Cup legends reunited after four decades

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Grantham Town have been celebrating the the biggest game in the club's history.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Gingerbread’s FA Cup Third Round tie against Middlesbrough back in January 1974, the proud Premier Division club held a reunion of the squad who gave Jack Charlton’s side a run for the money on a memorable day at London Road, pictured. A packed house of 6,573 fans saw Grantham eventually bow out to a 2-0 defeat with Charlton telling the assembled media afterwards: "By heck they gave us a fright!”

The special reunion, before Grantham’s 1-1 draw a home to Matlock Town, saw more than half of the legendary team together again with players including Ernie Nixon, Ron Harrison, Brent Horobin, Andy Crawford, Colin Thompson, Jimmy Bloomer, Gerry Taylor, Jimmy Jackson, Bob Norris and Chris Gardner all in attendance and introduced to the crowd on the pitch before kick off against the Gladiators.

Apart from making history and headlines in the FA Cup that season, then manager Terry Bly’s side went on to finish as runners-up in the Southern League, at the time the top tier of Non-League football. Grantham brought out a special replica shirt last season to commemorate the landmark campaign and they were also on sale after this month's event in the club’s MCS bar where their former players continued to be the centre of attention during a question and answer session with Grantham's modern day supporters.