Greatest comebacks

Has there really been anything to compare with City’s feat at White Hart Lane, especially as Kevin Keegan’s side were down to ten players after Joey Barton’s dismissal late in the first half?

How about these?

Tranmere Rovers 4 (Rideout 59, 71, 80; Barlow 83)
Southampton 3 (Kachloul 12, Tessem 26, Richards 45)

Still comparatively fresh in the memory is Tranmere Rovers’ 4-3 Fifth Round replay win against Southampton in 2001. Glenn Hoddle’s Saints looked to be home and dry after Kachloul, Tessem and Richards had put them 3-0 up.

Then big striker Paul Rideout, scorer of Everton’s winner in the 1995 Final, started a fight-back that sent Prenton Park fans behind the goal into raptures. Rideout notched a hat-trick and Stuart Barlow completed the scoring.

Blackpool 4 (Mortensen 35, 68, 89; Perry 90)
Bolton Wanderers 3 (Lofthouse 2, Moir 40, Bell 55)

Cup Finals tend to be memorable too and the games in 1953 (naturally) and 1966 stick out for their fluctuating fortunes.

Bolton Wanderers, even with an injured "passenger" on the wing, led Blackpool 3-1 with 22 minutes left of what came to be known as the "Matthews Final".

Stan Mortensen, Matthews’ great pal, then scored twice and the maestro set up the last-gasp winner for Bill Perry. A fantastic end to the Coronation Year Final.

Everton 3 (Trebilcock 59, 64; Temple 74)
Sheffield Wednesday 2 (McCalliog 4, Ford 57)

The 1966 Final between Everton and Sheffield Wednesday wasn’t bad either. Wednesday were 2-0 up after 57 minutes, following clinical finishes from Jim McCalliog and David Ford.

Then Cornishman Mike Trebilcock, whose name wasn’t even in the match programme, scored twice in five minutes for the Merseysiders and Derek Temple swept them in front at 3-2 after Gerry Young’s mistake.

Newcastle United 4 (Tudor, Moncur, McDermott, Craig)
Nottingham Forest 3 (Bowyer, O'Kane, Lyall)

One of the great Cup comebacks was achieved in a tie that was later ordered to be replayed.

A highly emotional St James’ Park crowd saw their Newcastle United favourites go 3-1 down to Second Division Nottingham Forest in the Sixth Round in 1974.

There was a pitch invasion involving hundreds of leaping youngsters and, when play resumed, United set about trying to reduce the arrears. Moncur, McDermott (penalty) and Craig netted to make the final score 4-3. Forest, clearly intimidated, earned a replay ordered by The FA.

Aston Villa 2 (Taylor 51; P Neville og 54)
Manchester United 3 (Solskjaer 77; van Nistelrooy 80, 82)

Manchester United have made comebacks in all sorts of matches. Their best-known came in the last couple of minutes of the 1999 Champions’ League Final in Barcelona.

In The FA Cup they were 0-2 down to Aston Villa in a Third Round tie at Villa Park in 2002 before Ruud van Nistelrooy got to work. And there have been lots of other comebacks over the years, perhaps forgotten by everyone except those who were actually there.

We can't think of any Cup comeback to equal Charlton's 1957 feat of coming back from 1-5 to 7-6 in the last 28 minutes of a League game with ten men. 

Was the Tottenham v Man City match the greatest FA Cup comeback ever? If you think it was, or if you can name a better one, send in your thoughts by filling out our contact form and selecting 'Your Views' as the subject. 

FA partner Nationwide are offering fans a pair of tickets to an FA Cup tie of their choice. All you need to do is send them details of your favourite FA Cup comeback at marketing.sponsorship@nationwide.co.uk