As the oldest association football competition still in existence, the FA Cup remains filled with tradition and nostalgia, passion and pride, plus more than its fair share of memorable occasions. However, none quite have the same impact as the fabled giant-killing, where minnows from lower divisions show the biggest clubs that during ninety minutes of a one-off encounter, despite the apparent gulf in perceived quality and financial wealth, it’s still a beautiful game eleven versus eleven on the pitch.
While surprising results can still happen with quite regular frequency in the FA Cup, genuine giant killings appear to have become rarer over the last couple over the decades. This season, Premier League clubs continue to dominate, with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool amongst the current online football betting favourites to lift the famous trophy in 2020. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of historic giant killings from the past we can cherish.
Taking a nostalgic look down memory lane, the following five games are widely considered to have produced the five greatest giant-killing FA Cup results of all time, mainly due to the respective gap between the competing clubs when the games took place.
2013 – Norwich City 0-1 Luton Town
Why this one stands out amongst a host of giant killing results is down to one key factor. When they beat Norwich City in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup in 2013, Luton Town became the first non-league side to defeat top-flight opponents in the Premier League era. What’s more, they did so away from home at Carrow Road, making the relatively short journey all the more special for travelling Hatters fans, who will never forget the 80th-minute goal from Scott Rendell which secured their memorable 1-0 victory.
1975 – Burnley 0-1 Wimbledon
Before the iconic Crazy Gang stunned Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, just over a decade earlier, Wimbledon were still a very long way from their remarkable rise to the First Division. Back in 1975 the Wombles were in the Southern League side and more than forty years had passed since the last time a non-league side had beaten top-flight opponents away in the cup. This made their feat all the more notable, as goalie Dickie Guy saved everything Burnley could fire his way, with Mick Mahon scoring the winner for Wimbledon.
1971 – Colchester United 3-2 Leeds United
Back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Leeds United were one of the most fearsome sides in England and Europe thanks to managerial icon, Don Revie. First Division winners and never outside the top four during this era, nobody saw this FA Cup upset in the Fifth Round by Colchester United coming. Yet, that’s what happened at Layer Road in February 1971. Ray Crawford scored twice before Dave Simmons put the Fourth Division side 3-0 ahead. Norman Hunter and Johnny Giles pulled goals back for Leeds, albeit too late to avoid humiliation.
1964 – Oxford United 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers were actually genuine challengers for the First Division title during the 1963-64 campaign, while Oxford United had only been elected to the Football League the previous season, and they were struggling in the Fourth Division at the time of hosting this Fifth Round FA Cup tie. Despite the huge gulf in stature between the two clubs, Tony Jones scored twice, and Bill Calder added another for Oxford, with a stunned Rovers only mustering one in reply via Mick Ferguson. Deservedly, this result was considered the greatest giant killings of the era.
1989 – Sutton United 2-1 Coventry City
According to sports historian Steve Porter at his website dedicated to the history of FA Cup, along with all the biggest upsets from 1888 to the modern day, the greatest of all time is still widely to be considered the epic Third Round victory that Sutton United achieved against Coventry City. Non-league outfit Sutton stunned their top-flight hosts with goals from Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlan, eliminating a First Division side that had lifted the FA Cup themselves just two years earlier.
Other Great Giant-Killings
Just missing out on the top 5 was AFC Bournemouth beating Manchester United 2-0 in 1983, when none other than Harry Redknapp was manager of the Cherries. 37-year-old Welsh legend Mickey Thomas was also amongst the goals as bottom of the Fourth Division side Wrexham beat reigning First Division champions Arsenal back in 1992.
We conclude with a special mention for the 2017 Lincoln City side as the most recent giant killers. Still in League Two at the time, the Imps eliminated then Championship leaders Brighton (3-1) in the Third Round, followed by Premier League outfit Burnley (0-1) in the Fourth Round in 2017. As we can see, there’s still plenty of magic in the FA Cup.
