Crystal Palace 1990: Eagles' FA Cup Heroics and the Final that Saved Sir Alex

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.

It’s FA Cup final week, with Manchester City set to take on Crystal Palace at Wembley. In this episode, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper revisit the dramatic story of Palace’s remarkable run to the 1990 FA Cup Final.

Just months after a crushing 9-0 defeat to Liverpool, Crystal Palace stunned the same side in a sensational 4-3 semi-final — a match still regarded as one of the greatest in FA Cup history. That victory set up a final against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, who, at the time, were still chasing their first trophy under his management.

Today, we delve into where Crystal Palace stood as a club in 1990, explore their tactical shifts, highlight standout performances — especially the impact of Ian Wright — and examine Manchester United’s situation under Ferguson, including the pivotal moments that led to his first silverware with the club. We also examine whether Palace could shock Manchester City and finally win the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:23 Crystal Palace's Journey to the Semis

03:37 Televised Semifinals and Hillsborough's Impact

11:55 Crystal Palace's Tactical Shift

15:17 The Dramatic Semifinal Match

20:39 Crystal Palace's Historic FA Cup Final

21:06 Manchester United's Journey to the 1990 FA Cup Final

25:55 Ian Wright's Miraculous Comeback

28:35 The Replay and Ferguson's First Trophy

31:56 Comparing Crystal Palace Eras

36:05 Can Crystal Palace Upset Manchester City?

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