FA Cup Final 2010/11: Sweet dreams are made of this….

And so the 2010/11 season comes ever closer to finishing, with the FA Cup Final this weekend. A reassuring date in May that sits there in the football calendar and marks the passing of time. An event that has always for me had the, “…I remember where I was…” tag-line. Something that grows up with you, a constant that is there as you go through life.

In the year I was born 1962, the FA Cup Final was between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley. In a game that has become known as “The Chessboard Final” due to the tactical and cat and mouse nature of the play, Spurs emerged winners 3-1 with goals from Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith and a Danny Blanchflower penalty. The Clarets had equalized with a goal from Jimmy Robson on 50 minutes, but the North London team went ahead 2-1 within a minute and sealed Cup Glory with just ten minutes remaining.

However, it wasn’t until 1970 that I have any recollections of watching my first FA Cup Final and then it was the replay at Old Trafford and not the first game at Wembley. The picture of being sat at home with my dad watching that game on 29 April 1970 is still a vivid one in my mind. We didn’t have a colour television, so it was black and white images that we watched that night. I remember my mum coming into the room just as Leeds scored through Mick Jones on 35 minutes and in typical football superstitious style, she was banned from coming into the room until the game was over. These days that Replay is viewed as something of a brutal encounter, but 1970’s football was a very different and physical beast to that of the game today and so watching that night it didn’t seem as though this was a “dirty” game. Chelsea got back into the game in the second half but left it late with a Peter Osgood header just 12 minutes from time. Extra-time followed and for some reason we didn’t put the lights on, so black and white shafts of light flicked across our faces as in the last minute of the first period of extra time, a long throw from Hutchinson caused confusion in the Leeds defence and Dave Webb headed home what turned out to be the winner.

Subsequent years and FA Cup Final days are linked in with my dad’s and my passion for cricket. This meant that for a number of years, any glimpses of the Final “live” were restricted to the tea interview in between innings. Even though I loved playing cricket, when Cup Final day came around I invariably prayed for rain! If the gods of precipitation had done their work I could sit myself down and take in the full glory of the BBC’s coverage (I was and am a BBC man!) that included down the years special editions of Mastermind, Question of Sport and It’s a Knockout all featuring fans of the Cup Final teams. It was a real marathon which featured players at their team hotel, their journey to the ground and more analysis than you could care to take on. It was a feeling of real excitement once the game started. It was only once the game was over and the Cup was presented (barring replays in those days), that you could rise from the sofa, head muzzy from 8 hours in front of the television and stomach full from snacking during this period to get back to the rest of Saturday.

With the knees having called time on my cricket career, this weekend as the City’s from Manchester and Stoke battle for the Cup, I’ll be once more adorning a sofa to take in the action. More likely though I’ll settle down to watch 30 minutes or so before kick-off, but it’ll give me the chance to reflect and savour the memories of Cup Finals past and toast the winners and losers.

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2010/11: Blue Square North Play-off Semi Final, 2nd Leg

Boston United v Guiseley AFC- Sunday 08 May 2011

Just four years after relegation from the Football League, having lost to Wrexham and then entering Administration on the last day of the season in May 2007, Boston United were on the verge of returning to the Blue Square Premier (BSP) League,  the level most Boston fans would tell you is the Lincolnshire club’s natural level. With Lincoln City’s relegation confirmed and Grimsby (poachers of Boston’s successful young management team just days ago) also languishing in the BSP, there was plenty to look forward to, if success in the Play-offs could be achieved.

After a tight First Leg, in which Guiseley had gained the advantage through a superb free kick from Warren Peyton from 35 yards, it was all to play for at York Street. Guiseley, who pipped Boston to the Unibond League title just 12 months ago on the last day of the season, and Boston, have been almost inseparable over the past two seasons. This was reflected in this season’s league games which produced a 0-0 draw in Yorkshire on a soggy Tuesday night in November, and a 1-1 at York Street in January.

Ironically for this Yorkshire-based Boston fan, the trip to York Street was considerably longer than the ‘away’ visit to Netherfield, so I was up early and eager to be on my way. Picking up a fellow exile en route, we spent most of the drive down the A1 trying to convince ourselves we weren’t too worried about the outcome – after the last few years and nearly going out of existence the feeling of relief that we still have a club to support is still overwhelming, and after all, we told ourselves, we’d already exceeded expectations for the season. I don’t think either of us was fooled!

On arrival at York Street, the Pilgrims Social Club was rammed, but a pint of Batemans was needed to calm the nerves. With the pre match warm up duly carried out, we took our places amongst the 2,640 strong crowd that had gathered. The famous ‘Town End’ was full of particularly vocal home support and the noise coming from that end of the ground was a good old fashioned racket.

