Where does Bristol Rovers’ 7-0 promotion win rank among football’s most extraordinary results?

The conclusion of the League Two season delivered what was, undoubtedly, one of the most sensational full-time results that the world of football has ever seen as Bristol Rovers won by a scoreline of 7-0 to overturn an inferior goal difference, and by doing so secured promotion to League One. In short, these types of incredible against the odds performances very rarely happen in football, which begs the question: where does it rank among the most extraordinary results in football history?

First off, perhaps the astonishing events at the Memorial Stadium have passed you by and you’re none the wiser about what went on over the course of 90 minutes on Saturday, 7th May. You could be forgiven for being in the dark as the result has gone somewhat unnoticed given that it took place in the fourth tier of English football. To illustrate just how unbelievable the result was, we can draw a comparison by looking at the latest odds on the Premier League and see the public confidence in Manchester City winning the title.

Furthermore, the most recent EPL tips have all but crowned Pep Guardiola’s men as the 2021/2022 winners of the English top-flight. Now, just imagine that Liverpool were able to beat Wolves on the last day of the season by a margin of seven goals to snatch the title away from City with what was the last kick of the season? For all intents and purposes, that is what happened at the Memorial Stadium after Bristol Rovers beat Scunthorpe United 7-0.

Needless to say, had this happened in the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, or even Serie A, it would have made front-page news around the world. Indeed, there are few things in football that are more enthralling than overcoming the longest odds, and when it happens, we should all savour the moment given that it is not an everyday occurrence.

Where does it rank among the biggest results?

As far as where Rovers’ stirring performance is ranked among the game’s unlikeliest of results, you would have to conclude that it is up there near the top even if it happened in a league that is not always famed for its quality.

Of course, it still falls behind the likes of Liverpool's Miracle of Istanbul in 2005, Sergio Aguero's late winner to hand City the title in 2012, and Spurs’ dramatic late win at the Johan Cruyff arena in 2019 against Ajax. Yes, there have been higher profile wins in the past but that doesn't mean the accomplishments of Joey Barton’s men against Scunthorpe should automatically be written off as typical lower league shenanigans.

The moment Lucas Moura sent Tottenham through to their first ever Champions League final.

Iconic. Historic. Staggering.

Bring on the final!

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 9, 2019

Indeed, there were some jaw-dropping goals scored on this spellbinding afternoon in Bristol with Anthony Evans’ 25-yard free-kick as good as anything David Beckham ever scored in his career. Evans’ goal made it 5-0 with 15 minutes to go and remarkably, Rovers only needed 9 more minutes to pull off this iconic result after Elliot Andersen scored the seventh in the 85th minute. It was at this stage that the home faithful could no longer control their jubilation as a euphoric pitch invasion took place.

IT'S ALL OVER, AN INCREDIBLE 7-0 WIN SENDS BRISTOL ROVERS INTO LEAGUE ONE ON GOAL DIFFERENCE 

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 7, 2022

Eventually, referee Charles Breakspear was able to restart the game as Rovers defended with their lives to keep their 7-0 advantage intact which meant when the full-time whistle was blown, the players and club had written their names into football's folklore history.