10 most memorable FA Cup upsets of recent times
FA Cup has a history of major upsetsSomething seems very wrong with the FA Cup’s 5th round draw this year when compared to the Premier League table. The current leaders and second spot holders of England’s top-tier seems to have gone amiss from the world’s oldest footballing competition.The 4th round of the FA Cup saw a host of unprecedented results. Chelsea, currently the leaders of the Premier League, were unceremoniously shown the door by League One team Bradford City while the reigning champions Manchester City were upset by lower league side Middlesbrough. One might argue that a domestic cup without the two best teams in the country at the moment is somewhat uninspiring, especially in an age where the FA Cup seems to be losing its relevance in the face of more global events like the Champions League or the Europa League.What makes the FA Cup tick are exactly what the big top-league teams dread; the David vs Goliath battles with the same ‘biblical’ outcome. There are a few things in life more satisfying in life than an underdog coming out on a day and refusing to acknowledge the norm of natural hierarchy and sticking it to the favourites. For a neutral football fan, the FA Cup still serves the rare gourmet of watching the mighty fall.Throughout the history of the 143-year-old tournament, quite a few Davids have scalped their very own Goliaths. Here, we take a look at some of the most memorable upsets in recent memory of the FA Cup.
#1 Bournemouth 2 Manchester United 0 (1984)
Third division team Bournemouth, managed by a young Harry Redknapp took on a Manchester United side who were challenging for the League title. Ron Atkinson’s side were also the reigning FA Cup champions at the time.
After a goalless first half, Bournemouth players seemed to grow in confidence and took the game to their more illustrated opponents. The Cherries seemed to have found a footing in the match and their confidence paid dividends when Milton Graham finished a corner past United’s Belgian goalkeeper Gary Richard Bailey.
United had barely come out of the shock, when minutes later when 25-year-old Ian Thompson picked up on a hesitation by United Legend Bryan Robson and put the unlikely winners 2-0 up.
In the frenzy, Manchester United supporters spilled onto the pitch in an effort to halt the game, but they only succeeded in delaying the fated result..
Skip to the end of the BBC newsreel for one of the vintage Harry Redknapp interview after the match.