“I fell in love with football as I was later to fall in love with women: suddenly, inexplicably, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain or disruption it would bring with it.” – Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch

The FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world. It is just shy of a century and a half old. In the same year as the first ever FA Cup match, Germany was created, there was a Napoleon in captivity having been removed as leader of France, Queen Victoria opened the Royal Albert Hall, and the President of the United States was former Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant. The FA Cup has survived from that alien, ancient time, to provide us with something that few other competitions in the world can provide. As unlikely as it may seem, it is still possible, 146 years later, for a team that starts in the earliest rounds – the first weekend of August, before the elite clubs have even returned from their far-flung pre-season tours – to go all the way and win the FA Cup. That’s something worth celebrating.

Of course, the competition has evolved significantly in that time. Only fifteen teams entered the original competition (this season there are over 700), which was of course won by Wanderers. Before the construction of a national stadium in Wembley (The Empire Stadium, as it was originally known), the final took place at one of the other great British sporting venues – the Oval. Slightly under 90,000 fans poured into Wembley to watch last year’s final. In 1872, it was just 2,000, and they saw Morton Betts score in a single goal victory for Wanderers against Royal Engineers. It was the first of 5 FA Cup victories, the last of which came in 1878, 140 years ago by the time we reach this season’s final. That puts them in the top 10 all-time FA Cup winners, joined on 5 by Everton and Manchester City.

The Cup is famous for, almost synonymous with, giant killings. We all know about Hereford beating Newcastle and Sutton beating Coventry, but it was going on long before the television cameras were there to pick up the action. In the late 1940s, Swindon won away at Burnley, who were the FA Cup holders, in one of the biggest shocks of all time, and a year later tiny Yeovil, playing deep in non-league, beat mighty Sunderland of the old First Division – a Sunderland side referred to as The Bank of England because of the amount of money they had spent chasing success. As far back as 1907, non-league (as they were at the time) Crystal Palace, in difficult form, travelled to a Newcastle United side who were second in the league and unbeaten at St. James’ Park, and won. Perhaps this was the first great giant killing.

Over the years, the FA Cup has fallen from grace as the showpiece final, the ultimate goal, to be seen as secondary prize to the clubs that often win it. As much as loyal supporters might want silverware, to the richest in the land it is not as worthwhile as finishing fourth and a coveted place in the Champions League, but this should not diminish the famous old competition.
Some say the magic of the cup is gone, or at least in short supply, but they are mistaken. Just look at the competition and ask fans of Brackley Town, of Sutton United, how magical they think the cup was. Just look ask Bishop Auckland, who made it from the Extra-Preliminary Round to the Fourth Qualifying Round, or Westfields, who went one better. Look at Stamford, who beat National League side Wrexham.

So, while the boys at the top argue that the cup has no magic left to give, let us remember that Lincoln City captured the imaginations of football fans up and down the country last season. While they persist that it is a secondary competition and that they would rather finish third in the league, let us remember that it was this diminished competition that saved Arsene Wenger’s job, the longest serving manager in the country. And let us not forget that it all begins on the first weekend of August. There might only be a few paying attention to the earliest rounds of the FA Cup, only a few who realise that the competition starts before January. But it is those few, who come to an Extra-Preliminary Round game at the height of summer, who make the competition what it is. The smallest of teams has a chance to provide the magic, and that’s all we ask for, a chance.

Enjoy the game.

Martyn & Tom

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