There are 92 teams in the English professional league - tiny Havant & Waterlooville aren't one of them. The part-timers - a team of dustbinmen and builders, taxi drivers and teachers - are currently 12th in the Blue Square South league, a league for amateur, part-time clubs, and are a whopping 123 places below mighty Premiership side Liverpool.
This was the FA Cup, Fourth Round. In the Third Round, Havant and Waterlooville surprisingly beat Swansea City to book a dream tie against mighty Liverpool at Anfield.
But plucky little Havant & Waterlooville still gave the multi-millionaires a good old scare - taking the lead TWICE against Liverpool.....at Anfield!
Despite losing the match, Havant & Waterlooville celebrated at the end, and so did their 6000 fans at Anfield, and the Kop gave them an ovation.
They were guest of honours at Old Trafford today for the FA Cup game between Manchester United and Tottenham.
How little Havant made mighty Liverpool quake
By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter
27/01/2008
Telegraph
FA Cup, Fourth Round
LIVERPOOL 5-2 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
For 43 minutes, the events at Anfield, the hallowed home of Liverpool FC, might have graced the pages of a Roy of the Rovers comic strip.
The biggest upset in the FA Cup's 136-year history was on the cards as the 2005 Champions League winners looked likely to be humbled by a team of part-timers ranked 100-1 outsiders to win the match.
Havant & Waterlooville players celebrate despite losing the match
Havant & Waterlooville, the Hampshire non-leaguers whose players include a builder, a gas engineer, a bin man, a trainee cabbie and a teacher, went one up after just eight minutes yesterday in the fourth round FA Cup tie.
The scorer was Richard Pacquette who, as a young boy, was such a devoted Liverpool fan that he wore pyjamas in the club's famous red colours. Today, at 25, he is a school standards officer in Neasden, north-west London.
The goal sent Havant's 6,000 supporters into a frenzy. They began chanting and waving banners, including one which read: "Probably the best pub team 2 B in the FA Cup."
Liverpool equalised after 27 minutes but, just two minutes later, the bizarre turned to the surreal as Havant went ahead again - this time courtesy of a Liverpool own goal, when Alfie Potter's shot deflected off Martin Skrtel and into the net.
Havant looked like going into half-time ahead until Liverpool equalised again two minutes before the break.
Liverpool, who are fifth in the Premiership and have won the cup seven times, are 123 places in English league standings above Havant, currently 12th in the Blue Square South League.
The clubs could hardly be more different in terms of wealth and success.
Liverpool pay their players between £20,000 and £100,000 a week, while Havant's men earn bet-ween £100 and £500.
The Merseyside club's average home attendance is 43,554, with 25,000 season ticket holders paying £650 a year for the privilege. Havant's average attendance at home is 606 and they have 150 season ticket holders who pay £147 a year.
Before the match, Kevin Scriven, Havant's goalkeeper, said: "We are playing against world-class footballers who earn £90,000 to £100,000 a week - it would take me about four years to earn that much, but they are paid that sort of money for a reason.
"On Monday, Steve Gerrard will go back to work in the hope Fabio Capello makes him England captain; I'll be back on one of my dad's building sites."
In the second half, Liverpool returned with a vengeance. Israeli star Yossi Benayoun completed a hat-trick to put Liverpool ahead 4-2. Then, in the 89th minute, Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch bagged one more to make the final score 5-2.
In Havant, hundreds turned out for the game in local pubs, cheering "Come on you Hawks" as they listened to radio coverage from Anfield, where their team went down in front of a crowd of 42,566.
Shaun Gale, Havant's manager, said last night: "To be twice in front at Anfield takes some beating. My lads have been magnificent today and I am proud of them. It has been a fairytale."
Havant scare Liverpool
Liverpool (2) 5
Havant & Waterlooville (2) 2
Liverpool survived a jittery 45 minutes to avoid what would have been the biggest giant-killing in FA Cup history
------------------------
Richard Pacquette stunned Anfield by heading Havant & Waterlooville ahead after 8 mins
---------------------
Lucas equalised for the home side after 27 minutes ...
----------------
... but, amazingly, Havant went ahead again after Alfie Potter's shot took a deflection off Martin Skrtel
-----------------
However, Yossi Benayoun was the man to save Liverpool's blushes, scoring before the break to level before he fired in two quick second-half goals to take the tie away from Havant
-----------------
Peter Crouch scored Liverpool's fifth in the final minute, but the result could not dampen the spirits of Havant's 6,000 fans as Anfield rose as one to give the proud visitors a standing ovation
telegraph.co.uk
This was the FA Cup, Fourth Round. In the Third Round, Havant and Waterlooville surprisingly beat Swansea City to book a dream tie against mighty Liverpool at Anfield.
