League and FA Cup Double 1986
Liverpool's 1986 Double: Dalglish's first season, Rush's brace, and a historic all-Australian goal.
The 1986 FA Cup final was the 105th final of the FA Cup. It took place on 10 May 1986 at Wembley Stadium and was a Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 3–1, thus completing the Double in Kenny Dalglish’s first season as a player manager.
Lore & Background
The match was played seven days after Liverpool had secured the league title, with Everton finishing as runners-up. At the time, Everton and Liverpool were widely regarded as the two leading English clubs. Everton led at half-time through Gary Lineker, before the second half saw Ian Rush score two goals and Craig Johnston one. As Liverpool had already won the league, Everton would have claimed a place in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, but the ban on English clubs in European competitions following the Heysel disaster the previous season meant that they were unable to do so (in addition to Liverpool not claiming a place in the European Cup for their league win).
Reader's Guide
This was Liverpool's third FA Cup Final victory, and their first since 1974. Everton, meanwhile, were playing in their third consecutive FA Cup Final and suffered their second consecutive defeat; notable changes from the side that had lost to Manchester United the previous year were Bobby Mimms in goal in place of the injured Neville Southall – Everton had signed veteran Pat Jennings on a short-term deal as emergency cover – and new signing Gary Lineker playing in the forward position that had previously been occupied by Andy Gray. As substitute Steve McMahon was unused, Liverpool became the first team to compete in the FA Cup Final without fielding an English player since Queen's Park fielded all-Scottish teams in 1884 and 1885. Craig Johnston became the first Australian to score in a FA Cup Final, when he put Liverpool ahead in the second half.
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