The FA Cup can be won in 540 minutes of play by any club entering football’s greatest club knock-out competition in the Third Round. In 1979 it took Arsenal all of those minutes just to get through to the Fourth Round as they finally defeated Sheffield Wednesday after a fourth replay.
And how about this for an FA Cup fact? Do you know what happened the first time two clubs played out a draw in the FA Cup in 1871? Hitchin and Crystal Palace drew, and it was decided both teams should go through to the second round!
And nothing can be as unsatisfactory as the 1968 European Championships between Italy and the Soviet Union, which was settled by the toss of a coin after a full-blooded goalless draw in Naples
Here at HaytersTV, we embrace all that is good in football whether it be the wonderful standards of the modern game and the state-of-the-art arenas the matches are played in or the ‘good old days’ of dodgy pies, floodlight failures and an FA Cup replay. So, we are taking the opportunity, while we can, to look back at five of the greatest-ever replays.
Third Round: Hereford 2-1 Newcastle (February 5, 1972)
One for the ages with one of the greatest Cup replay goals scored by Ronnie Radford from 35 yards. Few outside the most loyal fans of non-League Hereford gave their side a chance against top-flight Newcastle after Malcolm ‘Supermac’ MacDonald put the Geordies ahead.
The goal, the mud, John Motson’s much-repeated commentary made a career for the man behind the mic and a legend out of Radford. Poor old Ricky George, who scored the winner, struggled to get a mention.
Semi-final: Man United 2-1 Arsenal (April 14, 1999)
The greatest replay and one of the most memorable ties of any round too. The Villa Park replay, between the Premier League’s two best teams, followed a goalless first meeting. David Beckham put United ahead when they met again and Dennis Bergkamp equalised.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Dutch master then missed a chance to settle it for Arsenal when he had a late penalty saved by Peter Schmeichel right at the end of normal time.
Ryan Giggs then celebrated his brilliant extra-time match-winner with a crazed short-twirling celebration which was only surpassed when United went on to win the Treble. Defending Double champions Arsenal ended the season trophyless.
The Final: Tottenham 3-2 Man City (May 14, 1981)
Seems strange to write of major finals being settled by anything other than extra-time or a shoot-out in the 21st Century, but some of the greatest FA Cup Finals were settled by a replay. There were none better, however, than the return to Wembley of City and Spurs.
Argentine star Ricky Villa was subbed in an average 1-1 draw in the first match. He scored the opener in the replay. City responded through a Steve McKenzie cracker a and Kevin Reeves penalty.
Embed from Getty ImagesVilla then played himself into Wembley folklore by winning the Cup with a mazy run through a mass of desperate defenders before sliding in the winner.
Fifth Round: 4. Everton 4-4 Liverpool (February 20, 1991)
This eight-goal thriller remains arguably the one of the greatest Merseyside derbies of all time. Liverpool went ahead on four sperate occasions thanks to strikes from Peter Beardsley (two), Ian Rush and John Barnes. Beardsley’s second goal, and Barnes’s majestic curling effort epitomised a Liverpool side who were at the peak of their powers.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut the Toffees stuck to their rigged gameplan, and Graeme Sharp (two) and Tony Cottee (two) took advantage of hesitation in the Liverpool backline to claw Everton back level.
Everton won the second replay 1-0, but by then Kenny Dalglish had resigned as Liverpool’s manager. Although his team hadn’t won the tie, it was a quite memorable way to crash out.
Fourth Round: Tottenham 3-4 Man City (February 4, 2004)
In this fourth-round replay, Spurs raced into a 3-0 half-time lead and City’s midfielder Joey Barton was dismissed at the interval for dissent. City were on the floor and a comeback was unprecedented.
But in the second half, 10-man City completed the most memorable of comebacks. Sylvain Distin reduced the deficit on 48 minutes, then Paul Bosvelt struck again with a deflected effort 20 minutes later.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith time running out for City, an inspired Shaun Wright-Phillips pulled City level at 3-3, before substitute John Macken headed home a dramatic winner for Kevin Keegan’s men seconds from time. It remains one of the greatest FA Cup replay’s of all-time but also one of the most unexpected combacks seen in any competition.