With nerves on edge due to the deficit from the First Leg, it was important that Boston started well, which they duly did. Encouraged by their largest home crowd since their League days, the Pilgrims surged up the pitch, and with 10 minutes gone won a corner. Now it doesn’t take a genius to work out what was going to happen here. Centre back and player of the season Shaun Pearson has scored 11 goals this term, and I’d say 9 of them are identikit headed goals from a corner. I can only assume non-league budgets don’t stretch to scouting or Guiseley would have seen this one coming. From a Jamie Yates corner Pearson thumped one into the net with his head, and sent the crowd ballistic.

From this moment until the half time whistle went, Boston looked the most threatening side, with a shot cleared off the line, and just before half time, an Anthony Church shot struck the crossbar. Guiseley looked happy to make it to half time still in the game, but following a rivalry built up over the last couple of seasons, and particularly after the 1st Leg, in which we had dominated the first half, we knew better than to write them off.

When a minute or so into the second half Church again rattled the crossbar, this time from a free kick, it was beginning to look like we’d carry on where we left off. Guiseley had other ideas, however. When Boston conceded a free kick and our tormentor Peyton was lining it up, there was me thinking ‘oh no, not again’. This one however struck the wall, but it rebounded to former Leeds youngster Gavin Rothery who tucked it past veteran keeper Paul Bastock to put Guiseley back in control of the tie with half an hour to play.

Boston responded to this setback and following a build up of pressure Jamie Yates had a good chance, before Danny Davidson came on as a substitute for the hard working Spencer Wier Daley. Davidson had an immediate impact, creating a chance for Yates that was deflected wide. Then on 79 minutes, from a corner following good play by Ryan Semple, the ball fell to Church, who, having scored our winner in the playoff final against Bradford Park Avenue last season, duly rammed it home to make it the aggregate score 2-2. Cue pandemonium in the stands, and 10 minutes of tension on the pitch, with neither side wanting to make a mistake, the play was very cautious to the final whistle.

With tension in the air, extra time kicked off. The first 15 minutes were tense, edgy times, and few chances were created. Three minutes into the second half came a moment of pure drama as, with Guiseley attacking, Boston were unable to effectively clear their lines and the ball fell to Darryn Stamp who lashed in a volley from 20 yards – a strike worthy of settling any match. The hundred or so Guiseley fans went berserk and a momentary silence settled around the rest of the ground. However this didn’t last long, the United fans, knowing their teams never say die attitude could still sense the possibility of salvation.

That salvation arrived some 5 minutes later as a superb run by the by then almost exhausted Yates resulted in a cross towards the far post where no less that 3 Boston players were lining up to pounce. Danny Davidson was the man in the right place and gleefully headed home. I nearly lost my voice, and my sanity.

For the remaining few minutes of extra time, it was Guiseley who looked shell shocked and Boston piled on the pressure, and almost snatched a winner when Adam Boyes volleyed wide. The final whistle went, and I cannot help but feel if we’d had another 5 minutes we’d have prevailed, but it was not meant to be, and so it went to penalties.

Whilst waiting for the first penalty, I cast my mind back to any situations involving penalty shoot outs where I cared about the outcome. This was the first one I have known involve Boston. All the others involved England so I was certainly prepared for the worst! The next thing that came to mind was how the script was written for our veteran keeper Paul Bastock. A true Boston legend who I remember first watching in the early 90’s, and had returned for the latter part of this season from St Albans to take his appearance total for the club to over 620. Surely if there was to be a hero today it would be him?

Alas, whoever wrote the script must have been from Yorkshire, as the hero turned out to be the aptly named Drench, who, playing in goal for Guiseley, poured water on our hopes by superbly saving an attempt by Gareth Jellyman (yes, he threw a wobbly!)  and another effort from Danny Sleath. With Boyes also hitting the post, and Guiseley missing two of theirs , it all came down to that man again, Warren Peyton, who kept his cool and settled 210 minutes of football with one kick, not the best penalty but it in went, setting a date with AFC Telford in the play off final for Guiseley.

Ben Grant

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FA Cup Semi-Finals 2010/11: That was then – this is now….

FA Cup Semi-Final 1975

05 April 1975 – just another Saturday for most people, but for a 12 year old boy this was a day that was almost too incredible to believe was happening. It was FA Cup Semi-Final day and his beloved Fulham were within a game of reaching the FA Cup Final for the first time in their history. Second Division Fulham were up against First Division Birmingham City, Trevor Francis et al.

The Cottagers previous attempts in reaching the FA Cup Final had all ended in failure. In their first season in the Football League (1907-08), the team progressed to the Semi-Final after victories over Luton Town (8-3), Norwich City (2-1), Manchester City (3-1 in a replay) and Manchester United (2-1). However, the Semi-Final at Anfield against Newcastle United proved a game too far and Fulham slumped to an FA Cup Semi-Final record 6-0 defeat.

