Leave the FA Cup alone, stop hijacking the best ties with glitzy Premier League games on other channels... Another victory for the dunderheads who run English football
By JOHN DRAYTON
‘Crazy Gang’ winning the 1988 FA Cup. Liverpool's title-winning team included Barnes, Beardsley and Aldridge. Wimbledon were major underdogs. However, a Lawrie Sanchez near-post header in the 37th minute delivered a shock victory - helped by Dave Beasant's brilliant penalty save.
David Seaman’s save in the 2003 FA cup semi-final will go down as one of the greatest goalkeeping moments in the competition. Clawing back a Paul Peschisolido header towards the end of the game, Seaman’s feat of agility ended Sheffield United’s hopes and put Arsenal into the final.
Roberto Di Matteo scored the fastest FA Cup final goal in 1997. The Chelsea midfielder received the ball in midfield, strode forward and fired his shot over Ben Roberts in the Middlesbrough goal only 42 seconds after kick-off.
A real FA Cup underdog story when Ron Atkinson’s Manchester United travelled to Third Division Bournemouth in 1984. The Cherries, managed by a young Harry Redknapp, managed to deliver a massive cup upset, with Milton Graham and Ian Thompson scoring the goals in a 2-0 win.
The 2006 FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham is considered one of the greatest in the modern era. Steven Gerrard scored a stunner in the 91st minute to take the game into extra-time at 3-3. After a tight next 30 minutes, Liverpool ended up victors, winning 3-1 on penalties.
By Oliver Harbord
The best game of the weekend? Manchester United v Chelsea; kick-off 4.30pm, Sunday.
The second-best fixture on FA Cup quarter-final weekend? Liverpool v Tottenham; kick-off 4pm, Sunday... In, erm, the Barclays Premier League.
Another victory for the dunderheads running English football. Divide the audience and conquer.
Those clever TV executives at Sky Sports and ITV, the fixture boffins at the Premier League and administrators at the FA had an entire weekend to schedule two top matches.
But no. Sod the FA Cup - the grandest of football competitions and rightly a great English institution. And sod football fans while they’re at it.
Up for the Cup: Didier Drogba celebrates after Chelsea beat Liverpool to win last season's FA Cup. The Blues travel to Manchester United on Sunday, a match that controversially clashes with Liverpool-Spurs in the Premier League
This weekend is supposed to be all about the magic of the FA Cup.
What happens if the first half hour on Merseyside turns out to be an explosive feast - there's every possibility with Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale on show? The very least we can expect is some captivating diving and Oscar-deserving play-acting.
Will Martin Tyler and his Sky pals politely remind the watching public that, although they’re very welcome to stay on supersonic, ultra-HD, whizz-bang Sky Sports 1, for the sake of our great game and it’s fine traditions, you should all really now switch to good old ITV1?
Not on your nelly, they won’t.
Can you blame them? Yes, actually. They could have moved the match.
Sky's the limit: Star attractions Luis Suarez (left) of Liverpool and Tottenham's Gareth Bale (right) are sure to take audience away from this weekend's FA Cup quarter-finals
WEEKEND'S FIXTURES
Saturday
FA CUP SIXTH ROUND
Everton v Wigan (12.45pm)
Man City v Barnsley (5.30pm)
PREMIER LEAGUE
Norwich v Southampton (3pm)
QPR v Sunderland (3pm)
Reading v Aston Villa (3pm)
West Brom v Swansea (3pm)
Everton v Wigan (12.45pm)
Man City v Barnsley (5.30pm)
PREMIER LEAGUE
Norwich v Southampton (3pm)
QPR v Sunderland (3pm)
Reading v Aston Villa (3pm)
West Brom v Swansea (3pm)
Sunday
THE FA CUP SIXTH ROUND
Millwall v Blackburn (2pm)
Man Utd v Chelsea (4.30pm)
Millwall v Blackburn (2pm)
Man Utd v Chelsea (4.30pm)
PREMIER LEAGUE
Newcastle v Stoke (3pm)
Liverpool v Tottenham (4pm)
Newcastle v Stoke (3pm)
Liverpool v Tottenham (4pm)
Sky Sports were due to broadcast the sold-out league game between Fulham and Chelsea at 1.30pm on Sunday, but that’s off because of the quarter-final at Old Trafford. Why not switch the Anfield clash to that slot? See, problem solved.
Or how about the FA? They - the guardians of the game - are the ones, in cahoots, with ITV to put United-Chelsea on at 4.30pm. They knew Liverpool v Spurs was on at 4pm.
Sportsmail knew that too, it was announced on January 18 (providing neither side were still in the FA Cup, of course).
It’s the FA’s responsibility to protect and govern the game. But all parties share a responsibility to serve the sport’s best interests: the TV companies, the fans, the sponsors... even us journalists.
And that, more than anything, means guarding the grand old FA Cup, sponsored by Budweiser, remember. I wonder what the brewers think of the FA's decision to besmirch this Cup weekend in this way?
One assumes they feel a little flat (bit like the beer*)
[*Legal disclaimer: That is a cheap gag, which carries not a shred of truth. In fact the joke is rather tasteless, just like the beer... Oops, another joke, sorry. Budweiser really is the ‘king of beers’.]
Leave the FA Cup alone. Stop playing matches on FA Cup final day. Stop hijacking the best and biggest ties with glitzy Premier League offerings on a rival channel.
