FA rules at the time meant The Wanderers were presented the Trophy which they would keep permanently. The club returned the Trophy to the FA on the proviso that no club could get to keep it in the future.
The Wanderers Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Won / Won / Won
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Old Etonians – 1881, 1882 & 1883
Having won one and lost two previous Finals, Old Etonians reached their fourth Final in 1881 courtesy of a bye in the Semi-Finals and having conceded just once in their five previous game to get there.
Their opponents in the Final would be Old Carthusians, a relatively recently formed club competing in the FA Cup for just the second time. The more experience Old Etonians were expected to win comfortably.
Instead it was Old Carthusians who had a comfortable three-nil victory to inflict a third FA Cup Final defeat on the Old Etonians.
The defeated club would rally to make the next two FA Cup Finals, both of which are significant in what would be the future dominance of the competition.
To reach the 1882 Final, Old Etonians had had two byes and had convincingly defeated Marlow FC five-nil in the Semi-Final, still the second biggest margin of victory in a last four game.
Their opponents were the history making Blackburn Rovers who became the first northern (and first ‘professional’) club to play in the Final of this prestigious competition. Nottingham Forest, twice, and Darwen had both fallen at the final hurdle to southern based amateur clubs in the previous three seasons, but Blackburn Rovers had to overcome a fellow northern club, The Wednesday, after a replay in their Semi-Final.
In a tight encounter the Old Etonians won by the only goal scored in the game to claim their second FA Cup triumph and prevent Blackburn Rovers from making further history. It was to be another club from the same town that would go on to do that the following season.
Old Etonians battled their way to a third successive Final achieved with a two-one victory over Notts County in the Semi-Finals. Their opponents for their third successive FA Cup Final would be a short-lived club called Blackburn Olympic. Short-lived, but forever etched in the records of this famous competition.
Blackburn Olympic had scored 32 times to reach the Final, but the southern amateur club was still expected to best them in the Final, and this looked to be the way of things as Old Etonians entered the break with a one goal lead.
However, Olympic equalised in the second half and the game went into extra time. Even then the old boys were expected to win through, but a goal by the appropriately named James Costley with 12 minutes to go proved their undoing and Blackburn Olympic endured to become the first northern professional club to win the FA Cup.
It was the end of an era and the beginning of another. Aside from a Scottish based amateur club over the next two seasons, the age of the amateurs in football was over.
Old Etonians Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Lost / Won / Lost
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Blackburn Rovers – 1884, 1885 and 1886
Although it was Blackburn Olympic who wrote their name into the history books as the first northern professional club to win the FA Cup, it was Blackburn Rovers who would come to dominate the competition over the next ten years.
Over the three seasons they appeared in consecutive FA Cup Finals, Blackburn Rovers won a competition record 20 consecutive FA Cup games, scored 93 and conceded just 10 goals, and equalled The Wanderers record of three successive FA Cup Final victories.
But for another club with similar dominance in their own country the 1884 FA Cup Final would have been an all-Blackburn affair. After a few seasons of entering but not really participating in the FA Cup, Queen’s Park of Glasgow appeared to decide to take the competition seriously in the 1883-84 campaign.
The Scottish club netted a record 44 times in one campaign, and thrashed Blackburn Olympic in their Semi-Final and were widely expected to do the same in the Final.
However, thanks to goals by Joe Sowerbutts and Jimmy Forrest, Blackburn Rovers took a two goal lead into half-time. Queen’s Park took the game to their opponents in the second half, but only managed to pull one goal back and so Blackburn Rovers lifted their first ever FA Cup.
The same two clubs both surged their way to the Cup Final the following since, a feat not achieved until the second consecutive Manchester Derby just last season. This time it was a more straightforward affair for Blackburn Rovers, with Jimmy Forrest scoring again in their two-nil victory to help the club retain the Trophy.
The 1884-85 season had seen the FA Cup entry numbers explode, so much so that now six rounds were needed before the Semi-Finals, but still without a planned structure to prevent byes in later rounds.
