Fans vote for Reds as the best FA Cup 'giant-killers' this season.

Click here to watch highlights of Crawley's 2-1 win over Derby County

With the help of their army of fans, Conference Premier Champions Crawley Town have made it a special ‘double’ season by also scooping the inaugural FA Cup Ronnie Radford Award.

Launched this season by The FA, the new annual award is aimed at recognising the team which achieves the most impressive giant-killing act in The FA Cup, and the Crawley fans voted in numbers online to seal the honour for their newly-promoted heroes.

And their victory was well deserved as they beat off stiff competition from FC United of Manchester and Stevenage in the five-team shortlist to take 39% of the votes from fans via TheFA.com and the official FA Cup page on Facebook.

Just five years ago, the Sussex outfit were on the brink of extinction after going into administration, but the club survived and have gone from strength to strength under the guidance of manager Steve Evans, who arrived in 2007.

In January this year they booked their place in the Fourth Round Proper with a stunning injury time win over the Rams at Broadfield Stadium.

Derby had a chance to take the lead after just eight minutes when Reds ‘keeper Michel Kuipers fouled Chris Porter inside the box. Kris Commons stepped up but Kuipers was equal to it. The home side then snatched the lead on 28 minutes when Craig McAllister struck from an acute angle past Stephen Bywater.

But the tie was levelled after 62 minutes when Derby defender Miles Addison headed in a perfectly delivered free kick from Commons. A replay was on the cards until the final seconds of the match when a well-worked corner by Dean Howell found Sergio Torres unmarked on the edge of the box and he rifled home to send his side through.

After seeing off Torquay United 1-0 at Plainmoor in the next round, it took eleven-time FA Cup winners Manchester United to halt Evans’ men in the Fifth Round, and even then it was by just a single Wes Brown goal on 28 minutes.

As winners of the Ronnie Radford Award, Crawley Town’s players are present for The FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday and will receive their trophy on the pitch at half-time.

Chief Executive Alan Williams said: “First of all, we would like to thank all the supporters who voted for us. There were several clubs whose achievements deserved recognition of this marvellous award and we are delighted that we came out on top.

“The best FA Cup run in the club’s history has really put Crawley Town FC on the map. We went all the way to the fifth round to play the famous Manchester United at Old Trafford but the night we beat Derby County at the Broadfield will long live in the memory of everyone who was there. The roof nearly came off the stand when Sergio Torres scored the winning goal.

“We are thrilled to have won the Ronnie Radford Award and are delighted to have been invited to The FA Cup Final on Saturday to receive the award at Wembley. It will perfectly round off an unforgettable season for the club.”

The Ronnie Radford Award is named after the Hereford United midfielder whose long-range goal against Newcastle United in 1972 helped bring about arguably The FA Cup’s most famous giant-killing.

Radford’s spectacular goal on a mud-covered Edgar Street pitch – watched by the TV cameras and greeted with unbridled glee by 26-year-old rookie commentator John Motson – equalised Malcolm Macdonald’s opener for the Magpies and is a constant and wonderful reminder of the magic of The FA Cup. Ricky George hit the winner to send Hereford into the Fourth Round.

The Final Standings
1 - Crawley Town 39%
Third Round Proper CRAWLEY TOWN 2-1 DERBY COUNTY Monday 10 January 2011
2 - FC United of Manchester 35%
First Round Proper ROCHDALE 2-3 FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER Friday 5 November 2010
3 - Stevenage 17%
Third Round Proper STEVENAGE 3-1 NEWCASTLE UNITED Saturday 8 January 2011
4 - Alton Town 5%
First Round Qualifying SUTTON UNITED 1-2 ALTON TOWN Saturday 11 September 2010
5 - Dover Athletic 4%
First Round Proper GILLINGHAM 0-2 DOVER ATHLETIC Saturday 6 November 2010