Connect with us

FA Cup

FA Cup’s longest ever saga

FIFTY years ago tomorrow, Alvechurch and Oxford City arrived at the halfway point of an FA Cup tie that both clubs must have envisaged might go to a replay or two, at most. How wrong they were.
FA

By Nicholas Harling

CHAMPAGNE MOMENT: Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis pours fizz for Alvechurch’s exhausted players

FIFTY years ago tomorrow, Alvechurch and Oxford City arrived at the halfway point of an FA Cup tie that both clubs must have envisaged might go to a replay or two, at most. How wrong they were.
It took them 17 days and six games in all to reach a conclusion that ended the most drawnout saga in the history of the competition.
Bobby Hope, now a sprightly 71, was the man who decided the fourth qualifying round slog that had stretched to five replays lasting a total of 660 minut...

Continue reading...

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

SUBSCRIBE

Already a subscriber to our website? Login

Related Topics

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.
1000gbp
My Betting SitesFootball progs
NLS Lens
Stadium Solutions
Isuzu
Brandon Hire Station
free bets

 

Irish Betzillionbest-betting-sites-by-betinireland-banner

Casino bee

More in FA Cup

  • Top Top

    The Greatest FA Cup Runs by Non-League Sides

    The FA Cup has delivered dozens of giant-killings since the inaugural tournament kicked off in November 1871.

  •

    It’s a perfect weekend for new dad Jas Singh

    If keeping out Tottenham’s star-studded forward line for 90 minutes in one of the most incredible FA Cup ties of the modern era wasn’t impressive enough, goalkeeper Jas Singh celebrated the proudest 48 hours of his life after becoming a father for the first time.

  •

    Gregor Robertson: A farewell to the fairytale

    Non-League representation in the FA Cup is over for another year, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that there will be fewer of the stories that make the competition special now that replays are a thing of the past.

  •

    Andy Peaks’ reward for being bold

    Andy Peaks insists beating Step 4 Boldmere St Michaels in the Birmingham Senior Cup in midweek was every bit as important as the club’s magical FA Cup experience.