It was 28 years before the men from Craven Cottage reached the Semi-Finals again in 1935-36. The journey which never saw Fulham leave London contained wins over Brighton & Hove Albion (2-1), Blackpool (5-2), Chelsea (3-2 in a replay) and Derby County (3-0). For the first time during the Cup run the Cottagers had to travel away from the capital and they were duly beaten 2-1 by Sheffield United.

In 1957-58 Fulham hoped it was third time lucky in the Semi-Finals after victories against Yeovil Town (4-0), Charlton Athletic (2-0 in a replay), West Ham United (3-2) and Bristol Rovers (3-1). Their opponents were Manchester United, a club still coming to terms with the Munich disaster just 6 weeks after the event. The first game ended 2-2 at Villa Park and in the replay at Highbury, Fulham again failed to reach Wembley after a 5-3 defeat.

Just four years later, Fulham were back in Semi-Final action. Hatlepools United were dispatched in the 3rd Round 3-1 at the Cottage and Walsall were overcome 2-0 in a replay in Round Four. Round Five and Port Vale were beaten 1-0 and in Round Six a replay was required to see off Blackburn Rovers by the same score. Burnley were the opposition at Villa Park and Graham Leggat’s first half goal gave Fulham the lead going into the interval. However the advantage was quickly wiped out as John Connelly levelled for the Clarets. Once again a replay was required and once again Fulham came up short. A brace from Jimmy Robson put the Lancastrians on their way to Wembley as Jim Langley’s 90th minute goal was nothing more than a late consolation.

It was against this backdrop of Semi-Final failure that the Fulham faithful travelled north to Hillsborough in April 1975. My recollection of the day is dominated by a number of things. In my early teens I was not a great passenger when travelling by car as I was prone to travel sickness. So the journey up the M1 had me eating and drinking very little and sat clutching a carrier bag in case of emergencies. I also remember having a new rosette for the game which my mum had bought me. Black and white crinkled ribbon circled a silver foil replica of the most famous Cup in the World and a neatly printed piece of cardboard sat proudly below showing “FULHAM FC” in black block capitals. I remember too us parking near a massive estate of tower blocks and the walk to the ground. It was the biggest crowd I’d been part of, nearly 55,000.

Of the game itself, well the size of the ground, the noise of both sets of fans, the colour, the excitement and the tension of the occasion are all fresh in my memory. Fulham dominated and should have been ahead at the break, but then our reward came early in the second half with a wonder-strike from John Mitchell. We were going to Wembley for the first time and I was going to witness the historic moment. And then Fulham’s Semi-Final hoodoo struck again as Joe Gallagher brought the Blues level. Once again a replay was required. I cut a rather forlorn figure in the back of the car as I clutched my sick bag and we headed away from Sheffield. History shows that four days later Fulham broke their Semi-Final jinx in the last minute of extra time at Maine Road with possibly the luckiest, scrappiest, scruffiest, Semi-Final goal ever. Unfortunately I had to settle for listening to the game on the radio, but we were there and that was enough for me. Wembley beckoned for the FA Cup Final.

Roll forward to this weekend and it’s Semi-Final time again. However, these days things are very different. The games no longer take place on the same day. Both games are shown live on television and both take place at Wembley. I don’t agree with it. Wembley is the reward for the Finalists. That day in 1975 was special because a Semi-Final then had its own unique atmosphere – travelling to a neutral venue was like one foot on the podium. Now the podium has been flattened and in my opinion contributed to the devaluing of the FA Cup. I feel sorry for fans having to travel all the way down to London and all the costs and hassle that will involve to suit the needs of television and the FA’s Wembley debt. I know a Stoke fan who is caught in a quandary like many will be this weekend. He has a family to support, so going to both the Semi-Final and Final is not a financial option. What does he do? Does he gamble on not going this weekend and hope that the Potters get to the Final and then scramble for a ticket? Or does he go to the Semi knowing that if they win he won’t be able to see them in the Final?

For me football is no longer for the fans, it’s about the powers that be in positions of authority, whether that be the FA or the media organisations. Tradition? They have killed it and frankly they don’t care if they do. I’m glad I was able to experience the heritage and romance of the FA Cup back in 1975, because that now belongs to a different era and I’ll always cherish that day in April, 36 years ago.

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2010/11: ECQ Group G – Wales v England (Cardiff)

If I’m watching England, then to be honest it is usually a nerve-wracking experience. However on Saturday I have to say that just didn’t happen. Wales losing Gareth Bale from a side lacking top class players helped England’s cause and probably helped ease my mind. Despite all the passion of the home fans in Cardiff, there didn’t appear to be a whiff of an upset as the Welsh team belted out their anthem and the English, mumbled or ignored theirs.

