FA Cup memories - Kidderminster's epic journey

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

The FA Cup, the world’s greatest football competition has returned and in a new series for the website from round one until the final at Wembley next May; I will share my memories of what has made the competition so special to me and many football fans up and down the land.

These stories can be one of personal achievement, a huge surprise against the odds, even something like a game played in freezing temperatures or a weekend where the underdog ripped up the formbook.

While many of the highest professionals are away with their countries in international action this midweek, the first round replays take place in the FA Cup. The likes of Brackley Town, Gateshead and Braintree Town will all have their eyes on claiming league scalps and making the second round proper.

My FA Cup memory to mark this stage of the competition rewinds the clock to almost 20 years ago when non-league Kidderminster Harriers went on a remarkable run in 1994 that took them to within two matches of playing at Wembley Stadium.

After dispatching Kettering Town and Woking in the first two rounds, Kidderminster moved into the third round to play Birmingham City from division one. Birmingham were struggling in the second tier and staring relegation in the face. Barry Fry was their new manager but despite their struggles, the Blues were expected to comfortably overwhelm their weaker opposition. Kidderminster might have been three points clear at the top of the GM Vauxhall Conference and were on a great run of just one defeat in 16 games but still came into the clash at St Andrews as huge underdogs.

Birmingham missed a penalty, had a goal chalked off for offside and Kidderminster goalkeeper Kevin Rose put in a blinding performance with a string of top draw saves that won’t have looked out of place in the Premier League. The winner ultimately came in the 63^rd minute. Telephone salesman Jon Purdie smashed in a storming effort from the left-hand side of the 18-yard box and Ian Bennett couldn’t do a thing about it. The 26-year-old had been a youngster at Arsenal but unlike Tony Adams and Paul Merson, who were part of the same intake at Highbury, hadn’t made the grade in north London. Now this was his moment of magic and it took Kidderminster into the fourth round for the first time in their history.

Manager Graham Allner then steered his side into round five. On a bumpy playing surface at their Aggborough ground, Preston North End couldn’t cope with the conditions. Delwyn Humphreys scored the only goal of the fourth round tie to take them into the last 16.

Kidderminster had made the hat, whilst other major clubs such as cup holders Arsenal, previous season’s finalists Sheffield Wednesday, big spending Blackburn Rovers and former Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton hadn’t got so far. Premier League side West Ham United were drawn to face Kidderminster in round five.

8,000 spectators were in force to see if the team could become the first from the non-league to reach the quarter-finals in the history of the competition. The game was an even contest. West Ham had more of the possession but were well matched in the tackling department. One goal ultimately settled the game. Keith Rowland’s cross was misjudged by Rose and in the 69^th minute, the looping header by Lee Chapman ended in an unguarded net.

The FA Cup dream was over for Kidderminster but they had made national headlines. They were only the fifth non-league side to get to round five and only Crawley Town in 2011 and Luton Town in 2013 have matched this feat since.

It was an epic journey and often forgotten in the context of other fairytales that have happened in this great competition over the years.

What happened to some of the key figures on that run?

Graham Allner was manager of Kidderminster for 15 years. He led the team to the Conference championship in 1994, although they were denied promotion to the Football League as it was declared their ground didn’t meet the required standards. Allner left Kidderminster in 1998 and later worked as a coach at Cheltenham Town. He now works for The Scouting Network.

Delwyn Humphreys scored 33 goals in 136 games for Harriers before a serious knee injury nearly ended his professional career. Spells playing followed at Northwich Victoria, Stafford Rangers and Bromsgrove Rovers and he now manages Ellesmere Rangers in the West Midlands League.

Jon Purdie now manages AFC Wulfrunians after ending his playing days in 2000 with Worcester City and helped his team to the West Midlands Regional League Premier Division title last season.