The ground is very much zero and the balls orange which can mean only one thing. Its FA Cup 3rd round day when the little guys have their moment. The BBC has gone all out this year for the world’s most knockout cup with coverage of the first and second round with live matches to boot.
Canvey v Northampton was fascinating as we saw the really little guy on one of those grounds like a small Kosovan town trying to see who could get closes to the moon with the goal kicks.

This round is where the big boys come in and generally get to the final.more so in recent years as its get priority over the Worthington Cup and mid table league matches. Manchester United have the only all premiership match with a tough trip to Villa and should be favorites to win in May with Leeds United and Arsenal also staking claim.
The minnows of the minnows in Canvey Island, well they have to go to division one pacesetter Burnley to prolong their dreams away from the factory floor and the building site. But they may not be many back page heroes tomorrow as Jack Frost spreads that mystical gray diamond sparkling morning.
This is how I see them going…..

ASTON VILLA 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 2…. Gregory’s boys are on the dip again in their typically wavy season and look ripe for a hiding by the super inform reds. Its six on the spin for United and Beckham has been clearly held back to have a crack at this and the all important champions league next phase.
I think even Ferguson had given up on The Premiership when Chelsea skinned then three nil at home.So getting Beck’s champing at the bit during contract talks and Christmas shopping will help decide where his loyalties lay.
I cant see him wanting to play for anyone but Alex and I expect him to be sold if he has a great World Cup and good runs starting toady.
What away to go out with a domestic final and a Hampden showdown for his mentor.

BARNSLEY 0 BLACKBURN ROVERS 2…
;…..New man Cole and Jansen should be able to penetrate these mid table lower league one non-entities.

BRIGHTON 1 PRESTON 2………If Bobby Zamora is worthy of Premiership football now is the time to prove it.Bobby is Brighton and if he goes well they do.Preston are a good side in Nationwide and may just have enough on the day.

BURNLEY 3 CANVEY ISLAND…….The dream is over as the car breakers get a going over by a top Division One side.

CARDIFF CITY 0 LEEDS UNITED 3…..The improving Welsh side would have had a better chance if Hanaman had managed to swing this tie at The Millenium stadium. But Leeds are going to fly away with this and probably the championship with the brilliant Fowler now up front.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC 5 BLACKPOOL 0………The Prem side ain’t going to lose at home to a mid table division three side. Graham Stuart is the one to watch here as a hat full could fly from their exquisite passing game.

CHELTENHAM 1 OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1……….Hard pich,hard game,hard earned draw.Oldham have had a patch but have come from behind recently to start moving up the table again.Replay win for the Boundary Park boys.

COVENTRY CITY 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2…Hard to call this one as Spurs don’t quite cut it away. Its going to be a battle royal with the Londoners perhaps just getting through with a touch of luck, or Andertons magic boots.

CREWE ALEXANDER 1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1………Two poor mid to lower league one sides all set for a slug feast. Dario Grady just notched up match 10000 as the boss at Gresty Road so what better reward than an unlikely cup run. Be honest can you remember them doing well in the FA CUP!.

DAGENHAM AND REDGRAVE 0 IPSWICH TOWN 3……The non leaguers may have had a chance three weeks ago as they were topping the Conference and Ipswich were rock bottom in the Premiership.But the
Tractor Boys are on their toes now trying to escape the pull of relegation gravity.
Bent is in form and Rueser owes them. Clapham also looks ready to contribute.

DARLINGTON 2 PETERBOROUGH 1…..Tenichally its an upset but not significant in football history. The Posh are up for sale and the wages will be a struggle like trying to watch this long ball far.

DERBY COUNTY 3 BRISTOL ROVERS 1,,,,Derby have found a smidgen of form recently even though Ravenelli keeps missing those valuable pens.But a nice comfortable win over these third division strugglers should be the boost they need for their fight.

GRIMSBY 2 YORK CITY 1……..Another lower league scuffle from teams in different league relegation annual toils.Home advantage is nearly always enough in that scenario.

HULL CITY 0 CARLISLE 0…..Britain’s third richest town’s team is out of form and will have to grit it out in this one a replay. They haven’t scored for four weeks and this just could be a pivotal moment in their campaigns. Penalties after a replay, painful stuff.

LEICESTER CITY 2 MANSFIELD 1….…. The Foxes could be vulnerable to another Roy Essendon shock again after Wycombes win last time in the quarters. Bassett needs a cup run here to pump his league performances up. But Leicester have no firepower so could struggle if they go behind.