Yes, two goals in the first fifteen minutes effectively killed off the game and thereafter England were pretty comfortable throughout the ninety minutes. The reality is though that England were up against the side bottom of the Qualifying Group, who had lost their previous three fixtures. A couple of things made me chuckle though during the game. Both the individuals concerned continue to demonstrate their complete lack of intelligence on a football field. Step forward Craig Bellamy of Wales, who was obviously attempting to rewrite Shakespeare’s Henry IV with a poor impersonation of Owen Glendower, by snapping at everything in a white shirt, but to little effect. Equally clueless was England’s very own court jester, Rooney, who with the game won, carried out not one but two unnecessary tackles in less than a minute, to earn himself a booking. Plus ça change.

So the half-way mark of the Qualifiers and England sit top of the class with the other Group leaders, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, France, Netherlands, Greece, Norway and Spain. Wales under new head-boy Gary Speed (what were the Welsh FA thinking when they appointed him), sit in the corner with the dunces hat and bottom of the class with other Group basement dwellers, Kazakhstan, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, San Marino, Malta, Iceland and Liechtenstein, with a collective total of 3 points between them all. The Welsh dragon is a creature currently unable to breath fire and in reality gasping for breath. John Charles must be spinning in his grave.

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2010/11: Evo-Stik First Division South – Sheffield FC v Stamford FC

If I was to ask, who is the World’s First and Oldest Football Club, what would you say? Notts County? Well I’d give you half a point as they are the World’s Oldest Football League Club, formed in 1862. For your full mark I’d be looking for the answer Sheffield FC, who were formed in 1857 and have been officially recognised by both the FA and FIFA as being the oldest club in the World. Quite simply Sheffield FC provided the focus and influence to do much in producing the game that we recognise as football as spectators in the 21st Century. For example, the club was instrumental in providing laws which gave the foundations to the current rules and were influential in the formation of the FA.

Sheffield FC is a club stepped in history but is also one with a future with visions and aspirations. The 21st Century has seen Sheffield FC move to their first owned home ground, in Dronfield and in 2007, celebrate their 150th Anniversary. Sheffield is a club with a presence both at home and abroad which ranges from its extensive involvement within the Sheffield area and community, through to its “Boots for Africa” campaign and countless invites from around the World to play in various fixtures.

With this in mind, I wanted to experience at first hand this extraordinary club with a unique history. Therefore on a misty March evening I travelled down to Dronfield for the Evo-Stik League Division One South fixture between Sheffield FC and Stamford FC. The ground itself sits behind the Coach & Horses Inn and so was an ideal place to grab a pre-match pint. The pub itself contains some Sheffield FC and football memorabilia, amongst them a signed and framed shirt signed by various referees, placed rather interestingly outside the gents toilets! Having sampled the rather fine real ale, I took the shortest ever walk from a pub to a ground. The first thing that struck me about the stadium and the ground was the pitch which looked a decent width – no bringing in the touchline here. The BT Local Business Stadium is a tidy arena with a capacity of around 2,000. The 163 present created a good atmosphere on the night which was enhanced by the wisps of swirling fog that were evident in the beams of the floodlights.

Of the game itself, well, two young sides looked to provide an open and attractive game that rewarded the crowd with five goals as Sheffield overcame Stamford 3-2. For balance I’ve provided the match reports from the respective teams and they making interesting reading and comparison!

My thanks to the Sheffield FC website (www.sheffieldfc.com/) for the following match report:

Caretaker-Manager Ian Whitehorne’s youthful side finally gained some just reward for several ‘near-miss’ performances, writes David Bell, with a pleasing victory over Stamford FC at the BT Local Business Stadium.

An evenly-matched first half saw both sides attempt to play decent football on a greasy surface. Sheffield laid down an early marker as a 2nd minute Steve Woolley header went just wide from a corner. Equally, Stamford were keen to play their part as a low Ryan Oliver cross was intercepted by Whatsize with Millson ready to pounce. A Matt Roney pile-driver smashed into the bar on 21 minutes after Roney himself had cut inside and made a neat interchange of passes with Jonah Gosling. Sheffield’s youthful defensive frailties again showed as Lewis failed to clear, allowing Dan Cotton to fire comfortably over the bar. On 27 minutes, Lewis slipped allowing Clarke a clear run on goal. He comfortably rounded Whatsize in the Sheffield goal but in scenes reminiscent of Saturday, he amazingly put his shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Both sides traded blows in a pleasing display of football but it was Sheffield who were to break the deadlock on 40 minutes. A concerted spell of pressure saw shots traded around the Stamford box. Roebuck’s 18 yard effort was parried by Wright in the Stamford goal, straight to Ant LYNAM who made no mistake from close range.

