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Written for South Wales Evening Post
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Great-FA-Cup-moments/story-20495351-detail/story.html

THE FA Cup fourth round takes place on Saturday, with Swansea City heading to Birmingham. To get you in the mood, here’s a look at some of the most magical moments in the history of the competition.

The ‘White Horse’ final, 1923

One of the most famous FA Cup finals from the competition’s earlier history, the 1923 final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United was the first to be played at Wembley Stadium, which was advertised as having a capacity of 125,000. However, a crowd estimated to be up to around 300,000 turned up for the game, which could only be played after the pitch had been cleared of fans by mounted policemen, including one on the eponymous white horse. The game kicked off 45 minutes late and with fans around the touchlines of the pitch, Bolton went on to win 2-0 in front of Kind George V.

Greatest cup upset?

Hereford United of the Southern League entered the 1971-72 FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round and began a fantastic run which took them to a third-round clash with Division One Newcastle United. The part-time non-leaguers took the lead against a Newcastle side boasting six internationals after 17 seconds at St. James Park and held out for an incredible 2-2 draw which necessitated a replay.

Malcolm Macdonald headed Newcastle into the lead in the replay at Edgar Street with eight minutes remaining to seemingly end Hereford’s adventure. Just three minutes later, however, Hereford midfielder Ronnie Radford won a tackle in the centre of the pitch, played a one-two and struck the bobbling ball into the top corner of the Newcastle net from fully 30 yards to level the game, spark a pitch invasion and take the tie to extra-time.

After 13 minutes of extra-time the fairytale was complete as substitute Ricky George netted the winner, resulting in a second pitch invasion and one of the most incredible results in FA Cup history.

That Ricky Villa goal

Tottenham Hotspur battled to the 1981 FA Cup final with a 3-0 semi-final replay win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, in which one half of their star Argentinian duo, Ricky Villa, scored a superb long-range goal.

Their final opponents were Manchester City and a 1-1 draw led to a replay taking place five days later. Villa opened the scoring with a rebound after eight minutes before Steve McKenzie volleyed a stunning equaliser. City took the lead through a penalty and after Garth Crooks equalised Villa stole the show with one of the FA Cup’s most famous goals, receiving the ball 30 yards out before slaloming through the City defence and beating Joe Corrigan to secure Spurs’ sixth FA Cup triumph.

The Crazy Gang

In 1988 Wimbledon found themselves in the FA Cup final against much-fancied Liverpool, one of the 1980s most dominant teams and newly-crowned league champions. In a game completely dominated by the Merseyside club Bobby Gould’s Wimbledon, with a team containing John Fashanu, Vinnie Jones and a young Dennis Wise, took a shock lead in the 37th minute through a Lawrie Sanchez header.

Liverpool launched attack upon attack on the Wimbledon goal and after a string of saves from Dons goalkeeper Dave Beasant and Peter Beardsley’s disallowed goal they won a penalty. John Aldridge’s penalty was saved by Beasant, the first penalty save in FA Cup final history, and Wimbledon somehow held on for a famous victory.

That Ryan Giggs goal

Manchester United were top of the Premier League going into their FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal, who sat just one point and one position behind them in the league. The match at Villa Park finished 0-0 and so three days later the two teams returned to Birmingham for a replay.

David Beckham opened the scoring for United with a superb first-time shot from 25 yards after 18 minutes but a deflected Dennis Bergkamp effort levelled the scores in the second half. Roy Keane was then sent off 16 minutes from time for a second booking, and as the game headed into injury time Arsenal were awarded a penalty for a Phil Neville foul on Ray Parlour. With just seconds left in the game Bergkamp’s penalty was saved by Peter Schmeichel to take the game into extra-time.

With just over ten minutes remaining of extra-time Arsenal gave the ball away to Ryan Giggs about 20 yards inside Manchester United’s half. Giggs charged down the left wing, beat four Arsenal players on his way into the box before smashing the ball high past Seaman at his near post for one of the great FA Cup goals. Manchester United would go on to win the game and the tournament.

Fastest ever goals

Chelsea faced relegated Middlesbrough in the 1997 FA Cup final at Wembley, and after just 42 seconds took the lead when Roberto Di Matteo carried the ball into the Middlesbrough half before sending a 25-yard shot crashing off the crossbar and in to the net to send Chelsea on their way to a 2-0 victory.

Di Matteo’s thunderbolt remained the quickest goal in FA Cup final history until Louis Saha opened the scoring for Everton (coincidentally against Chelsea) after just 25 seconds in the 2009 final, which Chelsea would go on to win 2-1.

Greatest comeback?

Tottenham Hotspur entertained Manchester City in an FA Cup fourth round replay in February 2004 after the initial tie had been drawn 1-1 at the new City of Manchester Stadium. Ledley King curled Spurs into the lead after just two minutes, Robbie Keane added a second and a superb Christian Ziege freekick made it 3-0 just before half-time. To make matters worse for City, Joey Barton was then sent off seconds after the half-time whistle had sounded.

Sylvain Distin headed City back into the game three minutes after the restart and with twenty minutes to go Spurs’ nerves were building as Paul Bosvelt’s deflected strike reduced the deficit further.

Ten minutes from time a wonderful dinked Shaun Wright-Phillips finish completed the 10 men’s incredible comeback, but there was still more to come.

In the final minute of the game substitute Jon Macken looped a header into the far corner of the Spurs net from a wonderful cross to secure the most unbelievable of victories.

That Steven Gerrard goal

Liverpool had thrashed Birmingham City 7-0 and beaten both Manchester United and Chelsea on their way to the 2006 FA Cup final in Cardiff. However, it was their opponents West Ham United who took the lead in the final without even having had a shot as Jamie Carragher diverted a cross into his own net.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 to the Hammers as Pepe Reina failed to hold a simple shot and Dean Ashton tapped in the rebound. It only took Liverpool four minutes to get a foothold back in the game as Djibril Cisse halved the deficit with an excellent volley.

After 54 minutes the Reds were level as Steven Gerrard smashed a loose ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards, but a Paul Konchesky cross dropped into the top corner of Reina’s net nine minutes later to put West Ham 3-2 up.

It stayed that way until injury-time, when a loose ball fell into space about 30 yards out. Gerrard struck a superb shot low into Shaka Hislop’s bottom corner to save Liverpool and take the game to extra-time. West Ham hit the post in the final moments of the additional half an hour but it was Liverpool who would triumph on penalties.