The 1979–80 season was Arsenal Football Club's 54th consecutive season in the Football League First Division. The club finished the season in fourth after struggling with scoring goals and a congested schedule at the end of the season.
Prior to the season's beginning, Liam Brady announced that he would leave Highbury when his contract ran out at the end of the season. Despite an offer of increased wages and security from Arsenal, Brady wanted to experience European competition.[2] Arsenal made few changes from the previous season in their squad, only bringing in midfielder John Hollins.[3][4]Alan Hudson left for Seattle Sounders.[5]
The season started with a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Wembley in the Charity Shield in August 1979. Arsenal finished the league season in fourth place in the First Division.[2]
Arsenal reached the finals in two major cup competitions: the 1979-80 FA Cup and the 1979-80 European Cup Winner's Cup. Arsenal lost to Swindon in the quarterfinals of the League Cup, preventing them from progressing further. In the FA Cup, Arsenal faced Cardiff, Brighton, Bolton, and Watford (playing five replays in five rounds) before playing Liverpool in the semifinal.[4] The semi-final fixtures against Juventus and Liverpool sandwiched each other around league games, making for a difficult schedule. Arsenal vs Liverpool went to a fourth match, the series concluding just nine games before the FA Cup final. Arsenal won the fourth game thanks to Brian Talbot's sole goal.[1] Arsenal then faced West Ham in the final, in which Paul Allen became the youngest player to appear in a FA Cup final. Fatigue hit Arsenal hard with Talbot collapsing on the bus on the way home.[2]
In the Cup Winners Cup, Arsenal began their campaign with a win over Fenerbahce before being paired with Magdeburg. They then beat IFK Göteborg 5-0 in the semi-finals before facing Juventus in the semifinal. In the second leg of the semifinal, Arsenal beat Juventus thanks to a header by 18-year old Paul Vaessen, making Arsenal the first British team to beat Juventus on their home soil.[4] Arsenal played in the final against Valencia just four days after their loss in the FA Cup final. The game was decided by penalty shootout. Valencia won 5-4, as Valencia's goalkeeper blocked both Liam Brady's and Graham Rix's shots.[1] Arsenal had played fifteen matches in 45 days prior.[2]
In league performance, Arsenal struggled with consistency. At home, Arsenal won only eight of their games, drawing ten. Playing in a counter-attacking style, Arsenal did win ten of their away games.[2] Cup competition late into the season caused fixture congestion and fatigue among Arsenal players. Due to such congestion, Arsenal even asked to rearrange the schedule for the North London Derby. Tottenham refused, but Arsenal won away at White Hart Lane - fielding six reserves![4] Although Arsenal had failed to qualify for European competition through their cup fixtures, they could qualify based on league position if they won their last two games. However, after winning their first game against Wolves, Arsenal lost 5-0 to Middlesbrough in their 50th game in the season, losing their position in European competition.[2][1]
With fifth placed Nottingham Forest qualifying for the following year's European Cup as holders after winning it again at the end of May and sixth placed Wolverhampton Wanderers having qualified for the UEFA Cup as winners of the League Cup, Arsenal were the only team in the top six not to qualify for Europe. It's a record that still stands. No team has played a 70-match season before or since in England. Arsenal played 70 games throughout the course of the 1979/80, including 27 Cup games, of which two were Cup Finals against West Ham and Valencia; the two happening within the space of five days.[2]
Despite finishing in fourth place in the league, they only scored 52 goals in 42 matches. Arsenal drew sixteen games throughout the league season, ten of them at home. In cup competitions, they drew a total of ten matches. Alan Sunderland finished the season as top goalscorer with 29, but only 14 of these came in the league.[1][2][6]
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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