The second half began in much the same vein. Both sides made early substitutions but it was Stamford who profited on 57 minutes as a clearance ricocheted straight to Ryan OLIVER, who made no mistake in comfortably beating Whatsize. Buoyed by this way back into the game, Stamford produced a long range effort from full back Matt Evans, closely followed by a Dan Cotton header from an Oliver overhead kick. The two combined once more on the hour as Whatsize produced a good save from close range. Club gained some reward for their excellent attacking play when Cotton clipped the heels of skipper Chris Adam with referee Mr Miller awarding a penalty. Andy GASCOIGNE duly converted and it was Sheffield’s turn to take the upper hand. A mere two minutes later, a Jack Smith cross from the right saw Tom ROEBUCK stoop to head home from a matter of yards, to cap a fine battling display. The game continued in end-to-end fashion and on 81 minutes, Paul MALONE forced the ball home from close range after a header back across goal. Andy Gascoigne received his customary yellow card in a minor altercation afterwards along with Jamie Clarke for the visitors, much to the chagrin of the Stamford travelling faithful.

Sheffield rode out the four minutes of stoppage time and must consider themselves rightly pleased with the three points. The seeds of this victory had been sown in previous fixtures. Tonight, however, it all came good and bodes well for the rest of the season and hopefully, the future.

My thanks to Stamford FC website (www.stamfordafc.net) for the following match report:

It was a low key start for both teams and nearly ten minutes had gone before there was any goalmouth incident.  A sharp turn and shot from Andrew Gascoigne hit a Stamford defender. Sheffield players appealed loudly for a penalty but the referee waved them away.

Midway through the half a good Sheffield move set up a well hit shot from Matt Roney but Chris Wright got finger tips to the ball to steer it onto the bar. 25 minutes had gone by before Stamford had their first chance when Ryan Oliver charged down a clearance but his shot from the edge of the box was always going wide.

Chris Wright had to be sharp again saving at the post when another shot from Roney was deflected. At the other end Jamie Clarke wasted a glorious chance to put Stamford ahead when he got behind a static Sheffield defence appealing for offside, rounded Sheffield keeper Dan Whatsize but then managed to drag his shot across an open goal and off the far post.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Sheffield took the lead and it was set up again by Jonah Gosling having a good game on the left wing. The first shot was blocked, Chris Wright saved the follow up but couldn’t hold the ball and finally Ant Lynam finished it off. Oliver was close to an equaliser as the half drew to a close but his shot crept past the far post with Whatsize beaten.

Harry Deane was brought on early in the second half and his first touch was a shot which flashed past the near post. Minutes later Stamford were level when a Sheffield clearance ricocheted off another defender to Oliver. He went round Whatsize and slotted the ball into the Sheffield goal.

Stamford then had a strong period which could have won the game but first Dan Cotton headed way over the bar from a yard out, then Whatsize saved well from Cotton before Miles Chamberlain headed the subsequent corner wide of an open goal from six yards.

At the other end Chamberlain completely missed a deep cross allowing the ball to go to an unmarked Chris Adam but he hurried his shot into the arms of Wright. Worse was to come when a woeful pass from Chamberlain went straight to a Sheffield player and immediately played wide to Roney.  He was fouled by Seth Burkett but stayed on his feet. The referee played advantage but didn’t hesitate awarding a penalty when the next tackle, this time by Cotton, brought Roney down in the box.  Andrew Gascoigne sent Wright the wrong way.

A minute later it was  3-1 to Sheffield when another deep cross from Roney was headed home by an unmarked Tom Roebuck.

Matt Evans tested Whatsize with a cross cum shot which was tipped over from under the bar. Andy Toyne flicked on another Evans cross which Whatsize had to tip over again. From the corner Chamberlain headed the ball forward and Paul Malone headed home.

As the players were running back, Malone was kicked by a Sheffield player.  After a long conference between all three officials it was clear that they weren’t sure who had offended. In the end they decided to book Gascoigne who wasn’t the player involved!

The game ended 3-2 to Sheffield but this was a game which Stamford could, and probably should, have won with better finishing and without the mistakes at the back.

Sheffield FC: Whatsize, Smith, Woolley, Lewis, Roebuck, Hadfield, Roney (Ward), Gascoigne, Lynam (O’Brien), Adam (Cpt), Gosling (Gregory). Subs Not Used: Purkiss, Ruddiforth.

Stamford FC: Wright, Evans, Burkett, Toyne, Chamberlain (Cpt), Malone, Mowbray (Deane), Millson, Oliver, Clarke, Cotton. Subs Not Used: Walton, Hill.

