John Motson’s 10 GREATEST Cup shocks
WHERE does Bradford City’s 4-2 win at Premier League leaders Chelsea rank in the history of FA Cup upsets? There is only one man to tell us. The BBC’s John Motson, who has commentated on the competition since 1972, runs
Sportsmail through his 10 greatest FA Cup giant-killings…
1 HEREFORD 2 NEWCASTLE 1 Third round, 1972
PeoPle forget that non-league Hereford had already drawn 2-2 at newcastle to earn a replay. Ronnie Radford scored his famous rocket and that has to be the most replayed goal in the history of the competition. i was there and this game was everything that is brilliant about the FA Cup, the pitch was a bog and newcastle’s superstars such as Malcolm Macdonald had been spouting off in the press, but they got their comeuppance all right.
2 SUTTON 2 COVENTRY 1 Third round, 1989
i DiD this game and i remember sutton had been practising corners all morning and hadn’t scored from one — then Tony Rains puts them ahead from a corner and Matthew Hanlan scores the winner from a corner. Their manager, Barrie Williams, was a character, a pipe-smoking and poetry- quoting old- school boss. And Coventry, don’t forget, had won the Cup just 19 months earlier.
3 CHELSEA 2 BRADFORD 4 Fourth round, 2015
noW this would have still been a shock if Bradford had won at valley Parade — but factor in Chelsea leading 2-0 at stamford Bridge and it is quite remarkable. Jose Mourinho had never lost a cup match at home and, for me, this ranks as one of the greatest upsets of all time.
4 YEOVIL 2 SUNDERLAND 1 Fourth round, 1949
sUnDeRlAnD were not just a First Division side, they were known as the ‘Bank of england Club’ of that era for the huge sums of money they had spent on the team. Yeovil, meanwhile, were in the southern league. Player-manager Alec stock was a real character, he scored for Yeovil and he went on to manage Fulham in the 1975 Cup final.
5 SUNDERLAND 1 LEEDS 0 Final, 1973
i WAs at the leeds hotel before the game and they were awfully tense. sunderland, on the other hand, were relaxed and laughing and joking. They were a second Division side and no- one gave them a chance. But they gave Don Revie’s superstars a helluva game and, although ian Porterfield got the goal, it was Jim Montgomery’s double save which stands out in my memory.
6 BURNLEY 0 WIMBLEDON 1 Third round, 1975
THis was the first time in 55 years that a non-league team beat a First Division side on their own ground. Dave Bassett played for Wimbledon and Dickie Guy, who is now AFC Wimbledon president, was in goal.
7 WREXHAM 2 ARSENAL 1 Third round, 1992
ARsenAl were First Division champions and this game had everything — brilliant goals and drama until the last. Micky Thomas scored that belter of a free-kick into the top corner to equalise before steve Watkin got the winner two minutes from the end — but there was still time for Arsenal to have a goal ruled out.
8 WALSALL 2 ARSENAL 0 Third round, 1933
HeRBeRT CHAPMAn’s team were the country’s outstanding side and this is the greatest prewar FA Cup upset. Arsenal were so humiliated by Third Division Walsall that, on the train home, Chapman sacked the defender who gave away one of the goals.
9 BOURNEMOUTH 2 MAN UTD 0 Third round, 1984
Ron ATkinson’s United were holders and they got turned over by Third Division Bournemouth, whose manager was a young Harry Redknapp. United had england captain Bryan Robson in their side, but Redknapp’s team were deserved winners and scored twice in five minutes after half- time through Milton Graham and ian Thompson.
10 YORK 1 ARSENAL 0 Fourth round, 1985
THeRe was snow on the pitch but York fancied their chances because manager Denis smith got a load of volunteers in on the morning of the game to clear it. it was goalless with five minutes left when York got a penalty and keith Houchen put it away. A couple of years later he scored in Coventry’s final triumph over Tottenham.