Resident
statistician and mad Ohio Bluebird John Heyda has been looking at the FA Cup 4th round
histories for both Cardiff City and Tranmere Rovers.
City's
All-time 4th Round Records
* City's all-time record in 4th round FA Cup matches stands at 10
wins, 10 draws, and 17 losses. (This record includes a mark of 2
wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses during the 1920-21, 1921-22, 1923-24, and
1924-25 competitions, when the quarterfinals came up in the 4th
rather than the 6th round.)
* In 4th round matches away from home, City's all-time mark shows but
2 wins, 4 draws, and 11 losses. At Ninian Park, City's all-time 4th
round record shows 7 wins, 6 draws, and 5 losses. City have played
two fourth-round replays at neutral sites, winning one and losing the
other.
* City have not won a 4th round match away from home since defeating
Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park in the 1948-49 competition. Since that
win, City have gone 11 4th round away matches in a row without
winning, drawing 3 and losing the other 8.
* City's record in the 4th round since the end of World War II shows
6 wins, 7 draws, and 12 defeats. Besides the 1948-49 win at Villa
Park, City beat Charlton 2-0 in a 1949-50 replay at Ninian Park,
topped Leyton Orient 4-1 at home during the 1957-58 competition, got
past Sunderland 3-1 in a 1971-72 second replay at Maine Road, scored
a 1976-77 3-2 away win over Wrexham, and nabbed a fabled 1993-94 win
over Manchester City 1-0 at Ninian Park
* Oddly enough, City have a better record against top-division 4th
round opponents than against those from the lower divisions. Against
top-division clubs, City show 5 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses. Against
lower-division clubs, City have only one win, 2 draws, and six
losses.
Incredibly, City's only win against lower-division opposition came in
their last such match, during the 1976-77 competition, when City
bested (old) Division 3 Wrexham 3-2 at Ninian Park.
* City's biggest 4th round win came during the 1957-58 competition,
when the Bluebirds clobbered Leyton Orient 4-1 at Ninian Park.
* City's most comprehensive 4th round defeats: a 4-1 away loss to
Newcastle United in a 1938-39 replay and a 4-1 away loss to Sheffield
United in the Bluebirds' last 4th round match, on January 27, 1999.
* Eleven of City's 4th round losses have been by the margin of a
single goal, another by a lone penalty when the match at Reading four
seasons ago went to penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Tranmere Rovers' All-time 4th Round Records
* Tranmere's all-time record in 4th round FA Cup matches stands
at 4 wins, 4 draws, and 7 losses.
* At Prenton Park, Tranmere's all-time 4th round record shows 3 wins,
3 draws, and 3 losses. Away from home, Tranmere's all-time mark
shows one win, one draw, and 4 losses.
* Tranmere have won their last three 4th round matches and in the
span of just four years. In the 1997-98 competition, Tranmere got to
the 5th round by beating Sunderland 1-0 at Prenton Park. Two years
later, they beat Sunderland 1-0, again at Prenton Park. Last year,
Tranmere clubbed Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park to move on to the 5th
round. Prior to this remarkable run, Tranmere's only 4th round win
came in a 1966-67 replay against Coventry City. Tranmere won 2-0 at
home, advancing to the 5th round for the first time in club history.
