TODAY marks the 60th anniversary of Worcester City’s stunning FA Cup win over giants Liverpool.

Watched by a crowd of 15,111 at St George’s Lane — although many supporters present believe the figure to be much higher — City recorded a 2-1 victory in the third-round clash on January 15, 1959.

Tommy Skuse put Worcester ahead before an own goal from Dick White doubled the advantage nine minutes from time.

The tension increased just 60 seconds later as Liverpool halved their deficit through Geoff Twentyman from the penalty spot but Worcester held out and the final whistle from referee Tirebuck brought euphoria to the terraces.

The match formed part of a memorable cup run which saw Bill Thompson’s side defeat Millwall 5-2 at the previous stage before going on to lose 2-0 at home to Sheffield United in the fourth round.

However, it is that freezing Thursday afternoon in January that will forever be remembered as the day Worcester wrote themselves into football’s history books - a day when players became heroes and fans joined as one.

The Evening News and Times reported 24 hours later: “Just before four o’clock yesterday afternoon, an exultant wave of thousands of joy-crazed Worcester City supporters surged onto the St George’s Lane pitch, hoisting as many blue and white-shirted footballers as they could lay hands on shoulder high and bore them off in triumph.

“Worcester had never seen anything like it. Young boys and elderly gentlemen danced like dervishes side by side, threw their hats in the air, hugged each other with the incredible thrill of it all. It was a fantastic scene.”

Although Liverpool were not quite the side they are today, the Anfield outfit were a second division club in 1959 and included a number of recognised internationals, including Scottish goalkeeper Tommy Younger.

Such was the scale of City’s triumph — the club was then plying its trade in the old Southern League — that some fans see it as a defining moment for Liverpool.

Less than a year after the match, manager Phil Taylor was replaced by the legendary Bill Shankly — and the rest, as they say, is history.

Frost claimed the first fixture on the previous Saturday (January 10) and the game was moved to the Thursday, traditionally half-day closing for shops.

Not that things were much better for the actual contest. The pitch, which remained ‘firm’, passed an inspection at 8.30am and fog had threatened the kick-off.

Worcester captain Roy Paul won the toss and elected to kick towards the Canal End of the ground and the game started ‘at a furious pace’.

City took the lead in the ninth minute when Bernard Gosling’s pass was deflected by John Molyneux into the path of Skuse and the 18-year-old drove the ball home.

Liverpool were restricted to long-range shots, while Skuse brought a save out of Younger and Harry Knowles fired just over.

The second half saw the Merseysiders take the game to Worcester and City keeper Johnny Kirkwood saved from Fred Morris.

Then it was City’s turn to attack and Gosling had a shot deflected for a corner, while at the other end Jimmy Melia fired wide of Kirkwood’s goal.

Twentyman’s strike then hit the foot of the post as Liverpool cranked up the pressure.

As the News and Times reported: “It rebounded to Paul who passed back to Kirkwood and as the keeper lay on the ball two forwards hacked at him — some measure of Liverpool’s growing desperation.”

With nine minutes remaining Knowles played the ball across goal and defender White looped it over a despairing Younger.

Twentyman’s penalty just a minute later only served to add to the drama but Worcester still had time to mount several more attacks.

There was also a pitch invasion in the closing stages as fans mistook Halifax referee Tirebuck’s intervention for a free-kick as the final whistle.

City, though, were not to be denied what will forever be their most cherished achievement.

As the News and Times stated: “This was no fluke. Worcester played the right game on a hard surface and only for a short spell after the interval did they look in any trouble.

“The Liverpool defence was jittery under pressure and defensive mistakes cost both goals. But no praise is too high for the home defence, who were simply superb.”