15 January 1959

Liverpool suffered the humiliation of losing to non-league opposition in arguably the biggest Cup shock the club has ever endured.

Even though Phil Taylor's side were plying their trade in Division Two at the time, defeat to Southern League Worcester sent shockwaves through Anfield and beyond.

The fact there was not a blade of grass to be seen on the St George's Lane pitch was no excuse as 15,000 spectators watched the pre-Shankly Merseysiders go 1-0 down within nine minutes to a Skuse goal.

A Liverpool side including Ronnie Moran, Alan A'Court and Jimmy Melia struggled to cope with the hosts' industrial brand of football.

Matters were hardly helped when Geoff Twentyman was forced off with a leg injury, returning later in the game with a limp.

Somehow the plucky non-leaguers kept a grip on the game until, 10 minutes from time, a freak own goal from John White doubled their advantage.

A mad scramble to spare blushes ensued, and almost immediately Liverpool were awarded a penalty for an offence on Louis Bimpson. Twentyman converted but it was too little, too late.

Hundreds of disbelieving youngsters invaded the pitch on the final whistle on what will always remain the greatest day in Worcester's history.

Bleak times indeed, though within a year Bill Shankly had arrived at the club to begin a revolution which would turn Anfield into a bastion of invincibility.