Fact: Liverpool’s defeat to Worcester City voted greatest FA Cup upset caused by a non league side

By FFEditor on January 6, 2012

Reds hoping to avoid another slip-up against Oldham as FA Cup third round begins Friday.

Liverpool, who host Oldham Athletic in the first match of the FA Cup third round tonight, have been named victims of the greatest-ever FA Cup shock caused by voters on Bluesq Football. The Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Worcester City in 1959 took 28% of the poll which canvassed opinions of over 3,000 non League fans.

Worcester’s achievement was seen as greater than a number of other famous giant-killing feats. Altrincham’s 2-1 win against Birmingham at St Andrew’s in 1986 was narrowly beaten into second place with 26% of the vote and Woking’s 4-2 win against West Brom in 1991 was third on 16%. Hereford’s Ronnie Radford-inspired victory over Newcastle in 1972 polled 12% and Sutton’s 2-1 victory over Coventry in 1989 received 10%.

Four Blue Square Bet teams remain in this year’s competition. The only Premier League versus non League match-up sees Tamworth travel to Everton; Salisbury City, the lowest-ranked club remaining, visit Sheffield United; Blue Square Bet Premier leaders Wrexham head to Brighton; while Fleetwood Town will be looking to cause a derby upset as they host neighbours Blackpool.

Blue Square Bet spokesman Alan Alger said: “The third round of the FA Cup always throws up some mouthwatering David versus Goliath ties and this year is no exception. If any of the four remaining Blue Square Bet teams reach round four this year they would deservedly join our list of top shocks – and if Tamworth knock out Premier League opponents Everton then they would be giving Worcester a run for their money as the greatest upset of all time.”

TOP OF THE SHOCKS SURVEY RESULTS

1st – 28% – Worcester City 2-1 Liverpool (Third round, 15th January 1959)

Liverpool have been on the receiving end of a number of notable FA Cup defeats over the years, including the 1988 final against Wimbledon and a departure from the fifth round in 2008 at the hands of Barnsley, but their loss to Worcester City goes down as the biggest surprise. Although in the old Division Two at the time, no one would have expected Southern League outfit Worcester City to eliminate their mighty opponents. Liverpool’s manager Phil Taylor would leave the club later that year to be replaced by the one and only Bill Shankly.

2nd – 26% – Birmingham City 1-2 Altrincham 2 (Third round replay, 14th January 1986)

Altrincham have a proud FA Cup record, with a long list of League victims, but their biggest achievement came against Birmingham City, featuring a young David Seaman in goal, a quarter of a century ago. If Tamworth beat Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday they will be the first non League club to eliminate a top flight side on their own ground since the Robins did so representing the Conference all those years ago.

3rd – 16% – West Bromwich Albion 2-4 Woking (Third round, 5th January 1991)

Woking striker Tim Buzaglo, a former Gibraltar cricketer, made the headlines after scoring a hat-trick for the then Isthmian League side as they humbled West Bromwich Albion with a convincing victory against the old Division Two side in front of 5,000 visiting fans at the Hawthorns.

4th – 12% – Hereford United 2-1 Newcastle United (after extra time) (Third round replay, 5th February 1972)

One of the most famous upsets of all time, but not the best, with 12% of the vote. The Southern League side held Newcastle to a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park and somehow went one better in the replay. Malcolm Macdonald put the Division One side ahead with less than ten minutes to play, but they let their lead slip as Ronnie Radford scored one of the most memorable FA Cup goals of all time before Ricky George’s extra-time winner wrote Hereford’s name firmly into the history books.

5th – 10% – Sutton United 2-1 Coventry City 1 (Third round, 7th January 1989)

Remembered as the last time that a non League club turfed out top flight opposition, this match saw Conference side Sutton send 1987 Cup winners Coventry packing. That was despite the Sky Blues being sixth in Division One at the time and fielding seven members of the side which beat Tottenham in the final two seasons before.

6th – 4% – Havant & Waterlooville 4-2 Swansea City (Third round replay, 16th January 2008)

Swansea City might not have been the Premier League outfit they are today when they crashed out of the Cup to Havant & Waterlooville three years ago, but the Swans did go on to top the third tier that season and were still three divisions higher than the Hawks from the Blue Square Bet South. Shaun Gale’s men incredibly went on to lead Liverpool twice at Anfield in the fourth round before the Reds finally ended their proud run with a 5-2 win.

7th – 2% – Yeovil Town 2-1 Sunderland (Fourth round, 29th January 1949)

This game still holds the record for Yeovil’s highest home attendance and none of the 16,318 fans there to witness the match will have ever forgotten what they saw as Yeovil, of the Southern League, beat top flight opponents Sunderland. The Glovers would set another club record in the fifth round – their worst FA Cup defeat – with an 8-0 loss to Manchester United.

8th – 2% – Burnley 0-1 Wimbledon (Third round, 4th January 1975)

Burnley had won the Second Division title in 1972/73 and finished the following campaign as the sixth best team in the country, having also reached the FA Cup semi-final. So defeat at the hands of the Southern League’s Wimbledon in January 1975 was a real giant-killing. Goalkeeper Dickie Guy was the hero for the visitors as Wimbledon began making a name for themselves.

BLUE SQUARE BET FA CUP 2011/12 ODDS

FA Cup winner (favourites and non League only)

Chelsea 6/1

Man City 13/2

Liverpool 7/1

Tottenham 15/2

Arsenal 8/1

Man United 9/1

Fleetwood Town 2,500/1

Wrexham 4,000/1

Tamworth 8,000/1

Salisbury City 10,000/1

Non League side to reach 4th round:

Fleetwood Town 2/1

Wrexham 4/1

Salisbury City 9/1

Tamworth 14/1

Non League side to reach final 1,000/1

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