The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fourth Round Proper
Winning clubs will receive £60,000 from The FA
Fourth Round ties - Fixtures



One potential pairing in this season's FA Cup Fourth Round has really caught the imagination.

Havant and Waterlooville, currently 12th in the Conference South, will play Liverpool, seven times winners of The Cup, if those two teams win their Third Round replays.

The Hawks secured a 1-1 draw at Swansea City with Rocky Baptiste's 87th-minute equaliser on Saturday and they will replay at Westleigh Park on Wednesday of next week. By then, both sides will know if Liverpool have been successful in their home replay with Luton Town following a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

If it does turn out to be Liverpool v Havant and Waterlooville at Anfield at the end of the month, it will only be the third time since the war that the Merseysiders have faced non-League opposition in The Cup.

In 1981, Bob Paisley's Liverpool gained a routine 4-1 home victory against Altrincham of the Alliance Premier League in the Third Round. Kenny Dalglish (two), Terry McDermott and Ray Kennedy notched the goals.

Much earlier, in 1959, Liverpool suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Southern League Worcester City in another Third Round tie. Worcester manager Bill Thompson conceived the 'Thompson Plan' to cause Second Division Liverpool the maximum discomfort on the frozen St George's Lane pitch.

Tommy Skuse, just 18, and Dick White (own goal) put Worcester 2-0 up before Geoff Twentyman reduced the arrears with a penalty. The Evening Times remarked: "The Liverpool rearguard were as nervous as old ladies on icy pavements."

A non-League team has not beaten a top-flight team since Sutton United edged out Coventry City 2-1 in the Third Round at Gander Green Lane in 1989.