The FA Cup is regarded as the oldest cup competition in the world, and at one time, it was seen as one of the most prestigious to win. While Premier League clubs now nominate the FA Cup, many non-league clubs have made a mark in the historic competition. Here are the non-league clubs that have made the most significant mark on the grand old competition:
Tottenham Hotspur (Winners of the FA Cup in season 1900/01)
While the north London club are now an established English top-flight club, when Spurs won the competition for the first time in the 1900/01 season, they were then plying their trade in the Southern League.
Tottenham eventually defeated Sheffield United 3-1 in a replay to become the first, and to this date, only non-league club to lift the FA Cup. On the way to glory, Spurs defeated Preston North End, Bury, Reading and West Bromwich Albion.
Southampton (Finalists in seasons 1899/00 and 1901/02)
The Saints reached the final of the competition in both 1900 and 1902. Like Tottenham, the club from the south coast held non-league club status, playing in the Southern League, when making it to the final in both seasons.
In reality, at the time, there were only two divisions considered as the Football League. Still, Southampton’s making it to two finals was a massive achievement.
Their first run to the final saw the Saints defeat the top-flight clubs Everton, Newcastle United, and West Bromwich Albion, while winning against Millwall in the semi-finals. However, then-top-flight club Bury inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Southampton in the final.
On their second run to the final, the Saints beat then-holders Spurs, Liverpool, and Derby County before gaining revenge on Bury in the quarter-finals, then saw off Nottingham Forest in the last four.
The final was against Sheffield United. The first game against the Blades ended 1-1, but the Yorkshire outfit prevailed 2-1 in the replay.
The Wednesday (Now Sheffield Wednesday) (Finalists in season 1889/90)
The season before Tottenham put a marker for non-league clubs in the FA Cup, another non-league outfit, the Wednesday, reached the FA Cup final. At the time, Wednesday was in the Football Alliance, with the Football League only in its second year of existence.
The Yorkshire outfit played just five games in that year’s competition, including the final itself. However, they took some notable scalps, such as Notts County and Bolton Wanderers, who were founding members of the 12-team Football League.
Wednesday’s hopes of FA Cup glory were dashed in the final, though, as Blackburn Rovers hammered them 6-1. Despite the loss, Wednesday still hold a place in history as one of only three non-league clubs ever to make the final of the FA Cup.
Lincoln City (Quarter-finalists in season 2016/17)
Somewhat more recently than Spurs and the Saints’ exploits, Lincoln City made it to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in the 2016/17 season.
Unlike the trio above, the Imps had played seven rounds of games when they finally suffered a quarter-final exit courtesy of a 5-0 hammering at North London giants Arsenal.
Their journey started in the fourth qualifying round when the then-National League team needed a replay to see off Guiseley. However, they defeated slightly more illustrious opposition on the way to the last eight of the competition, including Oldham Athletic, Ipswich Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Premier League Burnley.
Lincoln made history with the run, as they became the first post-war non-league team to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Non-league clubs that have made it to the fifth round
Four non-league clubs have managed to make it to the fifth round of the competition, including Blyth Spartans, Maidstone United, Crawley Town and Yeovil Town.
Blyth made it to the fifth round in season 1977/78, when the Spartans were in the Northern League at the time. Their fifth-round tie against Wrexham was their 12th in the competition that season. Unfortunately, Blyth suffered a 2-1 home defeat against the Welsh team to exit the competition. Still, it was impressive for the Spartans.
Maidstone United enjoyed their best run in the competition in the 2023/24 season. Their FA Cup journey kicked off in the second qualifying round and ended in a 5-0 thumping at Coventry City in the fifth round. Their run was even more impressive due to the fact that United were in the sixth tier of the English game, the National League South.
Crawley Town made it to the fifth round of the competition in the 2010/11 season. Town played six games in that season’s FA Cup before bravely falling on their sword in a 1-0 defeat at the Premier League giants Manchester United in the fifth round.
Yeovil Town reached the fifth round in season 1948/49, when the Glovers were in the Southern League. The Somerset outfit knocked out Lovells Athletic, Romford, Weymouth, Bury and Sunderland. Their cup run ended with an 8-0 hammering at Manchester United.