View source for 1976 WFA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1976)

{{InfoboxLost 
|title=<center>1976 WFA Cup Final</center> 
|image=1976wfacupfinal1.jpg
|imagecaption=Southampton celebrating their fifth Final victory.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span> 
}}
The '''''1976 WFA Cup Final''''' (also known as the '''''1976 Mitre Challenge Trophy Final''''') culminated the 1975-76 WFA Cup season. Occurring on 25th April 1976 at Bedford Town's The Eeyrie, it featured Southampton defeating Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) 2-1 after extra time, which would be the first of three consecutive Finals featuring the two clubs. This Final was also the first to be televised.

==Background==
Heading into the Final, Southampton were the defending champions.<ref name="finals">[http://womensfacup.co.uk/history/index.php?od=4&yd=1975 ''Women's FA Cup'' listing all the WFA Cup Finals.] Retrieved 14th Jul '22</ref><ref name="history">[https://google.co.uk/books/edition/A_History_of_the_Women_s_FA_Cup_Final/PtEvEAAAQBAJ?hl=en ''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final'' detailing the 1976 WFA Cup Final match and its broadcast on ''Cup Final Grandstand''.] Retrieved 14th Jul '22</ref> Their road to the Final from the Second Round onwards consisted of beating Droitwich, Warminster, Cope Chat, Kays, and Brighton and Hove Albion.<ref name="road">[http://womensfacup.co.uk/history/index.php?od=2&yd=1975 ''Women's FA Cup'' detailing the road to the Final.] Retrieved 14th Jul '22</ref> Meanwhile, QPR's campaign from Round 1 saw it overcome Tottenham Hotspur, Birmingham City, Notts Rangers, Carr Fastener, Watford, and Belle Vue.<ref name="road"/> This was QPR's first ever Final, whereas Southampton had won four of the first five WFA Cup Finals.<ref name="finals"/><ref name="history"/>

With Football League sides again refusing to host the Final, the WFA instead forged an agreement with Southern League club Bedford Town to stage the Final at its ground The Eeyrie for the third time.<ref name="history"/> 1,500 were said to have attended the game.<ref name="result">[http://womensfacup.co.uk/history/index.php?od=99&tm=1&mn=2339 ''Women's FA Cup'' detailing the result and statistics of the match.] Retrieved 14th Jul '22</ref><ref name="history"/> However, the Final received more coverage than its predecessors, as BBC cameras were in attendance, capturing footage that would then be showcased on its ''Cup Final Grandstand'' six days later.<ref name="genome">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1976-05-01#at-11.15 BBC Genome archive of ''Radio Times'' issues detailing the broadcast of the match.] Retrieved 14th Jul '22</ref><ref name="history"/> It would serve as a prelude to the men's FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Southampton.<ref name="history"/><ref name="genome"/>

==The Match==
The Final itself occurred on 25th April 1976.<ref name="history"/><ref name="result"/> Southampton defender Maggie Kirkland put her side in front, although it is [[1985-1986 WFA Cup (lost list of entries for football tournament; 1985)|currently unknown when she scored]].<ref name="history"/><ref name="result"/> At some point, Southampton conceded a free kick, allowing QPR's captain Margaret McGroaty to fire the ball from 35 yards into the goal's far side, thus securing an equaliser that according to ''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final'', was "would have been worthy of a Wembley final itself."<ref name="history"/><ref name="result"/> Neither side were able to score again in the 80+ minutes allocated, WFA Cup Finals not lasting 90 minutes until the 1990 edition.<ref name="history"/><ref name="result"/>

Thus, 30 minutes of extra time was played, the first instance where this occurred at WFA Cup Final.<ref name="history"/> Despite QPR controlling possession for much of the game, it was Southampton that secured the winning goal, courtesy of Pat Davies successfully lobbing the ball over QPR goalkeeper Pat Cavanagh.<ref name="history"/><ref name="result"/> This marked Davies' fourth instance of scoring at WFA Cup Final, after the [[1971 WFA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1971)|1971]], 1974, and 1975 editions.<ref name="history"/> Despite the team's success, it resulted in boos from some of the crowd as they lifted the trophy, with ''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final'' interpreting this as the crowd being tired of Southampton's dominance, this being its fifth Cup win in six years.<ref name="history"/><ref name="finals"/> Additionally, although not affiliated with the men's side, it was the first instance of both FA Cup winners sharing the same team name, as the Southampton men's side defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the Final.<ref name="history"/> This would not occur until both Arsenal clubs won the 1993 editions.<ref name="history"/><ref name="finals"/>

