Magic of the Cup

Take yourself back to the 70’s, the first years I became aware of this once great competition and look through the list of winners. For almost the whole of the decade a different club won it every year with only Arsenal bucking the trend with wins in 1971 and ’79. You had wins for the likes of Sunderland and Southampton from the then 2^nd Division against top flight opposition. Ipswich and West Ham also snagged the trophy along with Chelsea, Leeds, Liverpool and Man Utd. Even the 80’s had a bit of variety with Spurs, Everton, Coventry and Wimbledon joining the list of winners. But since the launch of the Premier League in 1992 only 4 teams have been able to break the stranglehold of the so called big six, namely Everton, Portsmouth, Wigan and Leicester.

So as this year’s competition kicks off in earnest this weekend with the 3^rd Round what realistic hopes do those outside the “Big 5” have and do any of those in the bottom half of the Premier League really have any ambition to go for it. Recent history says no. Survival in the top flight will take precedence and the starting 11’s will reflect that. Does anyone really believe that the winner won’t come from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or one of the two Manchester clubs? After all, it might be the only chance of silverware for the latter two. Arguments might be made for Newcastle, Villa or Spurs but again these are the clubs with the money and the squad depth to challenge on more than on front.

As for the clubs in the Championship, those vying for promotion or those near the bottom will surely rotate their squads too leaving those in the middle to maybe experience the highs of a cup run just like Coventry last season. Remember, they were just a marginal offside call away from beaten eventual winners Man Utd in the Semi Final.

Focussing on Leeds and our cup ambitions, I think most fans would sacrifice that for promotion to the top flight. Our cup record isn’t great anyway having only won the competition once back in 1972 and our last run to the final was the following year when we were shocked by 2^nd Division Sunderland. Since then we have reached the Semi Finals twice, in 1977 losing to Man Utd and 1987 as a 2^nd Division side losing to eventual winners Coventry after Extra Time. Three other runs to the Quarter Finals in ’96, 98’ and ’02 have been the best we have achieved. Since then there have been notable losses to Hereford, Histon, Rochdale, Sutton, Newport and Crawley to shatter any hopes of a cup run. The last two seasons have seen us progress to the 5^th round where we lost out to Fulham and unluckily to Chelsea.

So looking ahead to Saturday’s home tie against near neighbours Harrogate Town, it should be a match we win comfortably. Recent history has thought us Leeds fans not to take anything for granted but it would be a major shock, even with a much changed starting 11, to not make it through to the Fourth Round Draw. After that who knows what will happen. A kind draw could open up a route to Wembley but that’s for another day. For now, a win on Saturday with our fringe players getting minutes under their belt will suffice and maybe the magic of the cup can make a return.

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