Episode Summary
Hosts
Graham Dunn, Jamie Rooney
Guest(s)
Release Date
27 July 2023
Duration
22 min
In this pre-season special of By Far The Greatest Team, the hosts revisit one of English football’s most charming underdog tales — Harlow Town’s 1979–80 FA Cup run, when a small non-league club captured the nation’s imagination.
At a time when cup magic truly mattered, Harlow embodied everything great about the competition: community spirit, muddy pitches, and belief stronger than budget. Managed by Ian Wolstenholme, the team mixed part-timers, schoolteachers, and local heroes who would become household names overnight. Their defining moment came in January 1980, when they defeated Leicester City — then pushing for promotion from the Second Division — after a replay in front of a packed crowd at Filbert Street.
The victory sent shockwaves through English football, propelling Harlow into a glamour tie with Graham Taylor’s Watford. Although the run ended there, their fearless approach, passionate fans, and the images of overflowing terraces at the Sportcentre became part of FA Cup folklore.
The episode explores what made that season so special: the tactics, the conditions, the giant-killing culture of 1970s football, and how moments like Harlow’s helped define the FA Cup’s identity as the world’s most romantic competition.
Takeaways
Harlow’s 1979–80 cup run epitomised the romance of the FA Cup.
Victory over Leicester City remains one of the competition’s great shocks.
The Sportcentre’s atmosphere reflected football’s grassroots magic.
Non-league football thrived on spirit, grit, and community.
Harlow’s story reminds us why the FA Cup matters.
The team’s brief fame left a lasting cultural footprint in English football.
Harlow Town 1979–1980: Essex’s FA Cup Dreamers
In 1979–80, Harlow Town — a tiny non-league club from Essex — stunned English football by beating Leicester City in the FA Cup and reaching the Fourth Round.
Managed by Ian Wolstenholme, Harlow’s mix of local players and part-timers defied all logic with a fearless, direct style and unshakeable belief. Their victory at Filbert Street made national headlines, their small Sportcentre ground overflowed with fans, and the team became overnight heroes.
They eventually bowed out to Watford, but Harlow’s run captured everything magical about the FA Cup: muddy pitches, packed terraces, and the idea that heart and hard work could overcome any odds.
Harlow Town 1979–80 remains one of the most endearing stories in English football — proof that greatness isn’t measured by money or medals, but by the moments that make us believe.
Main Topics
Iconic Moments
Harlow Town’s 1979–80 FA Cup journey
The Leicester City upset and its lasting legacy
Roy Thomas’s management and tactical approach
The community spirit behind non-league football
How the FA Cup gave smaller clubs national recognition
Harlow defeat Leicester City in FA Cup replay
Overflowing crowds at the Sportcentre ground
The Watford tie draws national TV coverage
Harlow reach the FA Cup Fourth Round
Local heroes become national cult figures overnight
Notable Manager
Ian Wolstenholme
Notable Players
John MacKenzie, Kevin Smith, Gary Pye, Dave Huddart, Roy Thomas, John Poole, Bobby Gough
Style of Play
4-4-2 Formation, Direct Football, High Work Rate, Set-Piece Focus, Compact Defence, Counter-Attacking
Harlow Town’s 1979–80 side were a classic late-1970s non-league outfit — direct, compact, and physically fearless. Typically lining up in a 4-4-2, Ian Wolstenholme set his players up to maximise territory and fight for every second ball. The approach was simple but effective: early deliveries into the box, overlapping full-backs, and high-energy pressing that unsettled professional opponents unused to such intensity.
Against Leicester City, Harlow combined aggression with discipline, defending deep in numbers before launching quick transitions through long passes and knockdowns. Their forwards — quick, industrious, and brave — chased lost causes until defences cracked. In the replay, their relentless work rate forced errors and won the admiration of neutrals.
More than tactics, it was about belief. Every player knew his role; every fan played theirs. The FA Cup’s unpredictability gave teams like Harlow a platform to play with freedom and heart. They may have lacked resources, but tactically and emotionally, they executed a perfect blueprint for a cup upset — the kind of performance that keeps the magic of the competition alive.
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