Attendance: 163

My overall impressions of the club are that they cherish their history and place in the game, but want to be around in the future. Sheffield is a club that values the community and a supports football across the spectrum from the first team, through the juniors, the ladies teams, disabled and futsol sides. However it is a club that is known world-wide and can boast amongst its members such luminaries as Sepp Blatter and has and still sits at football’s top-table.

Sheffield’s unique place in world football history can never be disputed, perhaps now is the time for the club to ensure that here in England more people recognise that we have on our door-step, The World’s First Football Club.

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2010/11: Bradford City 1911 – When the FA Cup Came Home

By no stretch of the imagination has the 2010/11 season been a good one for Bradford City. Currently in 17th place, with 11 games to go and with very littleto play for apart from pride. Peter Taylor recently departed from the Bantams and it is left to Peter Jackson to guide the West Yorkshire club through the remainder of this season. However, a century ago things were very different for Bradford City…….

2011 marks the centenary of Bradford City’s FA Cup winning season. To commemorate this remarkable event, an exhibition – When the FA Cup Came Home – will be held at Bradford Industrial Museum from Saturday 19 March 2011 until Sunday 12 June 2011.

Through archive images, film footage and original objects, the exhibition will illustrate how the club achieved arguably the most famous and popular triumph in Bradford’s footballing history. A victory made even more remarkable by the club becoming the very first recipient of the current trophy, designed and produced by Fattorini’s of Bradford.

When the FA Cup Came Home will chart the footballing journey to FA Cup success – from a cold January afternoon in New Brompton to a grand day out and disappointment in a Crystal Palace Final against the mighty Newcastle United, culminating in victory at Old Trafford, Manchester, in a hard-fought replay.

It will also tell the fascinating stories of the players: their origins, how they came to be part of the club, their part in the victory and what became of them in the ensuing years. The lives of several cup heroes and millions more were to be cut tragically short on the battlefields of Europe in the Great War that began a mere three years later. Of the rest, some went on to make significant contributions to club and community, while others disappeared into relative obscurity.

A tangible reminder of the great day, apart from the cup itself, was the medal presented to each member of the victorious team. While many of these medals have remained within the families of respective players and passed down the generations, the whereabouts of others is less clear. Bradford Museums & Galleries has secured the loan of no less than six of them. These will be on display in the exhibition and the aim is to discover the location of as many others as possible before it begins. Think how wonderful it would be to have eleven medals, most likely not seen together since the great day itself a century ago!

Through retelling the story of this epic event, When the FA Cup Came Home will provide a glimpse of Bradford life at the beginning of the twentieth century and show how these echoes from the past still have resonance for us today.

Further details about the exhibition can be found on the following website: http://www.bradfordmuseums.org/venues/industrialmuseum/detail.php?ID=238

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FA Cup 6th Round 2010/11: Cup half empty or half full?

The weekend saw this seasons FA Cup Sixth Round fixtures come and go and has left the nation with the prospect next month of a Manchester derby and a battle between the Trotters and the Potters. The 2010/11 FA Cup campaign has taken place against a backdrop of yet more murmurings in the media about the death of the competition and outline plans of tinkering by the FA to keep the appeal of the oldest Cup tournament in the World.

For me the reasons for the change in perspective of the FA Cup lay across the football community. The FA itself is complicit in damaging the competition in a number of ways. Firstly, there was the decision to allow Manchester United to opt out of the 1999/2000 FA Cup to take part in the revamped World Club Competition. This decision was part of the political gamble by the FA at the time, as they tried to sway FIFA in awarding England the hosting of the 2006 World Cup. And we all know how that worked out. Secondly, there was the ruling to have ties settled after a single replay (excluding the Semi-Final and Final itself). Personally, a major part of the glamour and thrill of the Cup was the odd occasions when a particular tie within a round went to a number of replays. As a Fulham fan I remember vividly the 1974/75 Cup run when we played Hull City three times to get through the Third Round and Nottingham Forest an incredible four times to make it through the Fourth Round. However, those Fulham fixtures were nothing compared to the record breaking fixture in 1971/72. Alvechurch played Oxford City in the 4th Qualifying Round. It required six games before Alvechurch emerged 1-0 winners. Sadly epic battles like that are a thing of the past. Thirdly, because of the burden of rebuilding Wembley Stadium, Semi-Finals now take place at the famous ground. This in my opinion also works to devalue the competition as the act of making it to Wembley and the Final are cheapened. Reaching a Final should be special. Certainly for me in 1975 seeing Fulham in the Final (despite defeat) was and is a treasured memory.