''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final'' was able to interview QPR forward Sandra Choat, who stated how the loss "devastated" her team.<ref name="history"/> She claimed "We had 80 per cent of the possession. We dominated the game but somehow lost it. Games between QPR and Southampton were always close, but in this one despite what the scoreline says, we had the better of the match."<ref name="history"/><ref name="finals"/> Nevertheless, QPR would gain vengeance in the subsequent WFA Cup Final in 1977, with both clubs also facing each other in the 1978 Final.<ref name="history"/><ref name="finals"/>

==Availability==
As noted in issue 2,738 of ''Radio Times'', 20 minutes of highlights was televised on BBC One on 1st May 1976, with commentary being provided by John Motson.<ref name="genome"/> This broadcast has yet to resurface, however. Additionally, ''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final'' was only able to find "surviving footage" of the match despite its extensive research, indicating the uncut tape of the event is also missing.<ref name="history"/> Nevertheless, two minutes of highlights, including of Davies' free kick, can be found in a ''Reuters'' video. Photos of the match can also be found online and in ''A History of the Women's FA Cup Final''.<ref name="history"/>

==Gallery==
===Images===
<gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
1976wfacupfinal2.jpg|Programme for the Final.
1976wfacupfinal3.jpg|Southampton captain Sue Buckett with the trophy.
</gallery>

==See Also== 
*[[1937 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1937)]] 
*[[1938 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1938)]] 
*[[1939 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1939)]] 
*[[1947 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1947)]]
*[[1948 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1948)]]
*[[1949 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1949)]] 
*[[1955 Scottish Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1955)]] 
*[[1966 FIFA World Cup Final (partially found original colour film of international football match; 1966)]]
*[[1971 WFA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1971)]]
*[[1985-1986 WFA Cup (lost list of entries for football tournament; 1985)]] 
*[[Arsenal 7-1 Hibernian (lost footage of charity football match; 1952)]] 
*[[Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)]]
*[[Atlético Madrid 1-1 Real Madrid (lost footage of El Derbi Madrileño La Liga football match; 1958)]] 
*[[Barbados 4–2 Grenada (partially found soccer match footage; 1994)]] 
*[[Barnet 3-2 Wealdstone (lost footage of Athenian League football match; 1946)]] 
*[[Brian Clough's Football Fortunes (lost DOS port of football management game; 1987)]] 
*[[Charlton Athletic 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (lost footage of FA Cup match; 1947)]] 
*[[England 0-1 Scotland (partially found footage of international football match; 1938)]]
*[[England 1-0 Scotland (lost footage of Schools' International football match; 1952)]] 
*[[England 1-1 Scotland (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)]]
*[[England 1-3 Scotland (partially found footage of international football match; 1949)]] 
*[[England 2-0 Italy (partially found footage of international football match; 1949)]] 
*[[England 3-0 France (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)]] 
*[[England 3-0 Rest of Europe (partially found footage of international football match; 1938)]]
*[[England 6-0 Switzerland (partially found footage of international football match; 1948)]] 
*[[Falkirk 3-2 Newcastle United (lost footage of football match; 1953)]] 
*[[FIFA Soccer 2002 (lost build of cancelled Game Boy Advance port of football game; existence unconfirmed; 2001-2002)]] 
*[[Hallo! Bundesliga (lost GolTV series; mid 2000s-mid 2010s)]] 
*[[Juventus 1-7 A.C. Milan (partially found footage of Serie A football match; 1950)]]
*[[Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona (partially found footage of El Clásico La Liga football match; 1959)]]
*[[Real Madrid 3-0 Racing Santander (lost footage of La Liga football match; 1954)]] 
*[[Scottish Universities 1-1 English Universities (lost footage of international football match; 1952)]] 
*[[Serbia vs Albania (found footage of abandoned UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match; 2014)]] 
*[[United! (lost British soap opera; 1965-1967)]]
*[[Walthamstow Avenue 0-2 Queen's Park (lost footage of friendly football match; 1951)]]

==External Link==
*[https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVADDKOJGIT2Y2PYEM4TCYSBJ0ZF-UNITED-KINGDOM-SOUTHAMPTON-WITH-MITRE-CHALLENGE-TROPHY-WOMENS/query/womens+football ''British Pathé'' providing the ''Reuters'' footage of the match.]

==References== 
{{reflist}} 

[[Category:Lost recordings of sports events]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]
[[Category:Historic]]