Sunday sees League One side Yeovil Town host Premier League giants Manchester United. However, this isn’t the first time the two sides have faced each other in the FA Cup, this rematch has in fact been 66 years in the making.
Manchester United last played Yeovil Town in a competitive fixture back in 1949 during era of Sir Matt Busby. In 1949 Matt Busby was in the process of building his soon to be dubbed ‘Busby Babes’ debated as being one of the best young sides of all time, before the side was ruined by tragedy.
The Manchester United side, who were the current FA Cup holders, hosted Yeovil, a non-league side at the time. The game was played at Maine Road, the ground of rivals Manchester City, because Old Trafford was still being repaired after German bombing in World War Two.
But Matt Busby did not take the game as an easy tie, he even wrote a letter to Yeovil Chairmen H.A.Smith telling him, “a great welcome awaits you in Manchester, everyone is looking forward to your visit.” But why was Manchester abuzz with excitement to look Southern League side Yeovil Town? Because in the fourth round Yeovil Town shocked the country and knocked out Sunderland 2-1 to earn themselves a fixture against the current FA Cup holder.
81,596 eager fans packed into Maine Road to look the game with an impressive 6,000 Yeovil fans made the long trip up north to look a potential once in a lifetime game against a massive side in England.
On the day itself the non-league minnows were thrashed 8-0 by Manchester United with Matt Busby fielding six internationals on the day. But the game started off with a moment of enjoyment for the 6,000 traveling non-league fans who were ecstatic that their team forced a corner within the first minute, but Manchester United very quickly took control of the game.
Striker Jack Rowley one of Manchester United’s highest ever goal scorers scored five on the day on route to the emphatic 8-0 score line.
One of the most intriguing stories of the match surrounded Yeovil goalkeeper Stanley Hall. He pulled off a number of remarkable saves despite what the score line might suggest and even played on through injury after being forced to receive four stitches in the stomach, sustaining the injury during the game.
The 3rd Round fixture does not have quite the same appeal to it with Yeovil being in League One and not the Southern League, but it is a game that has some history and one which will be entertaining all the same.