Sealed with a kiss: Ipswich's Kevin Beattie and Mick Mills celebrate beating Arsenal 1-0 in the 1978 FA Cup final
On the buses: Bill Shankly (in tartan cap) leads the Liverpool celebrations on an open-- top bus parade with the 1974 FA Cup. (From left) Steve Heighway, Emlyn Hughes, assistant boss Bob Paisley holding the cup with manager Shankly and Kevin Keegan (far right)
The FA could have avoided it. Sky Sports and the Premier League could have stopped it. The result is a classic English footballing mess.
I’m not - totally - naive. I understand there are extreme pressures on fixtures and that the Premier League falls in behind the FIFA and UEFA competitions. I also know that the Premier League are not meant to place matches during FA Cup replay midweeks.
So, the argument goes, Liverpool-Spurs has to be played this weekend and it has to be played on Sunday because of Tottenham’s Europa League game last night. But (and it is a rather large BUT) it doesn’t have to be played at the same time as United-Chelsea. It simply does not.
Tottenham's turn: Spurs show off the 1981 FA Cup, complete with police horse chaperones
In black and white: Sir Alex Ferguson's first trophy with United came in the 1990 FA Cup final - here Mark Hughes and Mark Robins celebrate
A Premier League spokesman told Sportsmail: 'The compilation of the Premier League fixture list is a complex process. We are made aware of international, European competition, FA and League Cup match dates and have to work around them while also taking policing considerations, broadcaster selections and several other factors into account.
'It is up to other competitions to choose broadcast slots for their matches. The Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur Premier League fixture taking place this Sunday was selected for a 4pm broadcast on January 18 and several thousand fans have made arrangements on that basis. Our UK and international broadcasters have also done the same.
'The penultimate weekend of last season was scheduled so that every Premier League match that could be played on Sunday did so in order to give space to the FA Cup final. We will take the same approach this season.'
An ITV spokesman said: 'As the free to air broadcaster of the FA Cup, we want to bring key fixtures in the competition to the widest possible audience and the number of people we can reach with an afternoon kick-off is far greater than earlier in the day. We look forward to bringing our viewers lively and entertaining coverage of what promises to be a memorable match.'
The FA and Sky Sports declined to comment.
Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be, we’re going to Wembley... it’s just a shame not everyone will see.
10 CLASSIC CUP MOMENTS (BEFORE THEY STARTED MESSING AROUND WITH IT)
First FA Cup final goal was scored by Morton Betts in 1872 for Wanderers, a team formed by ex-public school and university players. They won the opening final 1-0 against Royal Engineers at Kennington Oval. A crowd of 2,000 attended the match and they each paid one shilling to attend.
Ryan Giggs’ wonder-goal against Arsenal in 1999 is one of the greatest in FA cup history. After picking up the ball from a poor Patrick Vieira pass, Giggs ghosted past the Arsenal defence and fired Manchester United into the final as part of their remarkable treble-winning season.
Ryan Giggs’ wonder-goal against Arsenal in 1999 is one of the greatest in FA cup history. After picking up the ball from a poor Patrick Vieira pass, Giggs ghosted past the Arsenal defence and fired Manchester United into the final as part of their remarkable treble-winning season.
‘Crazy Gang’ winning the 1988 FA Cup. Liverpool's title-winning team included Barnes, Beardsley and Aldridge. Wimbledon were major underdogs. However, a Lawrie Sanchez near-post header in the 37th minute delivered a shock victory - helped by Dave Beasant's brilliant penalty save.
David Seaman’s save in the 2003 FA cup semi-final will go down as one of the greatest goalkeeping moments in the competition. Clawing back a Paul Peschisolido header towards the end of the game, Seaman’s feat of agility ended Sheffield United’s hopes and put Arsenal into the final.
Roberto Di Matteo scored the fastest FA Cup final goal in 1997. The Chelsea midfielder received the ball in midfield, strode forward and fired his shot over Ben Roberts in the Middlesbrough goal only 42 seconds after kick-off.
A real FA Cup underdog story when Ron Atkinson’s Manchester United travelled to Third Division Bournemouth in 1984. The Cherries, managed by a young Harry Redknapp, managed to deliver a massive cup upset, with Milton Graham and Ian Thompson scoring the goals in a 2-0 win.
Giantkiller: Bournemouth boss Harry Redknapp relaxing at home in 1984
Paul Gascoigne’s 1991 FA Cup semi- final free-kick for Tottenham goes down as one of Gazza's finest moments. His 35-yard screamer set up a 3-1 victory over their bitter north London rivals, and ended all hopes of a double-winning season for Arsenal.
The 2006 FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham is considered one of the greatest in the modern era. Steven Gerrard scored a stunner in the 91st minute to take the game into extra-time at 3-3. After a tight next 30 minutes, Liverpool ended up victors, winning 3-1 on penalties.
At the age of 38, Stanley Matthews was the architect of Blackpool’s amazing comeback against Bolton Wanderers in the 1953 FA Cup final. A hat-trick from Stan Mortensen and a 92nd-minute goal from Bill Perry saw the Seasiders fight back from a 3-1 deficit to wrest the trophy from the Trotters.
Wembley wizard: Stanley Matthews streaks down the wing to beat Bolton's Wheeler No 4 and puts the ball across to Bill Perry who scored the fourth and winning goal giving Blackpool a 4-3 FA Cup win in 1953
My favourite FA Cup goal. Eric Cantona stole the show in the 1996 final between Manchester United and Liverpool. After spending eight months suspended for kicking a Palace fan, the Frenchman returned that season and scored his memorable goal past David James. He also became the first player from outside the British Isles to lift the trophy as captain.
By Oliver Harbord
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