Even though Arsenal are the most successful club in FA Cup history, this has not made them immune to surprise defeats over the years. For all the joy and jubilation this competition has provided, there have been a fair few upsets too. On this page, we take a look back at some of the most shocking FA Cup defeats Arsenal have been involved in, plus their most surprising victory.
Walsall 2–0 Arsenal (1933)
This defeat to Walsall remains one of the most infamous shocks in FA Cup history. Arsenal were comfortably top of the first tier of English football, packed with elite players, while Walsall were a Third Division Northern section side. To highlight the gulf in stature of the two, the leather used to manufacture Arsenal’s boots cost £18 more than it took to assemble Walsall’s entire squad.
Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman was left seething at the result, as well as some individual performances. Tommy Black, who conceded the penalty that Walsall converted for their second goal, was sold to Plymouth within a week. Meanwhile, debutant Billy Warnes never made another appearance for the club before moving to Norwich four months later.
Arsenal 1–2 Norwich (1954)
This defeat to Norwich City in 1954 remains one of the most painful home FA Cup shocks in Arsenal’s history. At the time, Norwich sat in 13th place in the Third Division table, so this ought to have been a routine win for the Gunners. Despite its David vs. Goliath nature, the Canaries began brightly and earned themselves a penalty just three minutes into the match. When they failed to convert, Arsenal took the opportunity to open the scoring themselves.
By this point, it looked like Arsenal would cruise to victory in front of the 50,000+ in attendance, but Norwich fought back. A brace from 26-year-old Tom Johnston gave Norwich their shock win, a player who was only in the starting line-up due to others being unavailable. Johnson, who cost Norwich £500, was known for always wearing a bandage on his left wrist as working in the pits had left him a scar there.
Arsenal 0–1 West Ham United (1980)
The 1979/80 edition of the FA Cup marks the last time the competition was won by a club outside of the first tier of English football. Given their Second Division status, West Ham were significant underdogs for the clash, but they got off to a dream start when icon Trevor Brooking headed home after just 13 minutes.
In the second half, Arsenal began to up the ante, but it was West Ham who ultimately had the best chance. Paul Allen, just 17-years-old, was bearing down on Pat Jennings in the Arsenal goal, only for Willie Young to hack him down from behind with a cynical challenge. By today’s standards, it was as clear a red card as you will ever see, but at the time, it warranted just a yellow. Still, although Allen was denied a special personal moment, West Ham managed to hold on to their slender advantage.
Wrexham 2–1 Arsenal (1992)
Arsenal manager George Graham described this defeat as his “lowest moment in football.” It hardly seems like much of an overreaction, as Wrexham were in the Fourth Division when the two sides met at the Racecourse Ground. The gulf between the clubs really was massive. Arsenal were the reigning English champions while Wrexham had just finished bottom of the fourth tier. The only reason they avoided relegation was that the Football League was planning an expansion.
The game went largely according to expectation in the first half, with the visitors absolutely battering their Welsh hosts. Despite their dominance, they only had one goal to show for it due to some wasteful finishing. This gave Wrexham hope, and the hosts levelled in the 82nd minute through a superb free-kick from Mickey Thomas. Unbelievably, just two minutes later, Steve Watkin added another. Arsenal responded with a barrage of attacks, and even though Jimmy Carter put the ball in the net, his effort was ruled out for offside.
Arsenal 1–3 Bolton Wanderers (1994)
For a team that won the FA Cup the previous year, few would have expected them to lose to second-tier opposition as they attempted to defend their title. This is exactly what happened though, with the usually formidable Arsenal undone by a plucky Bolton display. The surprising element of this tie is that Arsenal had two opportunities to get the job done, but squandered both of them.
The first meeting of the clubs for this fourth-round tie finished 2-2, triggering a replay at Highbury. With the benefit of home soil, it was expected Arsenal would get the job done, but after 90 minutes, the scoreline was again all square. Having twice failed to beat Bolton in 90 minutes, Wanderers made their Premiership opponents pay as they recorded their own greatest knockout triumph since their 1958 FA Cup win.
Arsenal 0–2 Millwall (1995)
A third major shock for Arsenal in the space of four seasons, this time at the hands of second-tier opponents, Millwall. Sadly, the shock result on the pitch was marred by scenes off it. Expecting trouble, 500 specially trained police officers attended the match, but they struggled to contain the violence, which saw 48 arrests and 60 fans ejected from Highbury.
Having drawn the initial match 0-0, Arsenal had the chance to make amends in the replay, but everything seemed to go wrong, even with Tony Adams back from injury. Ian Wright collected a 12th yellow card of the season, resulting in a three-game ban, while Millwall keeper Kasey Keller avoided a red card when handling outside the area. Still, it was hard to deny that the Lions deserved to win the ill-tempered affair.
Arsenal 0–1 Blackburn Rovers (2013)
Losing to a recently relegated Premier League side at home stands as Arsenal’s biggest FA Cup shock in the modern era. It was a fixture that was supposed to offer few problems, even though Arsene Wenger made seven changes to his starting XI. A decision the Frenchman perhaps regretted after the full-time whistle.
It was ultimately Arsenal’s inability to convert chances that cost them. The Gunners registered 26 shots, including 12 on target, both these tallies being more than five times what Blackburn managed. Even Rovers’ goal came with an element of fortune as Colin Kazim-Richards scuffed his 72nd minute effort into the ground, but it looped right into the top corner via the post.
Arsenal 3-2 Hull City (2014)
Although this result is not what you would traditionally consider a ‘shock’, as Arsenal began the contest as favourites, it was a certainly shock to see them overturn a 2-0 deficit. At the time, the Gunners were without a trophy in nine years and found themselves two goals down at Wembley after just eight minutes.
Overturning such a deficit in an FA Cup final is something that happens very rarely. The last example of it was when Everton beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in 1966. So, the fact Arsenal were able to level the game, and then win it in extra time, is still a shock, just of the much more positive variety.