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.

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Arsenal F.C.

1979–80 season
Chairman	Denis Hill-Wood
Manager	Terry Neill
First Division	4th
FA Cup	Finalists
League Cup	Fourth round
European Cup Winners' Cup	Finalists
Charity Shield	Runners-up
Top goalscorer	League: Alan Sunderland/Frank Stapleton (14) All: Alan Sunderland (29)
Home colours Away colours
← 1978–79 1980–81 →

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Arsenal reached the finals in the 1979-80 FA Cup and the 1979-80 European Cup Winner's Cup but failed to win either. After winning the FA Cup the previous season, Arsenal would not reach another cup final until 1987.^[1]

Alan Sunderland was the top scorer, with 14 goals in the league. Arsenal scored 52 goals in 42 league matches.

Liam Brady left the team at the end of the season for Juventus.

Prior to the season beginning, Liam Brady announced 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]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

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No. Pos. Nation Player - GK  NIR Pat Jennings - DF  NIR Pat Rice - DF  NIR Sammy Nelson - MF  ENG Brian Talbot - DF  IRL David O'Leary - DF  SCO Willie Young - MF  IRL Liam Brady - FW  ENG Alan Sunderland - FW  IRL Frank Stapleton - MF  ENG John Hollins - MF  ENG Graham Rix

No. Pos. Nation Player - MF  ENG David Price - DF  IRL John Devine - DF  ENG Steve Walford - DF  ENG Steve Gatting - FW  ENG Paul Vaessen - GK  ENG Paul Barron - MF  ENG Paul Davis - MF  ENG Brian McDermott

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