UEFA too has played its part in destabilising the FA Cup. How you may ask have this done this? Well quite simply by the reorganising of their own competitions. Once the 1999 winners Lazio had left Villa Park after defeating Mallorca with the trophy, the European Cup Winners Cup (ECWC) disappeared from view and with it the European prize for the FA Cup winners. Now we have the winners going into the poor relation of the bloated greedy cousin that is the Champions League – the Europa League. For me, if we had a return to the European Cup, the ECWC and UEFA Cup things would be a lot better. Quite simply, the European Cup should be for clubs who have won their domestic League. The Cup Winners Cup for domestic Cup Winners and UEFA Cup either domestic League Runners-Up or in England’s case the winners of the League Cup. This way there are only three European places up for grabs in each country. It would mean that there isn’t the importance placed on the Premier League and the scramble to finish in the “top four” and that both the FA and League Cup would be must win competitions if clubs had intentions of playing in Europe.

However, it doesn’t do away the fact that teams could still place more importance on League survival than the domestic Cup competitions. This is where Sky, the Premier League and implicitly clubs must take some of the blame, since the money involved in being part of that elite group means Chairman and their Boards want Premier League survival delivered as the first priority. So far you could be reading this article thinking what an “old fart”, what a “stick-in-the-mud traditionalist”. Well just to show that I can be a little radical, what about this idea? For the teams reaching the Finals of the League and FA Cup, award the finalists 6 bonus points which are added to their respective League totals? Surely that would be an incentive for clubs to put out full strength teams in the Cup competitions?

Finally are fans excused from being to blame for the troubles with the FA Cup? Well, I believe that fans have been taken in by certain sections of the written media telling us that the competition is on its last legs. Fans also react in terms of attendance according to how seriously their clubs treat the Cup competitions. TV has brought more football into our homes, but does stop people going to the ground as does the shifting of kick off times to all hours and days of the week. Perhaps only the FA Cup Final should be shown “live” and all other Rounds only as highlights? The trouble is that the whole relationship between television, broadcasting rights, clubs and money has taken us down a path which only goes in one direction.

What’s wrong with tradition and history? To me nothing, but the reality is that my views would be seen as nostalgic, unrealistic and naïve by the “powers-that-be”. I fear for the FA Cup and truly hope that it is not watered down even further by those in charge. As fans all we can do in the future is get out and support the FA Cup. It isn’t as special as it was, because the things that made it special are slowly being taken away.

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Plain Strains & Auto-biographies (Act III) – Pap Fiction

He has a lot to answer for does our Roy, and that extends down the football food chain to biographies about lesser lights because what we can’t really forgive in a footballer any more is that he’s just like us. Take Gary Imlach’s My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes and I do mean that. Please take my copy. Such a tiresome book. He didn’t bother to get to know his dad properly when he was younger and so chose to reinvent him after his death. It is an odd piece of writing; part of it is sentimental, dutiful son stuff with a bit of hagiography thrown in. All that really shows is how a son can be both too close to his dad and yet, at the same time, too remote from him. Other parts of the book are simply unconvincing because he never fully justifies the biggest part of the title. John Charles was and still is a working class football hero, Stewart Imlach never was, underappreciated footballer though he might have been.

It is all about perspective. When Gary was old enough to remember his dad, Stewart was coaching at Everton, his playing days long gone. I remember watching THAT Imlach in action in the early seventies as he sprinted on to the field with his medicine bag to administer first aid to an injured player, and I can remember the Evertonians urging him to run faster. ‘Hhum on Stewy Ladz, gerrim bachhhh on his feeess querchhh, or gerrim off and give someone else a shance!’ To them, Stewy was by no means a working class football hero and was only as good as his next sprint’n’sponge.

It won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2005. Ah but wasn’t that the year that only lasted 9 days? Must have been.

Continuing with the theme of perspective, Stewart Imlach was a Scots international and there is no doubt that Scotland has produced some wonderful footballers down the years, all working class, many being true heroes. Billy Bremner, Bill Shankly, Jim Baxter, Denis Law, Hughie Gallacher, Matt Busby, et al. I was looking at the long list of football biographies and autobiographies now available on www.footballheaven.net. What struck me was that far more Scots were having books churned out about them than could possibly be merited even given the great pedigree. Some of the immortal names were; Gary MacKay, Brian Irvine, Dave McPherson, Gavin Peacock & Alan Comfort, Ian Ferguson, Jim Craig, Jim Leishman, Jim McLean and John Brown. These might be household names in the Irvine and Comfort households but hardly on the lips of children even in distant England. Then I checked the company address; Football Heaven, Unit 2, Insch Business Park, Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Say no more, give them an Insch…

They did actually have some books about people we have heard of ‘south of the border’ and that brings up another issue; why are there 5 books on Eric Cantona, 8 on George Best and 10 on Alex Ferguson? Can there be that many angles? The more you look at the ‘biogs and autobiogs’ business, the more mysterious the whole thing becomes. Meanwhile, I’m ghosting a semi-fictional autobiography ‘Roy Rush and other heroes still mooching about on Benefits’.

