COUNTDOWN TO CITY: Peterborough United’s FA Cup record against teams from the top flight of English football: ‘One win, two penalty shootout defeats, a couple of drubbings and an emotional return to Old Trafford for the ‘Messiah’

Posh will carry a record of P35 W1 D8 L26 against top tier teams into tomorrow’s (March 1, 7.15pm) fifth round tie against Manchester City at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Posh have been drawn against top-flight opponents 27 times in the FA Cup in the past and been knocked out on 26 occasions.

Posh did force draws eight times including two in replays which were then lost on penalty shootouts. Posh did deliver some decent displays in some cracking games though...

Non League days

Midland League Posh developed a fine FA Cup giant-killing reputation, but they couldn’t beat Division One clubs. They lost 3-1 at Cardiff City in their first meeting with a top-flight club in 1954 despite taking an early lead through Freddie Martin. 15,000 Posh fans saw Posh lose 3-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in January, 1960.

THE BIGGEST CROWD

The biggest crowd to watch Posh (64,531) in a competitive fixture saw Aston Villa win a fourth round replay 2-1 at Villa Park, in 1961. It had finished 1-1 at London Road thanks to a Billy Hails goal for Posh. Peter McNamee scored at Villa Park.

THE ONE WIN

Goals from Derek Dougan and Peter McNamee saw Posh come from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 in a Fourth Round tie in 1965. Posh went on to lose 5-1 at Chelsea in the quarter-finals which remains the club’s best run in the competition.

THE 1960s

Also in the 1960s Posh lost to Sheffield United (1-3, 1962) and Sunderland (1-7, 1967). The defeat at Roker Park had serious ramifications for Posh as they were found guilty of offering illegal win bonuses, which clearly didn’t work, and were demoted to Division Four as a result.

PENALTY AGONY, FIVE DEFEATS IN A ROW AND AN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO OLD TRAFFORD

Posh lost to top-flight clubs five years in a row in the 1970s against Ipswich (0-2, 1972), Derby (0-1, 1973), Leeds (1-4, 1974), Middlesbrough (0-2 after a 1-1 draw, 1975), and Manchester United (1-3, 1976). The latter was an emotional return to Old Trafford for Posh boss Noel ‘The Messiah’ Cantwell who had skippered United to an FA Cup triumph in 1963. Newcastle (0-2 after a 1-1 draw, 1978) also knocked Posh out in the 1970s.

Posh only played two top-flight teams in the 1980s, Manchester City (0-1) and Luton Town who won 3-0 at Kenilworth Road in 1983.

Posh came close to beating Spurs in 1994, but after two 1-1 draws the Londoners won a penalty shootout 5-4. Spurs had drawn level five minutes from time at London Road when Jason Dozzell cancelled out Jason Brissett’s goal. Sixteen year-old Andrew Furnell saw his penalty saved by Spurs ‘keeper Ian Walker in the replay shootout.

Posh were again denied a famous victory in 2016 when Graham Westley’s team drew 2-2 at West Bromwich Albion and 1-1 in the replay at London Road before going out on penalties. Lee Angol and Martin Samuelsen saw their spotkicks saved by Baggies ‘keeper Ben Foster. Posh also took the top-flight Baggies to a replay in 2009, but lost 2-0 at home after a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns. Posh have played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge three times, losing 5-0 in 2001 and 4-1 in 2017 (John Terry sent off) as well as the 1965 loss.

A DRUBBING

Leicester City thrashed Posh 5-1 at London Road in a fourth round tie in 2018 despite fielding an understrength side. The Foxes scored three times in the first 29 minutes and twice in the last three minutes. Andrew Hughes hit a consolation goal for Posh.

THE LAST TIME

Posh lost 4-2 at Burnley in a third round tie in January, 2020. The hosts scored three times in the first 19 minutes. Ivan Toney and substitute Ricky-Jade Jones scored for Posh.