Flashback: 1991 - FA Cup proves fruitless for most Yorkshire clubs

Sheffield Wednesday's David Hirst scored in a 4-4 draw with Millwall in the FA Cup fourth round in 1991 before the Owls won the replay 2-0.

WhileSheffield Wednesday and Leeds United remained in the hat following wholly different appointments in the capital, Rotherham United lost out to Crewe, while Middlesbrough succumbed to one of the captivating cup stories in 1990-91 - in the shape of John Beck’s infamous Cambridge United outfit.

The weekend of January 26-27, 1991 saw cup action take centre stage across the country. Brighton - no strangers to showing their cup prowess at Anfield in days of yore - kept up to that tradition with a 2-2 draw at Liverpool, while marksman of the weekend was Portsmouth’s Guy Whittingham, who hit four in his side’s 5-1 slaying of Bournemouth in their south coast derby.

Everton edged out plucky non-leaguers Yeovil, thanks to a Kevin Sheedy goal, while a goal from one-time Aston Villa legend Gary Shaw saw him roll back the years to help John Bond’s Shrewsbury beat top-flight Wimbledon 1-0.

Lee Chapman scored against Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round replay. The match ended 1-1 before two more replays saw Arsenal finally emerge as the winner, 2-1 at Elland Road.

As for Yorkshire’s clubs, Leeds United embarked on the first of a quartet of games with Arsenal by drawing 0-0 at Highbury - forcing a replay at Elland Road which ended deadlocked at 1-1 - Lee Chapman scoring against his former club for Leeds and Anders Limpar netting for the Gunners.

Two more replays followed with the first taking place in London, which ended 0-0 before George Graham’s edged the fourth meeting in Yorkshire 2-1, courtesy of strikes from Paul Merson and Lee Dixon.

Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, were involved first up in an eight-goal thriller at Millwall in the proverbial see-saw encounter before a rather more conventional replay.

David Hirst, Trevor Francis, Nigel Pearson and Carlton Palmer were on the mark for the Owls at the Den, with Paul Stephenson, Alex Rae (2), and Teddy Sheringham netting for the Lions.

Doncaster Rovers striker Kevin Noteman scored a crucial goal against Rochdale to seal a 1-0 back in January 1991.

Wednesday prevailed 2-0 in the Hillsborough replay through goals from Viv Anderson and Hirst.

Middlesbrough were unceremoniously turfed out 2-0 at the Abbey Stadium, with a powerhouse Cambridge outfit progressing through a double from Jon Taylor, part of an imposing forward line with Dion Dublin which proved the scourge of many defences in the early nineties.

There was also cup disappointment for Rotherham United, who lost at 1-0 at Crewe, whose scorer was Craig Hignett, later to serve Boro and Barnsley with distinction.

League wise, a number of White Rose sides were also in action on that final weekend of January 1991.

A Chris Marsden strike saw Huddersfield Town move up to 10th in Division Two in a 1-0 win over Fulham at Leeds Road while, in the second tier, Barnsley went down 2-1 at Leicester City.

Tony James and Jason Peake struck for City, with Mark Smith replying for the Reds at Filbert Street.

A goal from Kevin Noteman helped Billy Bremner’s Doncaster Rovers remain in the automatic promotion positions in the basement with a 1-0 Roses win over Rochdale at Belle Vue - to continue the club’s impressive start to 1991.

It was grim further down, with rock-bottom Halifax Town drawing 0-0 against Darlington in front of 1,658 at The Shay and 20th-placed York City involved in a home stalemate with more north-easterner opponents in Hartlepool United.

Scarborough, in 10th, drew 1-1 at Gillingham. Gary Himsworth was on target for Boro, with Peter Beadle netting for the Gills.