Following the FA’s decision to eradicate the replay feature in their competition, we take a look back across the centuries at replays that English football just wouldn’t be the same without.
1) Hereford United 2 – 1 Newcastle United:
Whilst the club name of Hereford United no longer exists, the memories that come with it will never leave a Hereford fan’s mind, this FA Cup replay being a huge staple in the town’s footballing history. As classic as a game gets, this replay left a dagger in the back of Newcastle’s team, a giant-killing game that was a freak result. Whilst there wasn’t an abundance of goals, a 2-1 win for Hereford left a mark in FA Cup replay history.
2) Leeds United 5 – 2 Cardiff City:
On an incredibly cold night in February 2023, Cardiff City were sent to the infamous Elland road hoping to push themselves through to the Fourth round of the FA Cup. For Leeds United however, the night allowed the Whites to run riot at home, with goal after goal streaming in. Although not as scrappy as some classic games, this match is still firmly in the mind of any Leeds United fan, a 5-2 result leaving the city rocking that night.
3) Southampton 2- 6 Tottenham Hotspurs:
This classic game throws fans back to March 1995, when football was still scrappy and tough. This eight-goal thriller looked to be going in Southampton’s way, their second goal penalty convincing Saint’s fans they were through to the quarter-finals. Spurs however dug deep and made an incredibly impressive comeback of six goals to leave Southampton stunned with a 6-2 result.
4) Everton 4 – 4 Liverpool:
With perhaps one of the biggest rivalries in top-tier football, there’s always bound to be some drama, and this 1991 fifth-round replay does not disappoint. With four goals a piece for these two sides of the Merseyside derby, the game led to yet another replay in which the Toffees clinched the win. This game however saw Liverpool take the lead with each of their four goals, only for them to be swiftly followed suit by their blue rivals.
5) Leyton Orient 8 – 2 Droylsden:
Whilst the team names leave fans assuming this would be a lower league scrap, the result of the game is one of the most notorious replays in the history of the FA Cup. December 2010 is when Leyton Orient decided to shock not just the football fans of the country, but the whole footballing world had their attention caught with this game. Droylsden were sure they were to win the game, two goals up in the 75th minute meant the fans were excited to kill off another giant of the competition. But with two quick goals in the 77th minute from Orient meant the game was shot into extra time. Six more stunning goals from the home team meant that a world-beating 8-2 was the final score of this unforgettable game.
