SUNDAY marked the 40th anniversary of one of the most famous FA Cup scalps in Worcester City’s history.

Malcolm Allison's Plymouth Argyle of Division Three were beaten 2-0 in front of 8,253 at St George's Lane thanks to goals from Malcolm Phelps and Jimmy Williams.

It was Worcester's first foray into the competition proper since 1960-61 and the club's best since that most famous of runs when Liverpool were ousted two seasons earlier.

Under the guidance of legendary gaffer Nobby Clark, City went close to making it through the qualifying rounds in the seasons before but finally succeeded in landing the plum tie with Plymouth thanks to victories over Bromsgrove Rovers, Highgate United, Darlaston Town and Bath City.

The 1978-79 season is best known as the club's most triumphant with the Southern League – then English non-league football's top tier alongside the Northern Premier League – title lifted and a whopping 27 cup ties played.

Phelps ended up the top appearance maker with 68, part of his total of 404 which yielded no fewer than 93 goals across eight years in blue and white.

Signed for £100 as a utility player from Nuneaton, he lived up to his tag by featuring in every position – including a full game in goal at Scarborough – and provided a soaring headed goal in the Plymouth tie. He was top scorer in that iconic campaign.

City's victory against Argyle set up a second-round clash at Newport County and after a 0-0 draw on the road, a third-round clash with West Ham United was tantalisingly close thanks to a similar strike by Phelps in the replay.

It was a last-minute own goal in the fog that rescued the Division Four club who then went through 2-1 after extra-time in front of a jam-packed 10,223 crowd.

The glory inevitably attracted interest with John Barton and Jimmy Williams sold for large transfer fees to Everton and Walsall, respectively.

Nevertheless, Worcester would go on to top the pile by four points having beaten their only rivals for the crown Kettering Town 3-0 in the penultimate match of the season.

Midfield maestro Barry Williams struck two memorable goals with future City and Kidderminster Harriers boss Graham Allner plundering the other in front of 7,386.

City sought to gain election to the Football League but St George's Lane was deemed to be short of the ground grading requirements and runners-up Kettering were put forward for promotion alongside Northern Premier League champions Altrincham.

Neither was successful, receiving 25 votes between them while Halifax Town retained their place with 37 in spite of being the Football League's worst-supported club.

City went on to become founder members of the Alliance Premier League, the first league outside of the professional ranks not to be regionalised. It is now known as the National League.

The picture shows City ahead of a home game with Redditch United the weekend before they played Plymouth. Barry Williams was missing through injury.

*With thanks to research from Worcester City historian Julian Pugh.

PICTURE: Worcester City 1978-79

Back – (L-R) Mirek Kalewski, Jimmy Williams, Ken Lawrance, Jimmy Cumbes, Malcolm Phelps, Ralph Punsheon and Alan Wood (coach).

Front – Norman Pemberton, Graham Allner, Gary Stevens, Lionel Martin, John Barton, Kevin Deehan.

Pic: Julian Pugh's archive