Weymouth Cup Terras  

None of clubs who do battle in the FA Cup Preliminary Round will harbour realistic dreams of winning the silverware but all would undoubtedly settle for a repeat of Weymouth’s achievement in the 1949/50 competition when they went from this stage of the cup all the way to the Third Round proper and a meeting with Manchester United in front of 40,000 fans at Old Trafford. 

The Terra’s, then a member of the Southern League, began their campaign comfortably enough by hammering 12 goals with striker Arthur Haynes bagging two hat-tricks as they swept past Totton and Ryde Sports to reach the Second Qualifying Round.   

Western League club Poole Town were expected to provide tougher opposition but the Terra’s despatched them 4-0.  Cowes were beaten 5-1 but Weymouth then needed a replay to get past Western League champions Trowbridge Town to make the First Round proper for the second successive season. 

A home tie with Third Division South club Aldershot attracted 10,000 supporters to the Recreation Ground but the Terra’s were held to a 2-2 draw before winning the replay 3-2. 

The Second Round saw an all Southern League clash with Hereford United the visitors to the Rec.  Another five-figure crowd saw Weymouth come from behind with goals from Haynes and Ron Johnston to clinch a dream tie at Old Trafford against the mighty Manchester United. 

It was the first time in their history that Weymouth had reached the Third Round of FA Cup and plenty of their supporters made the trek north to swell the attendance to just short of 40,000.   

The Terras banked £1500 from the bumper crowd but it was the only reward they got as the First Division big boys hit four without reply to finally end the Terra’s marathon cup run despite an heroic performance from goalkeeper Bob Lucas.  Lucas now holds the title of Honorary President at the Wessex Stadium. 

During their cup run Weymouth played 10 matches scoring 33 goals in the process with Arthur Haynes and Stan Northover notching 21 between them.  As a reward for their exploits the Terra’s were exempt the following year until the final qualifying round.   

Unfortunately any dreams of a re-match with Manchester United were quickly extinguished as Welsh side Llanelly (now Llanelli) beat them 5-0 before taking Bristol Rovers to two replays. 

Weymouth’s best ever FA Cup run came in 1962 when they reached the Fourth Round before bowing out to Preston North End in a replayed match.  The original tie was abandoned after 16 minutes because of thick fog and achieved notoriety after Terra’s keeper Billy Bly, heralded as the best goalkeeper never to have played for England, was left alone on the pitch unaware that the match had been called off.  He was subsequently ‘found’ by his teammates who had left the dressing room to look for him!