Monday 26 January 2015 12:53, UK
After Bradford’s heroics, we look at where it ranks among the greatest FA Cup giant-killings.
Two divisions and 49 league places hardly comes close to doing justice to what the Bantams achieved in beating Chelsea on Saturday.
To become the first team to score four goals against a Jose Mourinho side on his own patch is a staggering accomplishment. To do it after going two goals down is barely believable.
It’s a result that’s captured the imagination of millions and immediately thrusts the names of Stead, Morais, Halliday and Yeates into the pantheon of FA Cup heroes.
Here we look at some of those FA Cup tales that have gone into the folklore of the oldest domestic football competition in the world…
Leeds United were arguably the most feared team in the land so there was little expectation that fourth-tier side Colchester United could cause an upset. In fact, the club even considered a lucrative switch to Elland Road before electing to pack 16,000 into Layer Road. It proved the right decision as Dick Graham’s vastly-experienced team – labelled Dad’s Army – stunned Leeds.
Veteran striker Ray Crawford was the hero, getting the better of marker Jack Charlton to score twice before Dave Simmons put Colchester three up. Although Leeds pulled two goals back to make for a nervy finale, the Division Four team held on to give Graham a victory to savour against his old Leicester team-mate Don Revie in the Leeds dugout.
While Leeds went on to win the FA Cup the following year, former Ipswich hero Crawford could content himself with one of the great moments of his career. “The funny thing is that I've won the League title, played for England and scored 300-odd goals, but I get far more publicity and glory from that 90 minutes than from anything else,” he told the Guardian in 2009.
It’s arguably the most iconic image in FA Cup history. Ronnie Radford, arms outstretched, after hitting one of the most ludicrously well-struck shots imaginable to equalise for non-league Hereford United against top-flight Newcastle United at a mud-spattered Edgar Street in 1972.
Newcastle couldn’t really complain that they’d be caught unawares after being held to a 2-2 draw in the initial meeting, although when Malcolm Macdonald put them ahead in the replay inside the final 10 minutes they were entitled to think the job had been all but done.
However, Radford’s wonder strike sparked incredible scenes and substitute Ricky George then scored the winner in extra time to complete a dramatic victory. Hereford even took West Ham to a replay in the next round – finally seen off by a Geoff Hurst hat-trick – but did have the consolation of promotion to the Football League at the end of the season... And the day of a lifetime.
Second-tier Sunderland were given little chance of beating the FA Cup holders at Wembley but Bob Stokoe’s side produced a famous performance to deny Don Revie’s all-conquering team. Sunderland had already beaten Manchester City and Arsenal en route to the final but the feeling was that another shock win would be too much to expect.
Ian Porterfield had other ideas and gave the Wearsiders a first-half lead but there was still plenty of work to do and Leeds pushed hard for an equaliser. Goalkeeper Jim Montgomery was up to the task, however, and came up with an amazing double save to maintain the advantage as Sunderland held on for an unlikely triumph.
Stokoe’s jig across the Wembley pitch, with a nation cheering him on, continues to stir the emotions to this day. Leeds did at least bounce back to win the title the following season. By contrast, the 1973 FA Cup remains Sunderland’s only major trophy since 1937.
On the face of it, this might not appear quite the biggest shock on this list given that both were First Division sides at the time. Indeed, Wimbledon actually finished seventh that season, but context is everything and the image of the Crazy Gang as upstarts was a compelling one. They’d been playing non-league football just 11 years earlier.
Although English clubs were banned from European competition at the time, Liverpool had a strong case for being regarded as the continent’s premier team having lost just twice in cantering to the title. With the likes of John Barnes and Peter Beardsley in their pomp, a second league and cup double in three seasons seemed a formality. But Bobby Gould’s men spoiled the party.
Adopting their typically feisty approach with Vinnie Jones throwing his weight around in midfield, the Dons were a match for Liverpool and took the lead when Lawrie Sanchez nodded home from a Dennis Wise free-kick. John Aldridge had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the second half but Dave Beasant saved – making history in the process.
Coventry City had won the FA Cup only 19 months previously and were faring well in the First Division when they made the trip to non-league Sutton United in January 1989. The journey from heroes to zeroes can be swift in FA Cup world and it’s their defeat to Sutton that day that endures almost as much as their Wembley win.
Sutton, managed by English teacher Barrie Williams, took the lead just before half time through skipper Tony Rains but John Sillett’s side responded after the interval through David Phillips. The non-leaguers were not to be stopped though and Matthew Hanlan restored the advantage soon afterwards to complete a legendary upset.
Sutton’s adventure ended three weeks later with an ignominious 8-0 defeat to Norwich City but, as if to emphasise the fact that what goes around comes around in the FA Cup, it was 24 years before another non-league team eliminated top-flight opposition with Luton Town the team celebrating. Their opponents? Norwich City.
George Graham’s Arsenal were the reigning league champions when they travelled to Wales to take on Wrexham on third-round day in 1992. Wrexham, meanwhile, found themselves at the foot of the Fourth Division. With seven England internationals in the Arsenal line-up, Wrexham hopes could not have been high and seemed dashed when Alan Smith gave the Gunners the lead.
However, with 10 minutes remaining, 37-year-old former Manchester United winger Mickey Thomas expertly curled in a free-kick to the delight of the fans at the Racecourse Ground and things got even better moments later when Steve Watkin prodded home the winner after some shoddy work by Arsenal skipper Tony Adams.
Wrexham took West Ham to a replay in the following round before being eliminated, but the FA Cup run boosted their form sufficiently to secure a mid-table finish. As for Arsenal, they recovered to win the FA Cup the following season with Adams lifting the trophy following Andy Linighan’s extra-time winner against Sheffield Wednesday in a Wembley replay.
