Connect with us

Columnists

Matt Badcock: Should Macclesfield’s feat be seen as the best?

Hereford, Sutton, Altrincham, Colchester, Yeovil, Wimbledon, Luton, Lincoln. Now Macclesfield FC – the list of FA Cup shocks involving Non-League clubs beating a top-flight opponent has a new name at the table.

by
The Non-League Football Paper Team
18 January 2026

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts cannot hide his excitement after scoring Macclesfield’s second goal against Crystal Palace

Macclesfield FC stun holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup
By Matt Badcock

Hereford, Sutton, Altrincham, Colchester, Yeovil, Wimbledon, Luton, Lincoln. Now Macclesfield FC.
The list of FA Cup shocks involving Non-League clubs beating a top-flight opponent has a new name at the table. Pull up a chair, Silkmen, and take your place in folklore of the world’s greatest knock-out competition.
What unfolded at their Moss Rose home last weekend will be enshrined in opening TV titles, FA Cup compilations and quiz questions forever more.
As will many images of the day. The sight of Sam Heathcote tuck...

Continue reading...

Access all our premium content from as little as 14p per day!

Already a subscriber to our website? Login

Related TopicsAltrincham Bedlington Terriers Blyth Spartans Chasetown FA Cup Football Hereford NLP Non-League Premium Radford

Follow us

Read our latest news on any of these social networks!

Tackle the News

- Sign Up for our weekly Non-League Newsletter

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

More in Columnists

Diary of a ground hopper: Crowborough Athletic 1-2 Jersey Bulls

There's usually a bit of dialogue between myself and my fellow Hopping Travellers in the week before a game to decide where we are going to go for our Saturday football entertainment.
Spencer Day: British weather wins every time

We at Farnborough found ourselves at the eye of a storm, quite literally, last Saturday when our National League South game with Chelmsford City was postponed very late on, leaving everyone concerned disappointed – and out of pocket.
Mark Carruthers: Why Macclesfield’s FA Cup shock was about more than Crystal Palace’s failure

There is always a fasciation in witnessing the reaction to an FA Cup upset – but Macclesfield’s stunning win against Crystal Palace was not just any other giant-killing.
Diary of a Groundhopper: Epsom and Ewell 2-2 Corinthian Casuals

With Christmas festivities done and dusted, it’s a third attempt to get to Crowborough Athletic today: it seems The Fox really does have an itch to scratch! It went unscratched.

Diary of a ground hopper: Crowborough Athletic 1-2 Jersey Bulls

Featured
BT Calling
Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge boss Lewis Young wants to lead revival after relegation
Non-League Paper
Club allocations revealed: 2025-26 league line-ups unveiled
Latest News
Enterprising deal for National League