1989 WFA Cup Final
The Stretford End at Old Trafford in 1992
Event1988–89 WFA Cup
Friends of Fulham Leasowe Pacific
2 3
Date22 April 1989
VenueOld Trafford, Manchester
RefereeRoger Dilkes (Mossley)
Attendance914

The 1989 WFA Cup Final was the 19th final of the WFA Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. The showpiece event was played under the auspices of the Women's Football Association (WFA) and was known as the Niagara Therapy WFA Cup Final for sponsorship reasons. Friends of Fulham and Leasowe Pacific contested the match at Old Trafford in Manchester on 22 April 1989. Friends of Fulham made its second final appearance, after winning the trophy in 1985 with a 2–0 win over Doncaster Belles at Craven Cottage. Leasowe Pacific also entered their second final, in the sixth year of their existence, having been beaten 3–1 by the Belles in 1988.[1]

England did not have a national women's league until 1991–1992. Friends of Fulham, who played in the Home Counties League, entered the competition at the third round stage and beat Oxford/County (8–1), Birmingham (3–2), Red Star Southampton (2–1) and Bronte (3–0) to reach the final. North West Women's League club Leasowe Pacific also entered at the third round and defeated Cardiff (9–0), Reigate (3–1), Doncaster Belles (2–1) and Notts Rangers (3–0) before reaching the final. The quarter final victory in Doncaster ensured that the final would not feature the Belles for the first time since 1982.

Before kick–off a minute's silence was observed for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster which happened the previous week in Sheffield. Friends of Fulham and the WFA expressed condolences to Leasowe Pacific, who came from the Liverpool community affected by the tragedy.[2]

Four members of the Leasowe team had been at Hillsborough. Leasowe had postponed their league match the following day and the final had been in doubt until the team decided to play.

Watched by a crowd of just 914, Leasowe Pacific won the match 3–2, with a winning goal from Joy "Barry" McQuiggan. Future England manager Hope Powell scored both Friends of Fulham goals.[3] The following day at 5.30pm Channel 4 screened an hour–long highlights package, produced by Trans World International and presented by Julie Welch, which attracted an audience in excess of 2.5 million.[4] Sue Law of Millwall Lionesses, later a senior official in The Football Association, was the match summariser.

"Undoubtedly a proportion of the 2.3 million who tuned in to Channel 4 to watch the WFA Cup last April did so with the expectation of having a quick laugh at women attempting to play football. Instead they were treated to a game as exciting and entertaining as you could hope to see. Leasowe Pacific beat Friends of Fulham 3–2 in a match full of incident, skill and endeavour, played by 22 female athletes at the top of their chosen sport. The sceptics were surely won over."

– WFA Secretary Linda Whitehead in October 1989

"In the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster Merseyside's Leasowe Pacific's appearance in the final provided a useful and poignant angle for editorial coverage of the event."[5]

Match details

Friends of Fulham2–3Leasowe Pacific
Powell
Attendance: 914
Friends of Fulham
Leasowe Pacific
GK1England Theresa Wiseman (c)
DF2England Liz Waller
DF3England Mandy O'Callaghan
MF4England Hope Powell
DF5England Terri Springett
FW6England Marieanne Spacey
DF7England Dorrett Wilson
MF8England Brenda Sempare
MF9England Lynn Jacobs
MF10England Olivia Hughes
MF11England Fiona Curl
Substitutes:
FW12Republic of Ireland Cathy Hynes
DF14England Lori Hoey
DF15England Tracey Cooper
Manager:
England Fred Brockwell
GK1England Liz Stewart
DF2England Jill Thomas (c)
DF3England Jill Anson
MF4England Joy McQuiggan
DF5Wales Debbie Faulkner
DF6England Liz McDonald
MF7England Janice Murray
MF8England Cathy Gore
FW9England Maria Harper
FW10Wales Louise Thomas
MF11England Maureen Mallon
Substitutes:
MF12Wales Judith Turner
DF13England Dianne Coughlin
GK14England Donna Lewis
15 England Jill Salisbury
16 England Viv Cutbill
Manager:
England Billy Jackson

Bibliography

  • Lopez, Sue (1997). Women on the Ball: A Guide to Women's Football. London, England: Scarlet Press. ISBN 1857270169.
  • Woodhouse, Donna; Williams, John (1999). Offside? The Position of Women in Football. Reading, England: Garnet Publishing. ISBN 1902932072.

References

  1. ↑ Erik Garin. "England - List of Women Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  2. ↑ Garry, Tom (April 15, 2021). "'We won the FA Cup a week after escaping the Hillsborough disaster'" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  3. ↑ Viner, Brian (26 October 2007). "Hope Powell: 'I see him now and again but I don't swap notes with Steve McClaren'". The Independent. London. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  4. ↑ Lopez 1997, p. 64
  5. ↑ Woodhouse & Williams 1999, p. 13
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