Wildest-ever FA Cup tie was played over four matches – then winners were DQed
We all love the Magic of the Cup, and you'd be forgiven for thinking some sort of spell was cast over Chesterfield Town and non-league Droylsden’s 2008 clash.
Fans of both teams had to endure four matches, two of which were abandoned, a controversial goal, a brawl between both sets of players and an eventual removal from the competition for the winner.
The FA Cup chucks up stories year after year, but this one is one hell of a tale, and takes the cake as one of the strangest and most mind-boggling ties of all time.
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League Two Chesterfield, who currently play in the National League, were drawn at home to the now North West Counties League Division One South side Droylsden in December 2008, and they had no idea what they were in store for.
Manchester-based Droylsden had already chucked out League Two Darlington, and took a shock 1-0 lead at Saltergate before half-time, where the magic then kicked in. Heavy fog engulfed the ground, and the game was abandoned.
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The fixture was rearranged and was chugging along nicely until Droylsden kicked the ball out due to a Chesterfield injury. The Spireites’ Jack Lester hoofed the ball back as a courtesy but put a little too much on it and lobbed Droylsden’s keeper to give his side the lead.
How’d you think the non-league side reacted? They went mental. The pitch was swarmed with players and coached up in arms, and Chesterfield rightfully allowed the away side to score, leaving the tie as a 2-2 draw.
This set up a replay back in Droylsden at the Butcher’s Arms. The Bloods’ home ground was witnessing a massacre unfold as the visitors raced to a two-goal lead, but midway through the second half, the lights went out.
Just as Droylsden chances of FA Cup success grew dimmer, their stadium upped them and went pitch black! The floodlights had failed, and the game was off.
Chesterfield did throw a few allegations about surrounding the beneficial timing of the power cut, but electrical issues plagued the ground that evening elsewhere, and this narrative grew another page as both teams headed into their fourth match.
The final clash ended 2-1 to the home underdogs and seemed to have gone by stunningly, without any controversy. That was too much to ask, however.
Sean Newton, one of Droylsden’s defenders, bagged himself both of their goals in the match; the only issue- he was suspended. In the match called off due to floodlight failure, Newton was booked, his fifth of the season, and so was due to serve a suspension.
The Bloods did fax this info to the FA immediately after the match, and a game he’d miss was agreed upon, but this was before the replay had been confirmed.
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Droylsden argued their case, stating they’d agreed a game and a club secretary had made a mess of it, and despite their manager and chairman, Dave Pace, jokingly saying he’d throw himself “off the nearest bridge" if they were kicked out of the competition.
His nightmares were realised, and they got the boot, much like League One Barnsley in their recent tie against Horsham, where they fielded an ineligible player.
The Bloods appealed to no avail and were stripped of their potential tie with Championship side Ipswich Town. The FA Cup sure does love a bit of action, but this tie is one of the most controversy-ridden of them all.
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