League Two midtablers travel to Anfield to take on mighty Liverpool in a third round tie. For a club best known as a punchline in an advert, it’s chance to make national (and global) headlines if they can slay the Merseyside giant.

A Storied Soccer History

• The town of Accrington, located in the south-east Lancashire, has had three distinct football clubs.
  • The first, just called Accrington, was a founding member of the Football League in 1888. They would dissolve a few years later.
  • A neighboring club called Stanley Villa (founded 1891) changed its name to Accrington Stanley in 1894. They folded in 1966.
  • This current iteration was founded in 1968.
• Turned professional in 2003.
• From 2017-18 through 2022-23 they competed in League One.
• In the FA Cup second round they defeated Swindon Town 4-1 on pens after a 2-2 draw.
• Have a fierce rivalry with fellow Lancashire club Morecambe F.C.

Pedigree, Players & ‘Pool

• Manager John Doolan was on the Manchester City staff when they lost the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic in 2013.
• Feature three current players from Liverpool: midfielder Shaun Whalley, midfielder Liam Coyle and striker Josh Woods.
  • Woods, interviewed on BBC Radio Lancashire before their game at Swindon, replied when asked about his dream third round draw: “Gotta be Anfield, isn’t it?” Wish granted, boyo.
  • Whalley scored at Anfield in 2020 during an FA Cup tie when playing for Shrewsbury, only to have the goal overturned by VAR.
• There are 85 places between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley, the second largest gap in the third round.
• Their home pitch, the Crown Ground, was widely considered one of the worst in upper-flight soccer. Renovations begun in 2015 have improved it significantly.

That Commercial

• A TV advertisement for milk that ran in the ‘80s made the club (in)famous for its obscurity. The phrase “Accrington Stanley? Who are they?” is a beloved pop culture quip.