The following season the numbers increased still further, but the difference in standards of clubs was also increasing, culminating in many one-sided, high-scoring victories.
To reach their third consecutive Final, Blackburn Rovers defeated one of the last high quality southern amateurs in the Semi-Finals, slough based The Swifts. Their opponents would be West Bromwich Albion to create the first all-professional FA Cup Final.
The game ended in a goal-less draw and Blackburn Rovers had not agreed to play extra time so a replay was needed. This replay would be the first FA Cup Final not played in London as the game was staged at The Racecourse Ground in Derby a week later. Blackburn Rovers ran out two-nil victors to claim their third successive FA Cup triumph, whilst for West Bromwich Albion it was the start of their own trio of Cup Finals.
Blackburn Rovers Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Won / Won / Won
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West Bromwich Albion – 1886, 1887 & 1888
West Brom would take the disappointment of being beaten Finalists to forge a path to the following season’s FA Cup Final where they would meet local rivals and long-time foes Aston Villa. It would be the first of a trio of Cup Final encounters across a nine year period.
Aston Villa were emerging as one of the giants of the game and would this season create a competition record of scoring 40 goals, the most goals scored by any club on route to lifting the Trophy.
The two-nil defeat would mean a second successive Final loss for West Bromwich Albion matching the unwanted feat by Old Etonians from 11 years earlier. But the club had the opportunity to consign those defeats to history when they reached the Final once again the following season.
This time they were up against the mighty Preston North End, a club that had set the record 26-0 victory in the competition in that 1887-88 campaign. It’s also believed that Preston were so confident of victory they asked to have a team photo with the Cup before the game as all their kit was still clean.
However, West Brom had defeated Preston in the Semi-Finals the previous season so would have been confident of achieving the same in this season’s Final. And that confidence was to be well founded, as West Brom won the encounter by two goals to one having earlier taken the lead and been pegged back Preston.
This was to be the last FA Cup competition before the Football League was founded and the last one to start from Round One. All subsequent FA Cup competitions would have a series of qualifying rounds with (usually) Football League clubs exempted until what became known as the ‘Proper’ Rounds.
West Bromwich Albion Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Lost / Lost / Won
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Arsenal FC – 1978, 1979 & 1980
It would be the best part of a century before another club reached three consecutive FA Cup Finals and then it would involve a club who would go on to do it twice, the latter being more successful than the former.
During the 70s Arsenal FC had more success in the FA Cup than they had in the League, a platform for the club to go on to become the most successful FA Cup club of them all. The Gunners had won one and lost one at the start of the decade and were deemed as firm favourites against their 1978 opponents Ipswich Town.
The 70s is also noted for a period of the underdog winning the Cup Final and this was no exception as a late goal from an unexpected source by Roger Osborne was enough to land the Tractor Boys their first FA Cup triumph. It’s reported Liam Brady was so annoyed by the defeat that he threw his runners-up medal away.
Twelve months later Arsenal were back at Wembley and this time they faced Manchester United who, despite having recently had a season in the second tier, were expected to lift the Cup in what was their third Final appearance in four years.
Two first half goals for Arsenal, though, and a turgid second half seemed to suggest the Gunners would win the game comfortably, but that was before a mad five minutes that gave the Final its nickname and the answer to one of the most famous trick football questions of all time.
Two goals in two minutes by Manchester United within the last five minutes of the game appeared to rescue the club and suggest the game was heading for extra time. But Liam Brady, determined not to suffer the same disappointment of the previous season, had different ideas and a last gasp surge down the flank resulted in a cross ball that Alan Sunderland put away with aplomb.
Arsenal held on to win the Cup and were back a year later to defend their Trophy. And this time the odds were really in their favour as they faced second tier West Ham United in the Final.
As a last hurrah for the underdog in FA Cup Finals it was an early Trevor Brooking header that won the game for West Ham, the third second tier side to lift the Trophy in eight years and the last to date to do so. For Arsenal it was another disappointing blip on their route to becoming the best FA Cup club of all time.
