The Magic Of The Cup (FA Cup)

Member Name: thecoin

Product:	FA Cup
Date:	26/12/00 (139 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic For Lower League Clubs

Disadvantages: None

As a fan of Chester City(Yes I know don`t start the jokes)I look forward to the FA Cup each season. For some reason we nearly always tend to get to the Third Round of it no matter what division we are in and we nearly always get a half decent draw.Unfortunatly thats normally about as far as it gets as we normally end up getting emphatically beaten.

Last season when we where in the Football League I hoped in the early rounds to draw a non-league side not because I thought it would be a push over but just more of an experience than playing a team that you normally play week in week out in the league. In the First Round we where drawn away at Whyteleafe,Who?Was the question on everyones lips when the draw was made.I made the long,long trip down to South London and into a ground that looked more suited to the Sunday league not an FA Cup match but thats what the FA Cup's all about giving non-league sides a chance to have a go at the bigger clubs. There was a fantastic atmosphere at the ground and plenty of singing from both sets of fans and the Ryman League side really thought they could win it as at the time we where bottom of the Third Division by a fair distance.
It was a very poor game from a Chester perspective and we could and perhaps should have been knocked out by a side many divisions lower than ourselves. In fact Whyteleafe where awarded a penalty with 10 minutes to go, it was heart in the mouth stuff for City fans as this would have been a real embarrasment being beaten by a team that had never even qualified for the FA Cup before. Luckily our keeper saved it and spared City fans blushes. I was certainly relieved when the final whistle went to come away with a replay. The replay started as the first game finished with Whyteleafe really having a go at us but thanks to an atrocious decision from the referee we managed to go through.He sent a Whyteleafe player off for an apparent use of an elbow, this happened right infront of me and I have to sa
y it was never a sending off. Whyteleafe then began to lose it and we eventually did progress through to the next round.I for one certainly believe that if that man hadn`t been sent off we may have been knocked out as Whyteleafe were by far the better side before the sending off.But thats what the cups all about isn`t it?Sometimes you need a little bit of luck and we certainly got it that foggy night.

The next round again saw us pitted against non-league opposition this time Stalybridge Celtic who had been doing well in the Unibond League.The TV camera`s where there, fans from Manchester City and United also there, all expecting to see a Cup shock as we where still bottom of the Third Division. Many City fans made the short journey and saw one of the best displays by our side all season.They had obviously learnt from the First Round game and weren`t going to let it happen again. The game didn`t pass by without worry though as Stalybridge did take the lead but City always looked like getting back in the game and in the end were victorious 2-1 and where thouroughly worth the victory. It was singing and dancing all the way home for City fans as we were in the Third Round. The Third Round draw is always a great moment for lower league clubs fans as we all dream of a draw against a Chelsea or Liverpool(United weren`t in it of course. Its a Cup comepetition like no other that allows such fixtures to be possible.I sat glued to my TV practically begging for a good draw and we did get a half decent one, Manchester City at home.At the time they where flying high near the top of th First Division while we where still struggling at the foot of Division Three. Many Manchester City fans made the short journey expecting a resounding win for their side but they must have been quite worried for the majority of this game as Chester where holding thme at 1-1 for most of the match and could have won it. But in the end Manchester City did go through with a flattering score line
as they scored three goals in the last 10 minutes to comfortably go through 4-1. It left Chester fans going home thinking what might have been but taking with it confidence that we could perhaps now produce performances like that in the league. The FA Cup also offers lower league clubs to cash in on money much needed for them to survive. Without the TV revenue available to top league sides Cup runs are vital for teams like ourselves to survive and thanks to a full capacity stadium for the Manchester City game we gained some much needed cash which come the end of the season was used to help finance the signing of players in our quest to stay in the league. In the end it wasn`t to be as we were relegated to the Conference for the first time in our history on a very emotional last day of the season.

This season we had to play an FA Cup qualifier for the first time in our history. We were drew away at Easington Colliery, who?I hear you ask, They are a side from the Northern Counties League and where looking to get through to the FA Cup First Round proper for the first time in their history.The ground was even more Sunday league standard than Whyteleafe`s the year before with little more than one tin shed to stand under (forget your all seater stadium at Old Trafford or Anfield this really was the pits!)My team put on a very professional and accomplished perfromance on a horrible rainy, windswept day to end little Easington`s dreams and enter the First Round.It certainly was an experience that only the FA Cup could provide.

We drew Plymouth at home in the First Round. Plymouth were struggling in the league and many anticipated a shock. I couldn`t get used to people talking about us causing a shock when we where playing sides like Plymouth last season. For the first time I watched an FA Cup game from a non league sides perspective where your side gives everything for 90 minutes. What a game it was with City taking the lead and holding onto it for the ma
jority of the match but the league side in true Cup fashion grabbed a late equaliser when their substitute Jason Peake came off the bench to score with a superb free-kick. So a replay it was an a long trip to Plymouth on a Tuesday night for it. Call me mad but I made that trip along with around 20 other City fans on the supporters coach. I bunked the day off college and duly made my way to to the coach and went down to the game. Plymouth was a ground I had never visited before and the City following was quite good considering the day and the distance.Around 50 fans went something you wouldn`t see in any other competition. I certainly wouln`t be found going that far for a Worthington Cup game but thats another story. What a magical cup tie this was,only the FA Cup could produce a such a magnificent match. We took the lead just before half time but you always sensed that Plymouth would pull an equaliser back and the did. Into extra time the game went and City fans began to wonder if our team could last with the furocious pace that the game had been played at for 90 minutes. But again in true FA Cup fashion on came City substitute Scott Ruscoe who had just come back from injury and was making his first appearance in a competitive match for us. With five minutes left he was put through, rounded the keeper and put the ball into the open net and sent the 50 City fans wild.City hung on to win and progress into Round 2.A cup shock?Well I don`t personally count it as one as I am still not used to non-league life. It was certainly a fantastic result on a ground we had stuggled to win on in league matches in seasons gone by.

So it was Oxford United in Round 2. Oxford struggling at the bottom of Division 2 came to the Deva with many pundits expecting a Chester win following the fantastic display at Plymouth. But it was Oxford who raced into a two goal lead and the game looked dead and burried. Somehow though City stepped up a gear and put on a famous FA Cup fightback.
City claimed a goal back just before half time and scored two more in the second half and after a nailbiting last five minutes progressed through to Round 3.
Again like the season before I was glued to my TV awaiting the draw and we where one of the first out of the hat. Blackburn away was the draw...fantastic was my reaction, a real money spinner for the club which is in need of much needed cash and a trip out for the Deva faithful who after enduring the painful relegation last season deserve this draw. Who knows could Chester pull off a shock?If Blackburn perform aswell as they should then we havn`t really got a chance but if they have an off day anything could happen.

All in all I would sum up the FA Cup by saying its fantastic. As Ive stated it brings in much needed revenue for lower league and non-league clubs and the Blackburn game will bring us money which could be put to good use in our quest to get out of the Conference. The games witnessed in the FA Cup and the atmosphere at the Stadiums is something that is unique to the FA Cup. It also offers fans from lower division clubs like ourselves the chance to watch our teams against the cream of the crop of teams in the country, something not possible in any other cup(bar the Worthington Cup but non-league clubs like ourselves aren`t in that). I for one hope that the FA Cup goes on for many, many years to come as it quite simply is the best cup cometition in the world.

thecoin

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