If anyone required any convincing that the FA Cup still matters, this season’s record-breaking third round provided all the necessary evidence.
The FA Cup’s rich 155-year history has been defined by magical moments, giant killings and edge-of-your-seat drama.
It is a competition famous for producing stories worthy of retelling on stadium concourses around the country, and across generations.
Despite modern-day alterations such as the divisive scrapping of replays, which does not appear to have stopped clubs with an eye on other objectives making wholesale changes, it continues to deliver…
Only three times have more goals been scored in the third round of the FA Cup since that stage of the competition first featured 32 ties in 1925-26 (excluding 1945-46, when two-legged ties were played).
In total, 124 goals were scored across Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s 30 fixtures – an average of 4.1 goals per game – with two more ties still to be played, between Premier League champions Liverpool and League One Barnsley on Monday, and League Two Salford City and Swindon Town on Tuesday.
Just four of those goals were scored in extra time.
The record over the past century remains the 138 third-round goals in 1926-27, while 128 goals were scored in both 1946-1947 and 1956-1957.
Manchester City contributed more than their fair share to that tally by thrashing League One Exeter City 10-1 at Etihad Stadium.
Premier League strugglers Wolves hit six past League Two Shrewsbury Town, while Chelsea, Burnley, Bristol City, Burton Albion and Norwich City all scored five goals.
League One Mansfield Town edged a seven-goal thriller at Championship side Sheffield United, while Wrexham and Newcastle United both won penalty shootouts following entertaining 3-3 draws.
The four hat-tricks scored is also the most in the third round in 14 years.
Undoubtedly the story of the round was non-league Macclesfield’s stunning FA Cup upset of holders Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Despite being ranked five divisions and 117 places below their Premier League opponents, Macclesfield were fully deserving of their remarkable 2-1 victory.
In terms of the difference in league places between the two clubs at kick-off, it was the greatest shock in the prestigious competition’s history.
Macclesfield are the first non-league team to eliminate the FA Cup holders since Crystal Palace knocked out Wolves in the 1908-09 first round.
It was also only the ninth occasion in the past 100 years that a non-league side has beaten a top-flight opponent.
And it was achieved by a club with a turbulent recent history – Macclesfield Town folded after 146 years in 2020, before reforming as a phoenix club in the ninth tier and securing three promotions in four seasons to reach the National League North.
The packed away ends witnessed across the country also suggested the FA Cup has not lost its appeal.
FA Cup rules allow for an away allocation of up to 15% of the home stadium – a much larger share than is usual at league matches.
Fans took full advantage, with Aston Villa taking 9,000 supporters to north London to witness their 2-1 victory over Premier League rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening.
While there was never a hint of an upset at Manchester City, third-tier Exeter were backed by a near 8,000-strong away support.
Sunderland were able to celebrate their penalty shootout win at Everton with 7,732 travelling fans, while Leeds United had more than 5,000 supporters in the away end as they won at Derby County on Sunday.
Meanwhile, sixth-tier Weston-super-Mare took 600 fans to Grimsby as they threatened a massive upset before losing 3-2 to the League Two hosts.
The video assistant referee system (VAR) and semi-automated offside technology will not be introduced until the fifth round of this season’s FA Cup, as was the case in the previous campaign.
According to the Football Association, that is to ensure a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs in the third and fourth rounds, given the technology and infrastructure that it requires at stadiums.
Despite the increasing use of technology at the top level of the game, many decisions remain controversial, while lengthy waits for reviews to take place are another source of frustration for fans.
The third round passed without any controversial incidents stealing headlines and overshadowing results.
Sunderland were aggrieved when Everton equalised with a late penalty after referee John Brooks deemed Trai Hume fouled Adam Aznou, with replays showing there was minimal contact – but the Black Cats eventually prevailed in a penalty shootout.
When FA Cup replays were scrapped from the first round onwards last season, many clubs from the EFL and lower down the football pyramid criticised the decision for taking away a traditional revenue stream.
The decision was made to help ease the demands of a congested fixture calendar on Premier League clubs, with nine top-flight clubs qualifying to play European football this season.
The average number of changes made by the 19 Premier League clubs to have played their third-round ties over the weekend was 6.4 – up from 5.9 in last season’s competition and still the most of any of England’s top four divisions.
The average number of changes among Championship and League Two clubs in third-round action was also up from last season, with only League One bucking the trend.
But so far this season, no lower-league team has been knocked out by Premier League opposition on penalties when they would have had a replay in the old days.
League Two MK Dons were the only club denied a replay against opposition from a higher division, losing out to Championship Oxford United on penalties.
And among the beneficiaries were Wrexham, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and a non-league side as recently as 2023, as they eliminated top-flight Nottingham Forest on penalties.
