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Hereford United v Newcastle United 1972

Hereford United 2–1 Newcastle United
Event 1971–72 FA Cup
Third Round Replay
After extra time
Date 5 February 1972 (1972-02-05)
Venue Edgar Street, Hereford
Referee Dennis Turner
Attendance 14,313

Hereford United v Newcastle United was a football match played on 5 February 1972 at Edgar Street, Hereford. The match was an FA Cup Third Round Replay after the first match had resulted in a 2–2 draw. The result, a 2–1 extra time victory for Hereford, is notable for being one of the greatest shocks of all time in the history of the FA Cup. It was the first time a non-league club had beaten a top-flight club in a competitive fixture since Yeovil Town's victory over Sunderland in 1949.

The home team, Hereford United, were playing in the Southern Football League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. The away team, Newcastle United, played in the English First Division, the first tier.

As a Southern League team, Hereford were required to enter the FA Cup at the Fourth Qualifying Round stage whereas Newcastle, as a top-flight team, entered at the Third Round stage. Hereford had beaten local rivals Cheltenham Town 3–0 before needing a replay to get past King's Lynn in the First Round. More was to follow in the Second Round as the non-leaguers needed two replays to progress, this time defeating Northampton Town 2–1 at the Hawthorns. Hereford had reached the Third Round for the first time in six years, and only the third time in their history.

The two sides had met at St James' Park on 24 January 1972 for the scheduled Third Round match, the match having been postponed twice for rain. 5,000 Hereford supporters made the journey to the North-East with Newcastle clear favourites, fielding six internationals in their side.


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