Heroes from the most memorable era in Penrith AFC’s history are returning to the club for a special reunion.

Stars from the Cumbrian club who embarked on famous FA Cup runs in the 1980s are set to gather at Frenchfield Park next weekend.

The reunion, which will take place before Penrith’s Northern League Division One game against West Auckland Town on November 6, is being held to mark the 40th anniversary since the most famous result in the club’s history.

That came on November 21, 1981, when the non-league club beat Third Division side Chester 1-0 in the FA Cup first round at Penrith’s old Southend Road home thanks to a Geoff Fell goal.

They went on to lose 3-0 to Billy Bremner’s Doncaster in the second round – but it wasn’t the last of Penrith’s cup adventures.

Two seasons later the Northern League team fought their way through to the first round again, facing Hull City who edged a 2-0 victory with a side that included future England manager Steve McClaren.

And Penrith’s hat-trick of runs to the first round was completed in 1984, when they suffered a 9-0 reverse to Burnley.

Penrith chairman Brian Williams, who was manager during that famous spell, is looking forward to a host of former players returning ahead of the game next Saturday.

“The majority of the lads from that era are coming down and I’m really looking forward to seeing them,” he said. “I’m sure a lot of them won’t have seen each other for quite some time.

“Those teams really inspired everyone in the area and gave the whole town a lift.”

Williams says he plans to arrange a team photo of the former players in current Penrith kit, while the former heroes will select the man of the match at the West Auckland game.

“Hopefully we’ll get plenty of people down to support the new manager and the team – and I’m sure some of our older fans will want to come down and see the lads from yesteryear.”

The reunion also happens to be taking place on this season's FA Cup first round weekend.

The West Auckland league game, meanwhile, will also be the first home fixture in charge for new Bonny Blues manager Chris Humphrey, whose team are away for a fourth consecutive game when they go to Consett tomorrow.