Which team is this that knocked Liverpool out of the Cup?
Plymouth Argyle, bottom of the English second division, knocked out the ‘Reds’. Founded in 1886, they have never even reached the Premier League and had not beaten Liverpool for 69 years. Happiness for a coach who fled Bosnia
History has been made in the FA Cup ! Premier League leaders Liverpool have been knocked out by Plymouth Argyle, bottom of the Championship. The final whistle, decided by a penalty goal from Ryan Hardie , gave way to euphoria for a club that is almost 140 years old and whose victory over Liverpool is the greatest achievement in its history.
A century-old club that has never reached the first division
Founded in 1886, Plymouth Argyle — then known as Argyle Football Club — is the 43rd oldest club in England. In 1903, it turned professional and in 1920 it joined the Football League, which at the time governed professional club competitions. Despite Argyle’s history stretching back over a century, the club has never reached the top flight of England. It has won three third division titles, one fourth division title, but never more. In the Cup , the team, which was coached by Malcolm Alisson in the 1970s — he who, in 1981/82, was champion with Sporting , who had not won the title for 18 years — reached the semi-finals in 1984/85, but ended up losing 0-1 to Watford.
Plymouth Argyle ‘s recent history has been anything but happy. In 2011, the team went bankrupt and was relegated to the fourth division, from where it only left in 2017 and returned, for one season, in 2019. It is in its second consecutive season in the Championship but things have not been going well.
From the Hell of War to the Heights of Football: The Story of Miron Muslic
Wayne Rooney’s playing career is undeniable. But as a manager, it’s not quite the same. He was sacked by Derby County, DC United, Birmingham and, after 25 games, by Plymouth Argyle. The team were bottom of the Championship, with 13 defeats in 23 games, when the Englishman was replaced by Miron Muslic.
Muslic’s story is dramatic. At the age of 10, he fled the town of Bihac, which was besieged for nearly three years during the Bosnian war. He became a refugee in Austria, where he spent his entire playing career, with the exception of a period in Croatia. After coaching SV Ried, he led Cercle Brugge in Belgium before joining Plymouth Argyle.
“I have been through much more challenging situations in my life than facing a possible draw or defeat at the weekend. We had to leave Bihac literally overnight. We have fought all our lives and that fight is part of my journey, that is why I am very optimistic. Everything that has happened to me in the last 30 years has helped me become who I am today. The message I give to the players is that life is a series of beautiful surprises and there is always something worth fighting for,” he explained in an interview with the BBC.
“I have been through much more challenging situations in my life than facing a possible draw or defeat on the weekend.”
A question of perspective, therefore, that can also be applied to Plymouth Argyle. More than 400 years after the Mayflower set sail to take the first English to America, the city of Plymouth once again sees its Pilgrims exploring a New World.