 

Graeme Garvey

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2010/11: Barclays Premier League – Wigan Athletic v Man United

I don’t expect fans, managers and players to be totally impartial, unfortunately it goes with the territory that is football. However, how can you defend the indefensible? Wigan Athletic v Manchester United, the opening ten minutes and with the game at 0-0 an off the ball incident sparks a major reaction from the home crowd. The Match of the Day replays show without dispute Rooney running into James McCarthy and delivering a blow at the head of the Wigan defender. The referee awards a free-kick and the thug Rooney gets no more than  a word from the ref. It’s quite clearly a red-card offence. Did the official not see the incident? He awarded a free kick to Wigan, so he saw something.  I’d love to see his match report and his view on the incident.

Now I’m not saying that against ten men, Wigan would have changed the result, but the game would have undoubtedly taken a different course. What was incredible was the post match comments from Manchester United’s lap-dog of an assistant manager Mike Phelan, who lamely stated, “…we can’t dispute the referee’s decision…he’s kept the game flowing and we’re happy with that…”. So Michael lets fast forward to Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge and in the opening five minutes of the game, Anelka assaults Vidic, Rooney style. No card for the Chelsea player and he goes on and scores in a 2-0 win for the Blues. Will the Manchester United management team take the same stance?

As if Phelan’s words weren’t pathetic enough, Ferguson then states that having watched the incident, “..there’s nothing in it…”. WHAT? Is he truly blind. Sticking by your players is one thing, but in this case it was a physical assault. Instead we get the usual defence mechanism that is a characteristic of the Old Trafford media machine in deflecting the attention away from the brute Rooney. Would it have been too much for the manager to say that Rooney had been lucky to get away with it and he would be disciplined internally?

I’m sick of the acceptance of this type of behaviour from players and clubs who condone it. Unfortunately we seem to moving ever nearer to a game and an England team that reflects the worst elements of our countries traits – greed, intolerance, hedonism, thuggery, cheating and deception.

Does it really hurt so much to tell the truth occasionally?

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2010/11: Expectation

Expectation – is it a burden or a motivator? In football terms, I suppose it’s different things to different clubs. As a Fulham fan back in the 1995/96 season I was grateful that we managed to avoid relegation to the Conference. There was no expectation, just a relief that the club actually existed. That season marked the low-point and the start of a journey that has been quite unbelievable. If somebody had told me that within 16 years, the club would be in the top-flight for 10 consecutive seasons and would reach a European Final, I’d have said they needed a very long lay down in a darkened room.

As wonderful as that journey has been, on a personal level I’ve always tried to be realistic about the expectations for Fulham. For others, there has been an unreasonable (as I see it) rationale as the club has progressed. There is nothing wrong with ambition, but it has to be balanced with reality. Some people may consider my views as lacking aspiration or as killing a dream, but I have my position because ultimately our teams do let us down.

As the last of the winner’s tickertape fluttered down in Hamburg at the end of the Europa League Cup Final and Fulham trudged off, thinking of what might have been – there were bound to be consequences. Firstly, Roy Hodgson became a managerial target and was bound to leave and secondly fans were thinking that Fulham “had arrived” and that 2011/12 would bring a top seven finish and domestic silverware.

Mark Hughes took over and after going unbeaten in the League in August and September, the remainder of 2010 became decidedly desperate. A Boxing Day mauling by then bottom of the table West Ham at the Cottage and dropping into the bottom three made those balmy European nights seem a life-time away. The reality of relegation was an unwelcome apparition as 2011 awoke. I had that dread and fear in the stomach that comes from knowing your club is in trouble. Cold logic tells you that you’ve had a good run, 10 years in the Premier League has been a bonus. However, a positive run of results in both the League and FA Cup as January turns into February and suddenly there is a whiff of expectation. The FA Cup Fifth Round looms, you get a home tie against a fellow Premier League team. I’m expecting Fulham to win, for the first time this season I’m feeling confident. As I said earlier in this piece, eventually your team lets you down and it hurts. Following that loss to Bolton, I’m now looking worriedly at the remainder of the League fixtures and dreading the rest of the season. How can the result of one game make me feel so different?

Leeds United unlike Fulham is a “big-club”. History, tradition, trophies, fans – and a huge expectation. But that expectation varies too. There are those who think a mid-table finish this season would be creditable – those who feared a relegation battle – and those who see a second successive promotion. The trap has been laid, 14 games to go, sat in 6th place, just three points away from an automatic promotion spot – expectation level has been set. Barnsley come to Elland Road tonight, a win and the right results and Leeds could be second. And so the expectation would grow. Would that be the springboard to go on and clinch promotion? Would the pressure become too great? Expectation – is it a burden or a motivator?

 He who dares Rodney. He who dares…..

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