Famous FA Cup Runs….Weymouth 1961/62

Exciting runs by Southern League sides in the world`s best-known cup competition.

Southern League Premier Division club Weymouth appointed former West Ham United, Preston North End and Republic of Ireland wing-half Frank O`Farrell as player-manager on 20th June 1961.

He would go on to have a very successful spell in charge at the Recreation Ground, including leading the Terras to their first Southern League title, before going on to manage Torquay United, Leicester City and, of course, Manchester United where he had the unenviable task of replacing the legendary Matt Busby.

His first season after taking over from Arthur Coles at Weymouth didn`t start very well, with successive home defeats to eventual champions Headington United (Oxford United) and Hereford United and then an away loss at Tonbridge.

September 2nd though saw O`Farrell lead his team to their first win – 5-2 at home to Bedford Town in which Ron Fogg netted a hat-trick.

However, by the time the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup came round on October 21st, Weymouth`s Board must have been questioning the wisdom of their choice of manager as the side had won just once league game – a 2-1 success at Hereford – and had drawn just once at home to Cheltenham Town out of the eight games since that defeat of Bedford.

So, confidence wasn`t great when the Terras were paired away to neighbours Dorchester Town, who were then in the Western League.

A crowd of 2,500 at the Avenue Ground saw O`Farrell`s men scramble a 3-3 draw with another two from Fogg, who was signed from Southend United in 1960 and went on to play 64 times in the Football League with Aldershot and also became a firm favourite with Bedford Town and Chelmsford City, and one from Des Jones.

Nerves were settled in the replay at the Rec as former Chelsea and Torquay forward Colin Court and ex-Cardiff City winger Cliff Nugent sealed a 2-0 win.

The tide was beginning to turn for Weymouth and they warmed up for their First Round Proper tie at home to Athenian League side Barnet with an 8-1 smashing of Cambridge City at the Recreation Ground.

But it took just a single Court effort to seal a place in the next round of the cup in front of 4,353.

The following Monday saw Weymouth`s ball come out of the velvet bag with another home tie against a Newport County side struggling at the foot of Division Three.

Before the tie, Weymouth inflicted a 5-1 defeat on Wellington Town at home but lost 3-0 at The Walks on their long trip to King`s Lynn.

FA Cup Second Round day saw 6,500 witness an `upset` as another Colin Court goal – his 9th of the season to date – seal a 1-0 win.

It was all ears (the draw was live on the radio then) on Monday`s draw for the Third Round as the Weymouth Board and players were hoping for a money-spinning away tie at a First or Second Division giant.

They got - reigning Lancashire Combination champions Morecambe – and to make matters worse, it was away!

This was going to be a really tough test for O`Farrell`s side as the Lancashire Combination was a strong competition back then and the Shrimps would go on to win the title on three more occasions before becoming a founder member of the Northern Premier League in 1968.

A crowd of 9,500 at Christie Park saw another 1-0 win for the Terras, courtesy of a Ron Fogg goal.

The draw for the Fourth Round produced a plum though, not only for the club but especially for manager O`Farrell.

Weymouth would be heading back to Lancashire to take on team O`Farrell left for £5 a week more to join the Terras – Preston North End!

O`Farrell had made 129 appearances for North End between 1956 and 1961.

They warmed up for the big day with league wins over Bedford away and Cambridge United at home, sandwiched by a Southern League Cup success against Hereford.

On January 27th, 1962, Preston were sitting in mid-table in Division Two.

They had been relegated since the retirement of the great Tom Finney in 1960 but were showing signs of recovery under former player Jimmy Milne, who eventually led them to the 1964 FA Cup Final.

A crowd of 18,000 came to Deepdale to `see` the tie. However, they `saw` barely 20 minutes as the referee abandoned the game due to thick fog!

With the original game being abandoned, Weymouth at least found themselves in the Fifth Round draw for the first (and only) time.

So, two days later, they knew what the reward would be for defying the odds and beating Preston as Monday`s draw paired them with an away draw at Anfield against Liverpool!

This was the season when Liverpool finished as Second Division champions and sealed promotion to the First Division under the management of Bill Shankly and their historic journey really began in earnest.

That same Monday, Weymouth returned to Lancashire and with the crowd boosted to 26,034, despite a brave performance, O`Farrell`s men were beaten 2-0.

Preston went on to beat Liverpool, also after a replay, and in the Sixth Round were drawn against Manchester United.

A crowd of 37,000 saw a 0-0 draw at Deepdale and the following Wednesday in the replay, despite a goal from Alan Spavin, Preston bowed out of the competition 2-1 before an Old Trafford crowd of 63,000.

United were beaten by eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final.

Weymouth went on to finish sixth at the end of the 61/62 season.

(Photo: https://uptheterras.co.uk)