| The FA Cup Written by Reedy on Tuesday, 25th Feb 2014 21:44 Many pundits, many football fans believe the FA Cup is gradually losing it's glamour. Many say something along the lines of: "It's not the same as it used to be" or "bigger clubs have bigger priorities these days" The latter of those two maybe factually correct in terms of financial balance sheets, but in terms of winning something, I'm sure clubs like Newcastle, Southampton, Everton even Arsenal would see winning the FA Cup as a truly superb achievement in the history of their respective football clubs. In the modern era of Champions League football and top 4 seemingly the holy grail of all the clubs in the top half of the Premier League, clubs, managers, players even some fans see finishing fourth as a better achievement than winning the FA Cup. I personally don't see how this can be the case, surely football (and sport in general) is about winning trophies, medals, glory. That day out at Wembley that you never thought you would see, your club captain climbing those famous steps, to lift the greatest trophy of them all. When Ben Watson scored in the dying embers of the FA Cup final last year against Manchester City, I found myself halfway across the room I was watching the game in, in celebration. I'm not a Wigan fan, I have no connections with Wigan Athletic, but as a football fan, I was thoroughly overjoyed, the plucky underdog had been beaten the giant, isn't that what makes the FA Cup so wonderful, so unpredictable, so watchable. Before Rochdale took on Leeds Utd in the 3rd round this season, I was sat with my dad listening to Paul Merson, he wasn't belittling the competition, but he was saying something along the lines of what was said earlier. He did say it means more to the smaller clubs than the bigger clubs. In financial terms he is certainly correct, I don't know the figures from our cup run, but we all know the club benefited hugely from the cup run. When Ian Henderson scored that delicious lob over a static Paddy Kenny to put us 2-0 up, I along with thousands of others went wild, truly wild, it was a moment I will never forget, that's what the FA Cup is about, glory. I will no doubt be telling people about that game for many years to come, that's what the competition is about. In a decades time, I doubt many people will talk about who finished fourth in a certain year, I'm pretty sure you will have a fair idea of who won the FA Cup that year. Speaking to my Dad after the game I said: "I defy anyone to watch that wonderful goal by Ian Henderson, watch the celebrations of Rochdale players and fans alike, and tell me the FA Cup isn't that good, it's alive and kicking, and long may it continue." Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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