But plucky little Havant & Waterlooville still gave the multi-millionaires a good old scare - taking the lead TWICE against Liverpool.....at Anfield!
Despite losing the match, Havant & Waterlooville celebrated at the end, and so did their 6000 fans at Anfield, and the Kop gave them an ovation.
They were guest of honours at Old Trafford today for the FA Cup game between Manchester United and Tottenham.
How little Havant made mighty Liverpool quake
By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter
27/01/2008
Telegraph
FA Cup, Fourth Round
LIVERPOOL 5-2 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
For 43 minutes, the events at Anfield, the hallowed home of Liverpool FC, might have graced the pages of a Roy of the Rovers comic strip.
The biggest upset in the FA Cup's 136-year history was on the cards as the 2005 Champions League winners looked likely to be humbled by a team of part-timers ranked 100-1 outsiders to win the match.
Havant & Waterlooville players celebrate despite losing the match
Havant & Waterlooville, the Hampshire non-leaguers whose players include a builder, a gas engineer, a bin man, a trainee cabbie and a teacher, went one up after just eight minutes yesterday in the fourth round FA Cup tie.
The scorer was Richard Pacquette who, as a young boy, was such a devoted Liverpool fan that he wore pyjamas in the club's famous red colours. Today, at 25, he is a school standards officer in Neasden, north-west London.
The goal sent Havant's 6,000 supporters into a frenzy. They began chanting and waving banners, including one which read: "Probably the best pub team 2 B in the FA Cup."
Liverpool equalised after 27 minutes but, just two minutes later, the bizarre turned to the surreal as Havant went ahead again - this time courtesy of a Liverpool own goal, when Alfie Potter's shot deflected off Martin Skrtel and into the net.
Havant looked like going into half-time ahead until Liverpool equalised again two minutes before the break.
Liverpool, who are fifth in the Premiership and have won the cup seven times, are 123 places in English league standings above Havant, currently 12th in the Blue Square South League.
The clubs could hardly be more different in terms of wealth and success.
Liverpool pay their players between £20,000 and £100,000 a week, while Havant's men earn bet-ween £100 and £500.
The Merseyside club's average home attendance is 43,554, with 25,000 season ticket holders paying £650 a year for the privilege. Havant's average attendance at home is 606 and they have 150 season ticket holders who pay £147 a year.
Before the match, Kevin Scriven, Havant's goalkeeper, said: "We are playing against world-class footballers who earn £90,000 to £100,000 a week - it would take me about four years to earn that much, but they are paid that sort of money for a reason.
"On Monday, Steve Gerrard will go back to work in the hope Fabio Capello makes him England captain; I'll be back on one of my dad's building sites."
In the second half, Liverpool returned with a vengeance. Israeli star Yossi Benayoun completed a hat-trick to put Liverpool ahead 4-2. Then, in the 89th minute, Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch bagged one more to make the final score 5-2.
In Havant, hundreds turned out for the game in local pubs, cheering "Come on you Hawks" as they listened to radio coverage from Anfield, where their team went down in front of a crowd of 42,566.
Shaun Gale, Havant's manager, said last night: "To be twice in front at Anfield takes some beating. My lads have been magnificent today and I am proud of them. It has been a fairytale."
Havant scare Liverpool
Liverpool (2) 5
Havant & Waterlooville (2) 2
Liverpool survived a jittery 45 minutes to avoid what would have been the biggest giant-killing in FA Cup history
------------------------
Richard Pacquette stunned Anfield by heading Havant & Waterlooville ahead after 8 mins
---------------------
Lucas equalised for the home side after 27 minutes ...
----------------
... but, amazingly, Havant went ahead again after Alfie Potter's shot took a deflection off Martin Skrtel
-----------------
However, Yossi Benayoun was the man to save Liverpool's blushes, scoring before the break to level before he fired in two quick second-half goals to take the tie away from Havant
-----------------
Peter Crouch scored Liverpool's fifth in the final minute, but the result could not dampen the spirits of Havant's 6,000 fans as Anfield rose as one to give the proud visitors a standing ovation
telegraph.co.uk