Fans storming the pitch and singing Adele in the sheds: Epic scenes after sixth-tier club knock out FA Cup holders
Updated . First published at
The fairytales continued in the FA Cup on Sunday morning (AEDT) when sixth-tier club Macclesfield - managed by Wayne Rooney's brother - knocked out title holders Crystal Palace in one of the competition's greatest upsets.
The teams were separated by 117 places in the English soccer pyramid.
At the other extreme, Manchester City overwhelmed third-tier Exeter 10-1 in a match featuring a goal on debut by $130 million signing Antoine Semenyo - but the Premier League giants tying a club record wasn't the story of the day.
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Macclesfield players celebrate a goal. CameraSport via Getty Images
Instead it was the 2-1 win for Macclesfield, a tiny club from England's north west that relaunched after their predecessor, Macclesfield Town, was liquidated in 2020.
The team, placed 14th in National League North, are astill coming to terms with the loss of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who was killed in a car crash travelling back from a match he played in at Bedford Town on December 16. A banner bearing his name hung behind the dugouts at the Palace game and his family were in the stands to watch.
It made for an emotionally draining afternoon for John Rooney, the younger sibling of England and Manchester United great Wayne, who was at the match working for BBC.
“We finished the game and then I walk in the office and see Ethan’s mum and dad in there, that’s very special to me,” John Rooney said.
“Just knowing they were here with us, and I’m sure Ethan was looking down on us."
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Macclesfield took the lead just before half time through captain Paul Dawson, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th following a scramble in the penalty area.
Yeremy Pino’s last-minute free kick for Palace left Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as fans chanted “Silkmen! Silkmen!” - the club’s nickname.
Macclesfield survived, their players adding their names to the competition's lore. Given the difference in league positions, it was the most unlikely result in FA Cup history.
Fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose, Macclesfield's modest 5900-capacity stadium, in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
Fans hoist Luke Duffy of Macclesfield and Paul Dawson onto their shoulders. Offside via Getty Images
“I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day,” Rooney said.
“I can’t believe it. We were incredible from the first minute."
After the pandemonium died down, Macclesfield players went back into the dressing rooms to soak in one of the greatest upsets in history.
It was there they belted out the iconic tunes of "Someone Like You" by Adele and "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye.
The reaction wasn't as jovial for Palace, who won their first major trophy in the FA Cup last season when they beat City in the final.
The loss marked the first time since 1909 that a non-league club had defeated the reigning champs in the competition.
Palace's dismal afternoon was summed up when US defender Chris Richards committed a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time.
“I have no words for this performance,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.
