WHILE millions of people will have access to Saturday's FA Cup tie between Hereford United and Wigan Athletic, courtesy of Sky TV, the last time the two sides clashed in the cup produced a much more remarkable viewing figure, writes Richard Prime.

On that day - December 12, 1953 - when the two sides met for a second-round tie, an incredible 27,526 packed into Wigan's Springfield Park ground, a crowd figure that still stands as a record for an FA Cup match between two non-league sides.

Of that vast throng, around 1,500 were said to have made the journey from Hereford, many by a specially-chartered train, in days when road travel was more difficult and tortuous even than it is today.

United, winners over Exeter City after a replay in the previous round, travelled with expectations high of gaining a first-ever place in the third round at the expense of their Lancashire Combination opponents. But, not for the last time, the fans returned home deflated.

Wigan raced into a three-goal half-time lead through Lyon, Livesey and Lomax and things got worse after the break when United skipper Billy Hughes put through his own goal. Jack Lewis managed a consolation strike late on to make it 4-1.

The fans, at least, had a chance back in those very different days to drown some of their sorrows - by the time the train was an hour out of Wigan, not one remained of the 350 dozen bottles of beer which had been loaded on as very special passengers.