WE ALL LOVE A GIANTKILLING!
EVERY single member of the Non-League family can take great satisfaction from St Albans City’s stirring 3-2 win over Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup first round proper last Sunday. This was a truly magnificent occasion. Those super Saints from the National League South played some scintillating stuff and thoroughly deserved their victory. Apart from the pulsating action on the pitch, it was lovely to see so many youngsters enjoying themselves among the sell-out crowd of 4,100 at Clarence Park. There were hundreds of schoolkids standing shoulder to shoulder on the terraces. They will remember that match for the rest of their lives as the League Two leaders were toppled in rousing fashion. With live television coverage, it was a great advert for everything that we cherish in Non-League football. In saying that, we didn’t need to be constantly told by the commentators that there was a personal shopper in the St Albans team. His day job has absolutely nothing to do with a game of football.
Anyway, for me, the real magic of the FA Cup lies with our NonLeague sides. People everywhere love underdogs and a footballing upset. Therefore our Non-League participants add so much intrigue to the FA Cup. Unfortunately, once the Premier League giants enter at the third-round stage they start resting all their players and thereby dilute the excitement of this great old tournament. Nevertheless, the thrilling exploits of St Albans got me thinking about past FA Cup giantkillings. Here is a list of my all-time favourite top five performances by Non-League teams…
1. YEOVIL TOWN 2 SUNDERLAND 1 FA CUP FOURTH ROUND 1949
A fabled victory for Southern League members Yeovil Town. Sunderland were in the top-flight and fielded their England international star Len Shackleton. He was a maverick forward with the nickname of the ‘Clown Prince of Soccer’ and had been signed from Newcastle United a year previously for £20,500 - a British-record transfer fee in that era. But the bumper Somerset crowd of 17,123 witnessed a momentous Cup shock that gave the sloping Huish pitch a place in football folklore. Yeovil player-manager Alec Stock led by example in scoring the opening goal on a foggy day. Stock memorably spoke with clipped military tones and in later years became the inspiration for the television comedy character Ron Manager on The Fast Show.
2. HEREFORD 2 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 FA CUP THIRD-ROUND REPLAY 1972
Another Southern League victory against a team from the top flight. Watched by 14,313 fans at Edgar Street, the Hereford equaliser from Ronnie Radford that day is still regularly repeated by television companies in the modern era every time the FA Cup comes around. On a really muddy playing surface, Radford venomously pulverised the ball into the top-left corner from 35 yards causing hundreds of small boys wearing parka coats to cavort on to the pitch in jubilation. In his first ever match on BBC TV commentary duties, a fresh-faced John Motson screamed: “Oh what a goal! What a goal!” While Radford’s strike was a truly iconic Cup moment, it is hardly ever recalled that Hereford’s winner was scored by Ricky George during extra-time. That was a dishevelled shot from the right-hand side of the box that took a deflection into the far corner of the net.
3. SUTTON UNITED 2 COVENTRY CITY 1 FA CUP THIRD ROUND 1989
Sutton United were members of the Conference while top-flight Coventry City had won the FA Cup just 19 months before. With a crowd of 8,000 packed into Gander Green Lane, Tony Rains scored United’s first before Matthew Hanlan volleyed the winner on 59 minutes. Their eloquent boss Barrie Williams said: “The enormity of this result will reverberate throughout the whole of soccer.” He became a media darling after that for quoting Shakespeare during his team talks.
4. BIRMINGHAM 1 ALTRINCHAM 2 FA CUP THIRD ROUND 1986
This match is often overlooked in discussions about FA Cup giantkillings. Possibly because it was played on a Monday night before a paltry crowd of 6,636 at St Andrew’s. Or maybe due to the fact that it was decided by a scruffy own goal by Rob Hopkins in the 75th minute. But it was an outstanding victory for Altrincham of the Gola League away to top-flight Birmingham who had future England star David Seaman in goal. Alty were managed by John King, who looked like Popeye the Sailor Man’s nemesis Bluto.
5. WEST BROMWICH 2 WOKING 4 FA CUP THIRD ROUND 1991
West Brom were in the second tier of English football while Woking played in the Isthmian League.
Although the Cards trailed 1-0 at half-time before a crowd of 14,516, they took control in the second half and distinctively-named striker Tim Buzaglo fired a spectacular hat-trick. At the end of the game, West Brom’s benevolent fans invaded the pitch to raise Buzaglo on their shoulders and chanted: “Sign him up!”
Wonderful memories! And we now know that there will be at least two Non-League clubs hurtling into the FA Cup third round as Boreham Wood have been paired with St Albans while Kidderminster Harriers will host FC Halifax Town in the second round.
Let’s all hope for another famous giantkilling this season for a team from our Non-League parish against one of the big boys.