LIVERPOOL 2 BIRMINGHAM 1…….The Worthington Cup replay that so nearly saw the scousers over turned could serve up another classic.The Blues are turning in some good performances and look likely to secure the annual play off spot.
Selling the championship to Leeds with the Fowler transfer has left them with the useless Heskey and crook Litmumen up front. Anelka is equally temperamental and I can see Liverpool again struggling.

MACCLESFIELD 1 WEST HAM UNITED 3…..An early shock goal will fire up the Londoners brilliant midfield wherever Dicanni
o may be. Kanoute and Defoe are the boys now and West Ham could go all the way this year if they peak.

MANCHESTER CITY 5 SWINDON…The rest of division one can wave good bye to City like Swindon should tommorow. Keegan has blocked up the back and they are flying, and the brilliant Algerian is at the center of the run.
Kevs boys could do very well this year.

MILLWALL 3 SCUNTHORPE 1………The East Londoners have been consistently good through out the year with no real form drop off.That generally points to a good cup run in a team and Scunthorpe wont be halting it.

NEWCATLE 2 CRYSTAL PALACE 2…..There could be a surprise here as The Magpies recent table topping form has been abruptly halted by real contenders. Altitude sickness has set in and Palace who are on the up after Bruce departure could nick a draw.
Its time for it to be Sir Bobby though and lest hope he can get a cup run together before he has that inevitable heart attack.

NORWICH CITY 2 CHELSEA………Again another team in form against a team dipping out of tempo.Chelsea always get patchy in the league when it matters and this current blip could expose them in the cold weather.
Their foreign legend don’t want to get stuck in when the gloves come out and a good brave division one side like Norwich can get at them. Chelsea should take it back to the Bridge.

PORTSMOUTH 2 LEYTON ORIENT 1…….Mid table Prosintchky lead team in division one should have no fears with a mid table league four one.

ROTHERHAM UNITED 0 SOUTHAMPTON 3…..The Saints best two players are on form in Beattie and Pahars, which means a moral boosting, win here. The Millers are out of their depth in Nationwide One and have been bobbing around at the bottom like Titanic survivors soon to be doomed.

SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 NOTTS FOREST…. Mid to lower league Division one slugfest like two washed up boxers who have s
een better times.

SOUTHEND 1 TRANMERE 1…Similar scenario as above with the emphasis on been lighter weight. Replay, replay, replay.

STOCKPORT 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 1…Two great battling sides with relegation struggles ahead until the Spring blossom is with us again. But Bolton are extremely vulnerable away from home against a side who have hung on to almost top-flight football way above their station.
But they should have enough to get it back down the M6.

STOKE CITY 2 EVERTON 1……….Walter Smith has got the dreaded vote of confidence this morning which can only mean one thing.If you lose this extremely tricky tie then adios amigo.
Everton haven’t one or scored since November and I cant see a way out of this one
Stoke have been up the top of Division Two as usual and will test them to the limit. I think they can win this and make Smith casualty number thirty in the managerial league.
*************MY SHOCK OF THE DAY*******************

SUNDERLAND 1 WEST BROM 0…. A real slogger for Peter Rieds nearly good side. The Midlanders may just be playing them at the right time after that five nil surprise whipping by Ipswich.But they have corrected that err since and should just squeeze a win here. Arca is the one to watch.

WALLSALL 1 BRADFORD CITY 1…….Another Nationwide battle in the frost with home advantage the only bonus here.Poor Wallsall will have to be dragged back to the ice cold wind that blows through the valley parade ground with vengeance.

WATFORD CITY 1 ARSENAL 3……Parochial semi finalist Arsenal will have little worries from Viallis strange hiding place up the M1.Man for man its slaughter and just the start the Gunners needed .They will one of the big three trophies this year,but which one?.

WIMBLEDON 2 MIDDLESBORGH 0…….My second big shock of the round will be the muscular Wombles knocking over a fragile travellin
g Borough who really aren’t anything when its too cold for the talented Boxich.
The barrage will be just too much and maybe too much for the Tynesiders who could also suffer an indignant relegation that most think they deserve for mismanagement and poor signings.
****************** SECOND BIG SHOCK********************************

Well theres the way I seed it and I hope I didn’t bore you too much or skint you on Ladbrokes weekend quick slip.
Im going for Man United v Leeds final with good runs for Chelsea and Fulham.Man City and Millwall from Division One and Stoke and Oldham from the rest.