Arsenal FC Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Lost / Won / Lost
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Everton FC – 1984, 1985 & 1986
During the mid-1980s Everton FC were arguably the best club in English football after having to endure more than a decade of their local rivals winning Trophy after Trophy. The Toffees won the League twice and the Cup once, but Liverpool FC never really went away and thwarted the blue half of Merseyside on more than one occasion.
The 1984 FA Cup Final saw Everton take on Watford FC, a club at the peak of a rapid rise from the fourth tier of football to top-flight runners-up. However, the match itself was a very one-sided affair and Everton comfortably ran out two-nil winners, albeit with a controversial second goal.
Twelve months later they returned to Wembley to face Manchester United in the Final. Everton had already won the League and were looking to achieve a remarkable treble having already won the European Cup Winners Cup a few days earlier.
And their opportunity to do so improved when Kevin Moran became the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final with 15 minutes remaining. However, Manchester United held on to take the game into extra time and went on to win the game courtesy of a terrific Norman Whiteside effort.
In the 1985-86 season Everton had just failed to retain their League crown by two points to Liverpool FC who they would meet in that season’s FA Cup Final. It was only the second time the top two clubs in the League would meet in the Cup Final.
Gary Lineker gave Everton a one goal lead at half-time, but regular Cup Final goal-scorer Ian Rush bagged a brace as Liverpool ran out three-one winners to claim the League and Cup double for themselves and leave Everton empty handed.
Everton FC Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Won / Lost / Lost
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Manchester United – 1994, 1995 & 1996
By the mid-1990s, under the stewardship of Alex Ferguson, Manchester United were to become the dominant force in English Football for the next couple of decades and they contested three consecutive Cup Finals at the start of that period.
The 1994 Cup Final would pit the Red Devils against Chelsea FC, themselves at the start of a long period of League and Cup success. But this Final was a very one-sided affair dominated by Manchester United and witnessing the first ever player, Eric Cantona, to convert two penalties in the same FA Cup Final match.
A year later, and having just been pipped to the League title by Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United were looking to end the season on a high with a victory over Everton FC ten years after they’d prevented the Merseyside club from winning the Double.
In a game dominated by Manchester United a brilliant display by Neville Southall and an unlikely winner from Paul Rideout scored after half an hour, secured the Trophy for Everton. But Manchester United would be back at Wembley twelve months later.
The 1996 Final saw them face the other half of Merseyside, Liverpool FC. Manchester United had triumphed the last time the two clubs met in a Final almost 20 years previously and this match was keenly anticipated by everyone in the game.
However, it proved to be a very dour affair settled by a late strike through a crowded penalty area by Eric Cantona with just five minutes remaining. It was enough to secure Manchester United their second League and Cup Double in three years.
Manchester United Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Won / Lost / Won
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Arsenal FC – 2001, 2002 & 2003
Just six FA Cup Finals were played at the Millennium Stadium whilst the new Wembley was being constructed and four of them involved Arsenal FC including the first three meaning the Gunners became the only club so far to twice appear in three successive Finals.
Arsenal faced Liverpool FC in that inaugural Final in Cardiff, and whilst they didn’t know it at the time, they were less than 10 minutes away from becoming just the third club in FA Cup history to win three consecutive Finals.
It was Michael Owen who prevented that particular stat with two late goals in the game and the Gunners had to settle for three FA Cup Final wins in four seasons instead.
The pain of 2001 turned into joy the following season when Arsenal faced Chelsea FC in the Cup Final for their first of three Final encounters between the two clubs over the next two decades.
The two London clubs cancelled each other out for the majority of the game, but the Gunners struck twice in the last 20 minutes through Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg to win the match and lift the Cup, as they would do in the two subsequent meetings in Cup Finals. The victory also meant Arsenal achieved the League and Cup Double again.
The 2003 FA Cup Final is notable for being the only one to date to be played indoors as adverse weather conditions had necessitated that the Millennium Stadium roof be closed.
