THURSDAY marked the 60th anniversary of the biggest crowd Worcester City’s St George’s Lane witnessed.

A whopping 17,042 got caught up with FA Cup fever after Liverpool had been toppled in round three of the FA Cup with Sheffield United next to try to avoid the banana skin.

The fact they did so probably explains why this game does not get talked about as much but the occasion is memorable for more than just the bumper crowd.

To date, it is City’s only venture to the fourth round of the world’s oldest cup competition and marks the final time a team from English football’s second tier faced Worcester in a competitive match.

It was also the last occasion on which the 11 players that had beaten Millwall and Liverpool would ever play together in City colours.

The fourth round draw had been made prior to the Liverpool clash and the Blades were known for having a settled side including two England internationals, goalkeeper Alan Hodgkinson and Graham Shaw.

United’s manager Archie Clark did his homework at the Liverpool game and declared: “I don’t think we have anything to fear from Worcester, especially if playing conditions are reasonable.

“I have a complete view of the Worcester team and I am not at all worried, I think if we play our normal game we can get through.”

Makes a change from the “it will be a tough game” line emanating from every modern-day gaffer!

United stayed at the Raven Hotel, Droitwich, travelling up on the Monday before and making it their base for the week.

Their fans had been allocated 4,000 tickets and as cup fever gripped Worcester, a thaw set in and the Lane’s pitch became waterlogged.

If it had rained heavily on the day, the game would almost certainly have been postponed.

Against Millwall and Liverpool City had been out of the blocks quickly, scoring vital early goals. This time the opposition seized the initiative, dictating the pace from the very first kick.

Inside the first 10 minutes City’s usually-reliable defence had been caught out at least four times and it was no surprise when an unmarked Kevin Lewis – aged just 17 – calmly stroked home a left-wing cross from Ron Simpson.

City gradually adjusted to the pace and held out until half-time. Harry Knowles had Worcester’s best chance of the match but hammered against the keeper’s chest.

He then shot tamely at the keeper with Tommy Skuse screaming in the middle for the ball and when Harry finally did lay on a chance for Tommy, the City youngster blazed over with the goal gaping.

Three chances had been missed and City never got another sniff.

Clark told his men at half time: “Relax and you’ve had it. Pull up your socks, get out there and let’s have another quick goal to clinch the game.”

His players duly obliged within six minutes. Left-winger Simpson pulled down a long ball expertly and drove home from the edge of the penalty area, although Johnny Kirkwood in the City goal got a hand to the ball.

There was very little reaction from the City dressing room. All that City boss Bill Thompson would say was: “The further you go in this cup, the harder it is when you fall. The end had to come some time.

“We’ve no complaints – the better team won.”

His counterpart Clark was more forthcoming. “To me it looked like a racehorse against a donkey,” he boasted. “We should have won 5-0. We missed a hatful of chances.”

The headline in the Evening News and Times said it all: “Worcester’s Gallant Cup Battlers Hadn’t Met This Class of Player Before.”

n With thanks to City historian Julian Pugh for his help with this article.