The Giant Killers
CARDIFF CITY
Cardiff's first entered the cup in 1910 as a Southern League side and reached the first round in the final season before the first world war brought Football to a halt. The 1920s proved to be the golden era of the club as they rose from Southern League to the top flight in successive seasons, finishing runners up in 1924 and cup winners in 1927. City were relegated in 1929 and by 1932 they were back down in the third tier, though by now it was the Third Division, not Southern League. It was during their spell there that they secured a famous upset of Charlton in 1939. By 1952 City were back in the big time but were never able to recapture the magic of thirty years before and in 1962 they played their final game as a top flight club before dropping into a twenty-four year long drift down the divisions until they found themselves in the fourth tier for the first time in 1986. The years since have seen City gradually climb back up to the second tier and their surprise appearance in the 2008 F A cup final proved a laucnh pad to eventually gaining top flight status again in 2013. Their single season back among the elite was spoiled only by both instant relegation and a crazy period in the club's history where they wore a red kit.

First round: January 10th 1920
Attendance: 20,000
Scorers: George West, Jack Evans
Ranked at the time:61
Today: Outside the top 300
(image left: Cardiff in 1920 with ten of the side who faced Oldham)
Team: 1: Jack Kneeshaw, 2: Arthur Layton, 3:Albert Barnett, 4: Fred Keenor, 5: Bert Smith, 6: Billy Hardy, 7: Billy Grimshaw, 8:Jack Evans, 9:Billy Cox, 10: George West,11: Arthur Cashmore, (Manager-Fred Stewart)
1-0 @ Sunderland
First round: Saturday January 8th 1921
Attendance:41,923
Scorer: George Beare
Ranked at the time:126
Team: 1;Jack Kneeshaw, 2:Charlie Brittan, 3:Jimmy Blair, 4:Fred Keenor, 5:Bert Smith, 6:Billy Hardy, 7:George Beare, 8:Jimmy Gill, 9:Arthur Cashmore, 10:Albert Barnett, 11:Jack Evans
1-0 vs Chelsea
Quarter final: Saturday March 5th 1921
Attendance: 50,000
Scorer: Arthur Cashmore
Ranked at the time:154
Team: 1;Ben Davies, 2:Charlie Brittan, 3:Jimmy Blair, 4:Fred Keenor, 5:Bert Smith, 6:Billy Hardy, 7:George Beare, 8:Jimmy Gill, 9:Arthur Cashmore, 10:Albert Barnett, 11:Jack Evans
2-1 @ Liverpool
Third round: Saturday January 11th 1930
Attendance:50,141
Scorer: Len Davies {2 goals}
Ranked at the time:127
Team: 1:Tom Farquharson, 2:, 3:Bill Roberts, 4:Harry Wake, 5:Fred Keenor, 6:George Blackburn, 7:Billy Thirlaway,8:Len Davies, 9:Jim Munro, 10:Matthew Robinson, 11:Jimmy McGrath
1-0 vs Charlton Athletic
Third round: Saturday January 7th 1939
Attendance: 20,000
Scorer: Walton
Ranked at the time: 35
Team: 1:Bill Fielding, 2:Balsam, 3:Billy Bassett, 4:?, 5:?, 6:?, 7:?, 8:Walton, 9:Collins, 10:Smith, 11:Pugh
2-1 @ Aston Villa
Fourth Round: Saturday January 29th 1949
Attendance: 70,718
Scorers:Ken Hollyman, Billy Rees
Ranked at the time: 287
Team: 1:Phil Joslin, 2:Arthur lever, 3:Ron Stitfall, 4:Billy Baker, 5:Stan Montgomery, 6:Graham Hogg, 7:Ken Hollyman, 8:Bryn Allen, 9:Billy Rees, 10:Ernie Stevenson, 11:George Edwards
1-0 @ West Bromwich Albion
Third Round replay: Wednesday January 11th 1950
Attendance: 37,358
Scorer: George Edwards
Ranked at the time: 178
Team: 1:Phil Joslin, 2:Arthur Lever, 3:Alf Sherwood, 4:Billy Baker, 5:Stan Montgomery, 6:Glyn Williams, 7:Ken Hollyman, 8:Elfed Evans, 9:Ron Stitfall, 10:George Edwards, 11:Doug Blair
2-0 Charlton Athletic
Fourth Round replay: Wednesday February 1st 1950
Attendance: 37,000
Scorers: Elfed Evans {2}
Ranked at the time: 223
Team: 1:Phil Joslin, 2:Arthur Lever, 3:Ald Sherwood, 4:Billy Baker, 5:Stan Montgomery, 6:Glyn Williams, 7:Ken Hollyman, 8:Elfed Evans, 9:Ron Stitfall, 10:George Edwards, 11:Doug Blair