For this third successive Final appearance Arsenal faced Southampton FC. A largely unforgettable game was settled by the only goal for Arsenal by Robert Pires late in the first half to ensure they retained the Trophy won the previous season.
Arsenal FC Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Lost / Won / Won
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Chelsea FC – 2020, 2021 & 2022
Chelsea FC had lifted the FA Cup seven times in the 22 seasons prior to what would become known as the Covid Cup Final in 2020, a series of wins that would at least appease their fans during what they had to endure across their three consecutive Cup Final appearances.
That 2020 Final was played on August 1st and officially in front of an empty stadium, and was the third chapter in recent Cup Finals involving Chelsa and Arsenal FC. The Gunners had won the previous two encounters and would go on to make it three out of three, the only time so far one club had beaten the same opponents in three different Cup Finals.
It looked so different early on in the game after Christian Pulisic had given Chelsea a fifth minute lead, but a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double settled the game in Arsenal’s favour. It was the first time a player with a hyphenated first name had scored in the FA Cup Final and his goals secured the Gunners’ record 14th FA Cup title.
Chelsea were back at Wembley to face Leicester City in the 2021 FA Cup Final, a game limited to just 20,000 spectators due to ongoing Covid restrictions.
Leicester City had at the time the unenviable record of having appeared in the most FA Cup Finals (four) without ever lifting the Trophy and despite having been unexpected League Champions just five years earlier, many expected this to be a fifth defeat out of five.
But Youri Tielemans had other ideas and his wonder strike just after the hour mark secured victory for the Foxes and removed that unwanted record from their backs at a stroke.
Chelsea FC returned to Wembley once again the following season becoming only the second club to reach a third Final have lost the previous two. This time the Blues were facing Liverpool FC in what was the 150th anniversary FA Cup Final and in front of a capacity crowd once again.
The game proved to be a major disappointment, especially for what was an extra special occasion, and no goals were scored by either side in 120 minutes of largely forgettable football. For only the third time in history the FA Cup Final was to be settled by penalty kicks.
An early miss by Cesar Azpilicueta gave Liverpool the advantage but with a goal to win it Sadio Mané saw his penalty kick saved. However, Mason Mount also saw his sudden death penalty saved enabling Kostas Tsimikas to win the game for Liverpool.
As a consequence Chelsea became the first club ever to lose three consecutive FA Cup Finals.
Chelsea FC Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Lost / Lost / Lost
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Manchester City – 2023, 2024 & 2025
At the end of the 2022-23 season Manchester City were Premier League Champions, Champions League winners, and FA Cup winners matching the feat achieved by the local arch rivals Manchester United, the club they had to defeat to lift the FA Cup.
The 2023 Final was the first Manchester Derby Final and got off to an explosive start when Ilkay Gundogan netted for Manchester City after just 12 seconds, setting a new record for the fastest goal ever scored in an FA Cup Final.
Manchester United equalised just after the half hour mark, but throughout the game Manchester City were the better team and a second goal by Gundogan was enough to win the match for the blue half of Manchester.
Remarkably, you wait 150 odd years for the firs Manchester Derby and then two come along at once as the following season’s Cup Final was contested by the same two clubs. It was also only the second time two consecutive FA Cup Finals had involved the same two clubs.
This time Manchester City were looking to secure another domestic Double after winning the League for an unprecedented fourth consecutive time. However, their arch rivals had a different objective and stormed into a two goal first half lead. Manchester City did pull one back late on but the Red Devils held on to lift the famous Trophy for a 13th time.
And Manchester City are back at Wembley for the 2025 FA Cup Final where they will face Crystal Palace, a club looking to lift the Trophy for the first ever time having twice been defeated by Manchester United in past Finals.
The only other club to win the first and lose the second of their three consecutive Finals was Everton FC who subsequently lost in their third appearance. When Manchester City faced Crystal Palace in the FA Cup in the 5th Round 99 years ago Manchester City won a remarkable game by eleven goals to four.
More of the same at this season’s FA Cup Final would be most welcome.
Manchester City Consecutive Finals Appearance Record – Won / Lost / ????
