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Our league cup game at Mansfield in the 60's has had a couple of mentions this morning and it got me thinking of some of the classic cup shocks I've seen over the years. 

One that really stands out is Colchester beating the (then) great Leeds team 3-2 in the FA cup 5th round back in 71. Was the biggest football shock most of my generation had seen up to that point, plenty more were to follow. 
Anyone else?

Good opportunity for the players who played to get a full game. If we’d lost it wouldnt have been so good but. 

The top clubs have comfortably two full sides of quality players who could compete against most other sides and win to pick from so it's unsurprising they make a hatful of changes especially in early rounds and sometimes all the way through.

It's understandable in our position fighting against relegation and teams chasing promotion to safeguard the key players- particularly away against lower league opposition where the pitch might be a bit dodgy and the opposition might be a bit overexuberant. If we were comfortably mid table we'd have made less changes. It was a gamble with the team we sent out but for us it really is about priorities this season, sadly. I think Nuno has taken it seriously enough so far though and the QPR game undoubtedly kickstarted our season.

Used to enjoy a giant killing especially if it was at the hands of a rival so as to get the chance to take the piss out of anyone who was on the wrong end of it . Not the same nowadays though as most premier league teams simply see the fa cup as an inconvenience and as we did on Saturday virtually change the entire eleven.

Even championship teams now play weaker teams if they’ve got a sniff of promotion sad to see the slow demise of what was once the season highlight for me , although if we get to the final I’m up for tickets if anyone has spares obviously  

Whilst it's nice to be romantic, nostalgic or even get a chance to show off how far back you remember being such a great West Ham or football supporter, the greatest FA Cup shock in history happened this very season with Macclesfield knocking out the champions. 

That kills the romance off a little bit even though we were all hoping for the giant killing.

The Mercernary" wrote: ↑15 Feb 2026, 15:31 Fourth Division Rochdale got to the 1962 League Cup final - imagine the social media frenzy if something like that ever happens again.

FC.

I remember the Swindon/Arsenal game.
Brian Moore doing his absolute nut as Don Rogers waltz around Bob Wilson.



 

Fourth Division Rochdale got to the 1962 League Cup final - imagine the social media frenzy if something like that ever happens again.

Far Cough UKunt" wrote: ↑15 Feb 2026, 10:34 Hereford beating Newcastle, Ronnie Radford

 

Bournemouth  v Man Utd 1980's

Harry was manager and an ex hammer with just a few appearances for us - Ev LaRonde. He was a lovely fella used to work around Canary Wharf.

Alfs wrote: ↑15 Feb 2026, 11:56 York City beat Man Utd at OT 3-0 in the league cup.  1995, I think.

Who is old enough to remember little third division Swindon Town beating Arsenal 3-1 in the 1969 league cup final?
Don Rogers was the standout for Swindon.

As recently as 2008, the two FA Cup semi finals were -

West Bromwich v Portsmouth 
Barnsley v Cardiff

Seems impossible now.

The 2013 league cup final was Swansea v Bradford
.

York City beat Man Utd at OT 3-0 in the league cup.  1995, I think.

Harlow Town of the diadora league, or something, knocking out Gary Lineker and Leicester City
 

Didn't Yeovil beat the Arse on their fucked up pitch?

Manuel wrote: ↑15 Feb 2026, 10:41 Giant-killings in the FA Cup are well documented, suspect we all know what most of them are. Wrexham beating Arse and Sutton beating Cov are two that spring to mind. Man Utd losing at home to Leeds.

I think we were second division when we lost to Newport does that count as a giant killing,they certainly smelt blood yesterday for a live game.

Giant-killings in the FA Cup are well documented, suspect we all know what most of them are. Wrexham beating Arse and Sutton beating Cov are two that spring to mind. Man Utd losing at home to Leeds.

Bradford beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. 

Hereford beating Newcastle, Ronnie Radford