The FA Cup has delivered dozens of giant-killings since the inaugural tournament kicked off in November 1871.
While Premier League and EFL clubs have had their share of memorable moments, some of the most magical tales belong to non-league teams.
These plucky minnows have defied the odds to embark on extraordinary runs in the world’s oldest cup competition.
We have rounded up the greatest FA Cup runs by non-league sides.
Tottenham Hotspur (1900-01)
Spurs were playing in the Southern League when they embarked upon a memorable FA Cup campaign at the turn of the century.
That meant they were classed as a non-league club, as their typical rivals included Gravesend United, New Brompton and Kettering.
They only finished fifth in the Southern League that season after losing three of their last 5 games.
However, they enjoyed much more success in the cup.
Spurs booked a place in the semi-finals after dispatching Preston North End, Bury and Reading.
They then produced a remarkable performance to thump West Brom 4-0.
The final was played at Crystal Palace in London.
Spurs faced Sheffield United, and it finished 2-2 after the Blades grabbed a controversial equaliser.
However, they won the replay 3-1, courtesy of goals from John Cameron, Tom Smith and Sandy Brown.
That made Tottenham the only non-league team ever to win the FA Cup.
Southampton and The Wednesday both finished runners-up during that period, but Spurs’ triumph remains unparalleled.
Yeovil Town (1948-49)
Yeovil Town were playing in the Southern League when they went all the way to the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1949.
It was their silver jubilee as a professional club, and they celebrated in style.
They eased to victories over Romford and Weymouth in the first two rounds, before beating Bury 3-1.
That teed up a fourth-round clash with the mighty Sunderland, a top-flight team.
The Glovers stunned their illustrious opponents by clinching a 2-1 victory.
While their run eventually ended with a heavy defeat to Manchester United, it cemented their status as legendary giant-killers.
Hereford United (1971-72)
Hereford produced one of the most famous FA Cup upsets of all time when they beat top-flight opponents Newcastle United in 1972.
They were plying their trade in the Southern League, but they gained confidence after earning scrappy wins against King’s Lynn and Northampton Town in the early rounds.
The Whites were huge underdogs for their third-round clash with Newcastle, but they battled to a famous 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.
That shock result forced a replay at Edgar Street.
Once again, the teams couldn’t be separated in 90 minutes, so the game went to extra-time.
Malcolm Macdonald put the Magpies ahead, but Ronnie Radford equalised with a 30-yard rocket, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Ricky George then netted the winner, securing Hereford’s place in FA Cup folklore.
They fell to West Ham in the fourth round, but their victory over Newcastle is one of the most iconic moments in FA Cup history.
Blyth Spartans (1977-78)
Blyth Spartans, a Northern League side, delivered one of the great FA Cup underdog stories when they reached the fifth round in 1978.
After knocking out Stoke City in the fourth round, they faced Wrexham in the fifth round and secured a dramatic draw, forcing a replay.
They came close to reaching the quarter-finals, but disaster struck when they conceded in the last minute, losing 2-1.
Despite the defeat, Blyth’s remarkable cup run remains one of the most memorable in non-league history.
Sutton United (1988-89)
Sutton United have made a habit of embarrassing illustrious rivals in the FA Cup.
Perhaps their greatest upset came in the 1988-89 campaign, when they beat Coventry City in the third round.
It was a major shock, as Coventry had won the FA Cup just two years earlier.
Meanwhile, Sutton were playing in the Conference, which is now the National League.
Goals from Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlan proved decisive, sending Sutton into the fourth round.
They lost to Norwich City, but that triumph over Coventry remains an iconic moment in FA Cup history.
Kidderminster Harriers (1993-94)
Conference side Kidderminster Harriers stunned Birmingham City in the third round of the FA Cup in the mid-1990s.
They then got the better of Preston in the fourth round.
Their remarkable run was finally halted in the fifth round by West Ham United, but the Hammers needed a replay to overcome the non-league outfit.
Kidderminster’s resilience and impressive performances captured the imagination of football fans across the country.
It also provided the club with a vital financial boost.
Burton Albion (2005-06)
Burton Albion, another Conference side, earned a place in the third round of the FA Cup after vanquishing Peterborough United and Burscough in 2006.
Their reward was a showdown with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd team, which contained the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
However, that trio could not breach Burton’s robust defence at Pirelli Stadium, and the game finished 0-0.
United eased to victory in the replay, but that 0-0 draw provided the springboard for Burton’s eventual rise to the Championship.
Havant & Waterlooville (2007-08)
Few non-league sides have captured the imagination quite like Havant & Waterlooville did in the 2007-08 FA Cup.
After defeating Swansea City, they faced Premier League giants Liverpool at Anfield in the fourth round.
They led the game twice, stunning the home crowd at Anfield, before eventually succumbing to a 5-2 defeat.
They may have lost, but their fearless attacking display and their refusal to be overawed by the occasion remains the stuff of legend.
Crawley Town (2010-11)
Crawley Town were a Conference team when they enjoyed a run to the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2011.
They made short work of Guiseley in the first round, before beating Swindon Town 3-2 after extra time in their second-round replay.
The Red Devils were huge underdogs against Derby County in the third round, but a stoppage-time strike from Sergio Torres earned them a famous 2-1 win.
They went one better by beating Torquay United 1-0 in the fourth round.
That earned them a trip to Old Trafford, where they faced Man Utd in the fifth round.
It was a tight game, but Wes Brown’s header eventually earned the other Red Devils a 1-0 win.
Lincoln City (2016-17)
Lincoln City made history by becoming the first non-league side in over a century to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2017.
The Imps, then plying their trade in the National League, beat Championship clubs Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion before stunning Premier League outfit Burnley with a last-minute winner from Sean Raggett in the fifth round.
Their remarkable journey ended with a defeat to eventual champions Arsenal, as they struggled to contain Alexis Sánchez and Theo Walcott.
However, their achievements paved the way for their return to the Football League that same season.
Marine (2020-21)
Eighth-tier team Marine AFC embarked on a fabulous run to the FA Cup third round during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Simply reaching the first round proper was an impressive achievement, as they had to navigate three qualifying rounds.
They then beat Colchester United on penalties, before beating Havant & Waterlooville 1-0 after extra time in the second round.
Marine ultimately lost 5-0 to Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur side, but their journey was a perfect example of the magic of the FA Cup.
The financial boost and national attention they received from their run also provided the club with a vital shot in the arm at a perilous time for non-league sides.
