Up for the Cup

Some 39 years ago this week, I sat down in front of the TV to watch a football match. Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-0 in the FA cup final, and I almost, almost became a Liverpool fan due to the way which Liverpool played. Kevin Keegan scored twice, and was a tousle haired football superstar. I can't remember much of the game, but I can remember how the experience of seeing the game on TV is seared on my mind. Come the new season, I reverted back to Norwich as soon as the first ball was kicked.

Anyway, from that moment, the FA Cup Final was the sporting highlight of the year, and each year I lived in hope that Norwich would make it all the way to the final, but every year we failed. Sometimes by getting just one game short and sometimes being knocked out at the first match.

But come each May, the day of the FA Cup Final the whole day would be planned out: at nine o'clock, Cup Final Swap Shop with Noel and Keith Chegwin followed by Cup Final weather. I mean, how important is that the cup final gets it's own weather? Maybe if you're lucky there would be an edition of A Question of Sport or Its a Knockout, but with the additional prefix: Cup Final......

And then the main event: with all the build-up in glorious British understated style. The players at their hotel eating lunch, on the coach to Wembley, arriving at the stadium, walking on the pitch, interviews with the players, shots of the crowd with their "humorous" banners. At twenty to three, singing 'Abide with Me', then the players walking out, presented to the Queen.

And kick off.

Sometimes the games would be forgettable, sometimes they were unbelievably exciting, but every time you thought you were witnessing history in the making. Southamption upsetting Manchester United, Ipswich's triumph, Man Utd coming back to to pip Arsenal, Ricado's wavy run, Coventry beating Spurs, Wimbledon upsetting Liverpool. And it goes on.

Only, its different now: the Cup is sponsored, its not the last game of the season, other games kick off on the same day and kick off time is now in the early evening. But despite all the changes, its still the FA cup, which is the same competition dating back to 1871. all that history. And this is the FA Challenge cup Final Tie, to give it it's proper name.

Play up!