During the 1987–88 English football season, Wimbledon F.C. competed in the Football League First Division. It was Wimbledon's second consecutive season in the top flight and eleventh consecutive season in the Football League. They ended the season as FA Cup winners and finished seventh in the league. It was their first season under the management of Bobby Gould, who had been appointed following the resignation of Dave Bassett at the end of the previous season.
Season summary Wimbledon continued to exceed expectations in the First Division, finishing in seventh in the final table, one place lower than their sixth place the previous season. However, Wimbledon's greatest success during the season, perhaps in their entire history, came in the FA Cup, defeating West Bromwich Albion (4–1, home), Mansfield Town (1-2, away), Newcastle United (1-3, away), Watford (2–1, home) and Luton Town (2-1, neutral) to reach their first ever FA Cup Final, against that season's league champions Liverpool. Wimbledon took a lead in the 37th minute when Lawrie Sanchez scored a looping header from Dennis Wise's free kick on the left. Liverpool created many chances, with Peter Beardsley finding the net but his goal being disallowed, but failed to pull a goal back, with Dave Beasant saving a penalty from John Aldridge after Clive Goodyear was (incorrectly) adjudged to have fouled inside the box; Beasant was the first goalkeeper to ever save a penalty in an FA Cup final at Wembley. Wimbledon held on to win their first (and only) FA Cup. Due to the ban on English clubs competing in European competition as a result of the Heysel disaster, Wimbledon were denied the opportunity to compete in the Cup Winners' Cup.
Kit Wimbledon's kit was manufactured by Spall and sponsored by Truman. Wimbledon's kit for the FA Cup final were sponsored by Danish brewery Carlsberg, who had signed a deal to sponsor Wimbledon's kits for the next season.
First-team squad
Staff Manager: Bobby Gould Assistant manager: Don Howe Chief scout: Ron Suart Youth team manager: Dave Kemp Physiotherapist: Steve Allen Kit man: Sid Neal, Joe Dillon
Transfers
In Terry Gibson from Manchester United, £200,000, 24 August
Out
Results
First Division
October 17 October: Luton Town 2-0 Wimbledon
November 4 November: Wimbledon 1-1 Liverpool 7 November: Wimbledon 2-0 Southampton 14 November: Coventry 3-3 Wimbledon 21 November: Wimbledon 2-1 Manchester United 28 November: Chelsea 1-1 Wimbledon
December 5 December: Wimbledon 1-1 Nottingham Forest 12 December: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Wimbledon 18 December: Wimbledon 1-0 Norwich City 26 December: West Ham United 1-2 Wimbledon 28 December: Wimbledon 3-1 Arsenal
January 1 January: Wimbledon 2-1 Derby County 2 January: Oxford United 2-5 Wimbledon
March 5 March: Wimbledon 2-0 Luton Town
May 9 May: Manchester United 2-1 Wimbledon
Unknown date
Wimbledon 4-1 Charlton Athletic Wimbledon 2-2 Chelsea Wimbledon 1-2 Coventry City Wimbledon 1-1 Everton Wimbledon 0-0 Newcastle United Wimbledon 1-0 Norwich City Wimbledon 1-1 Nottingham Forest Wimbledon 1-1 Oxford United Wimbledon 2-2 Portsmouth Wimbledon 1-2 Queens Park Rangers Wimbledon 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday Wimbledon 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur Wimbledon 1-2 Watford Wimbledon 1-1 West Ham United Arsenal 3-0 Wimbledon Charlton Athletic 1-1 Wimbledon Derby County 0-1 Wimbledon Everton 2-2 Wimbledon Liverpool 2-1 Wimbledon (matchday 31) Newcastle United 1-2 Wimbledon Norwich City 0-1 Wimbledon Nottingham Forest 0-0 Wimbledon Portsmouth 2-1 Wimbledon Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Wimbledon Southampton 2-2 Wimbledon Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 Wimbledon Watford 1-0 Wimbledon
Club6Arsenal401812105839+19667Wimbledon401415115847+11578Newcastle United401414125553+256 Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
League Cup
Full Members Cup
References