Little Crawley Town have been rewarded for their giant-killing exploits in the FA Cup by being drawn against mighty Manchester United in the competition's 5th Round.
The non-league West Sussex club suprisingly beat Championship (second tier) side Derby County in the 3rd Round of this famous old competition, an injury time goal by Sergio Torres sealing a 2-1 victory for Crawley.
They were then drawn against Torquay United in the 4th Round. The Devon seaside club, known as the Gulls, are in League Two, only the fourth tier of the English football league pyramid (and the bottom, fully-professional division), but that's still one tier higher than the Blue Square Bet Premier, whose 24 teams are mostly semi-professional, of which little Crawley Town hail. But Crawley shocked us again, securing a 1-0 victory.
As a reward for being the first non-league team to reach the Last 16 of the FA Cup since 1994, they will now play at the 76,000 capacity Old Trafford, something which would originally have just been a dream for many of Crawley's players. Old Trafford could fit within it over two-thirds of the entire population of the town of Crawley.
Coincidentally, both Crawley Town and Manchester United, who have won the FA Cup a record 11 times, are nicknamed the Red Devils.
Today's draw also pitted three League One sides against Premier League opponents - Leyton Orient host Arsenal, who today beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 in their 4th Round match, Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham and Brighton drew Stoke.
Aston Villa will play Notts County or Manchester City, whose 4th Round match against each other will go to a replay after they both drew today.
Stoke City will play Brighton, and the winner of the replay between Bolton and Wigan, who drew 0-0 on Saturday, will face Fulham. The Premier League's bottom team, West Ham, who today beat Nottingham Forest in the 4th Round, will play Championship side Burnley.
The FA Cup is simply a straight knock-out competition, with none of the teams seeded. Fixtures are decided by numbered balls, with each number representing a team, being drawn out of a clear perspex container enitirely at random live in TV.
Manchester United to host Crawley in FA Cup fifth round
Crawley Town beat Torquay United 1-0 to advance through to the fifth round of the world's oldest football tournament
Premier League leaders Manchester United will host Crawley Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Crawley beat Torquay on Saturday to become the first non-league side in 17 years to reach this stage.
Three League One sides face Premier League opponents - Leyton Orient host Arsenal, Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham and Brighton drew Stoke.
Aston Villa travel to face the winners of the fourth-round replay between Notts County or Manchester City.
Championship outfit Reading have a tough trip awaiting them, having been drawn against either holders Chelsea or Everton, while Burnley travel to Upton Park to face West Ham United.
The only guaranteed all-Premier-League fixture sees Fulham host the winner of the replay between Bolton and Wigan for a place in the quarter-finals.
Crawley boss Steve Evans was understandably delighted to be drawn against mighty United, who have won the FA Cup a record 11 times.
"It was just a surreal moment," said Evans, whose side followed victory over Derby with a 1-0 triumph over Torquay.
"I suppose if you are Arsene Wenger or Alec McLeish you don't want that draw - but we did.
"We will approach the tie in a really positive nature.
"The only non-league club capable of beating Manchester United is Crawley Town as we stand today. Miracles do happen."
FA Cup fifth round draw:
West Ham v Burnley
Notts County/Manchester City v Aston Villa
Stoke City v Brighton
Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
Everton/Chelsea v Reading
Manchester United v Crawley Town
Fulham v Bolton/Wigan
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
The non-league West Sussex club suprisingly beat Championship (second tier) side Derby County in the 3rd Round of this famous old competition, an injury time goal by Sergio Torres sealing a 2-1 victory for Crawley.
They were then drawn against Torquay United in the 4th Round. The Devon seaside club, known as the Gulls, are in League Two, only the fourth tier of the English football league pyramid (and the bottom, fully-professional division), but that's still one tier higher than the Blue Square Bet Premier, whose 24 teams are mostly semi-professional, of which little Crawley Town hail. But Crawley shocked us again, securing a 1-0 victory.
As a reward for being the first non-league team to reach the Last 16 of the FA Cup since 1994, they will now play at the 76,000 capacity Old Trafford, something which would originally have just been a dream for many of Crawley's players. Old Trafford could fit within it over two-thirds of the entire population of the town of Crawley.
Coincidentally, both Crawley Town and Manchester United, who have won the FA Cup a record 11 times, are nicknamed the Red Devils.
Today's draw also pitted three League One sides against Premier League opponents - Leyton Orient host Arsenal, who today beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 in their 4th Round match, Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham and Brighton drew Stoke.
Aston Villa will play Notts County or Manchester City, whose 4th Round match against each other will go to a replay after they both drew today.
Stoke City will play Brighton, and the winner of the replay between Bolton and Wigan, who drew 0-0 on Saturday, will face Fulham. The Premier League's bottom team, West Ham, who today beat Nottingham Forest in the 4th Round, will play Championship side Burnley.
The FA Cup is simply a straight knock-out competition, with none of the teams seeded. Fixtures are decided by numbered balls, with each number representing a team, being drawn out of a clear perspex container enitirely at random live in TV.
Manchester United to host Crawley in FA Cup fifth round
Crawley Town beat Torquay United 1-0 to advance through to the fifth round of the world's oldest football tournament
Premier League leaders Manchester United will host Crawley Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Crawley beat Torquay on Saturday to become the first non-league side in 17 years to reach this stage.
Three League One sides face Premier League opponents - Leyton Orient host Arsenal, Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham and Brighton drew Stoke.
Aston Villa travel to face the winners of the fourth-round replay between Notts County or Manchester City.
Championship outfit Reading have a tough trip awaiting them, having been drawn against either holders Chelsea or Everton, while Burnley travel to Upton Park to face West Ham United.
The only guaranteed all-Premier-League fixture sees Fulham host the winner of the replay between Bolton and Wigan for a place in the quarter-finals.
Crawley boss Steve Evans was understandably delighted to be drawn against mighty United, who have won the FA Cup a record 11 times.
"It was just a surreal moment," said Evans, whose side followed victory over Derby with a 1-0 triumph over Torquay.
"I suppose if you are Arsene Wenger or Alec McLeish you don't want that draw - but we did.
"We will approach the tie in a really positive nature.
"The only non-league club capable of beating Manchester United is Crawley Town as we stand today. Miracles do happen."
FA Cup fifth round draw:
West Ham v Burnley
Notts County/Manchester City v Aston Villa
Stoke City v Brighton
Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
Everton/Chelsea v Reading
Manchester United v Crawley Town
Fulham v Bolton/Wigan
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
Last edited: