ELEVEN HOURS, six matches, five different grounds, and one entry in the Guinness Book of Records – Alvechurch and Oxford City will forever have their place in FA Cup folklore.
Before the introduction of penalty shoot-outs, cup ties were only settled through replays and so the slug-fest between the two Non-League sides battling for a place in the FA Cup first round proper went on. And on. And on.
They played each other six times over 17 days before, finally, Alvechurch's Bobby Hope squeezed in a winner at Villa Park.
Derrick Davies was a 29-year-old midfielder back then. Last week he got his hands on the FA Cup ahead of the club's match preliminary round clash with Hanley Town, which they won 2-0 thanks to a brace by Josh March.
And while his memories of victory are as strong as ever, he also remembers just how exhausting it was.
“It was very, very tiring but it was an adventure,” he said. “For a little club like Alvechurch to get in the FA Cup first round was a fantastic achievement.
“There was lots of local media and in the village the players were almost treated like royalty because it was a brilliant achievement.
“We had a fantastic time. Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis was in the dressing room after we won with champagne so it was a very good time for us.
“But, saying that, it was tiring. We were all working class people – working in factories, bricklayers – and it was tiring.
“When we eventually won it on the Monday we had to go to Aldershot on the Wednesday because the FA Cup second round was on the Saturday.”
The first game at Alvechurch's Lye Meadow finished 2-2 and was followed by a 1-1 draw after extra-time at Oxford City.
The third attempt to find a winner was held at Birmingham City's St Andrews and finished 1-1 before two 0-0 draws at Oxford United's Manor Ground. The tie culminated with Church's 1-0 win at Villa Park, but by then the players were pretty much on first name terms.
“We all got very friendly as you do when you see each other that much,” Davies, whose side that featured future Kidderminster boss Graham Allner then lost to the Shots 4-2, said. “We used to have a drink in the bar after. It was a shame one side had to go out but I'm just glad we got through.
“Every time it was the same teams. We might have made one or two changes over the six matches but only that. We were only a small club. But it's an incredible club.
“I occasionally get down to see a match now. I've been talking to the manager Ian Long today and he thinks they may have turned the corner.
“Hopefully the club are on the up again.”
