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FA CUP
When?
May
Where?
Throughout England. All matches leading up to the final are played at the home team’s stadium, which is predetermined before each match. The final is held at the new Wembley Stadium.
Significance:
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly called the FA Cup, is the oldest football/soccer competition in the world. It is also an event that can provide the most excitement because it attracts clubs at all levels from the English football league system. Non-league groups can also participate if they competed in the previous year’s FA Cup, FA Trophy, or FA Vase competition. Their play must be deemed acceptable by the league and they must have a suitable stadium. In the 2007-2008 season, 731 clubs entered.
The competitions start in August and continue until a champ is crowned in May. The “knockout tournament” pairings are drawn at random and there is no seeding. Qualifying rounds are regionalized to reduce travel costs for non-league teams. Still, the possibility or probability for upsets by an upstart team makes this a tournament of drama. While clubs that are more prominent may want a more inexperienced team, they also fear the possibility of an ambitious and talented football /soccer squad. Yes, a lowly underdog of little renown has the opportunity to go all the way to win the FA Cup and qualify for a first-round game in the UEFA Cup.
The FA Cup originally was much smaller than the current trophy. It was made by Messrs Martin, Hall & Co. and cost £20. Aston Villa won the cup in 1895, but the cup was stolen while on display in the window of a soccer shop in Birmingham. It was never seen again. Today’s trophy, made in 1992, serves as the fourth FA Cup.
Who attends?
Dedicated and die-hard football/soccer fans of all ages from around the United Kingdom.
History
It all started with a proposal by FA Honorary Secretary Charles Alcock, which was submitted at a meeting held at the offices of The Sportsman in London on July 20, 1871. It said, in part:
“That it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association, for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete.”
Members of the FA approved the proposal three months later with the first competition taking place in the 1871-1872 season. Back then, only fifteen teams entered. However, it did not take long for the first of many upsets to occur. The Wanderers, a team composed of former public school and university players, defeated the Royal Engineers at Kennington Oval in front of a crowd of 2,000 for the Cup.
Not including war years, the FA Cup called Wembley Stadium home from the time of its 1923 opening until 2000. The new Wembley played host again in 2007, but the FA Cup no longer has a permanent base of operations. The tournament is not just a sports event; it’s a longtime sporting tradition with strong roots, a sense of history and pageantry, and a great deal of drama thrown in for good measure.
Notable Athletes:
Luis Garcia, Liverpool
Steven Gerrard, Liverpool
Jamie Carragher, Liverpool
Ricardo Gardner, Bolton Wanderers
Gez Murphy, Nuneaton Borough
Dave Mulligan, Doncaster Rovers
Stuart Tuck, Eastbourne Borough
Alex Rodman, Leamington
Paul Brayson, Northwich Victoria
Jamie Laidlaw, Gosport Borough
Records:
Most wins by a team: Manchester United, 11
Most FA Cup final goals: Ian Rush, Liverpool, 5 (2 in 1986; 2 in 1989; 1 in 1992)
Most FA Cup appearances: Ian Callaghan, 88
Things to know before you go:
Hat Trick: Three goals scored in one game by one player.
Give and Go: A player controlling the ball passes to a teammate and runs through a open field to get a possible return pass.
Juggling: Keeping the ball off the ground by a player using their feet, thighs, chest, head, and the top of their shoulders.
Red Card: Shown by a referee to signify that a player has been sent off. The player who has been sent off must leave the field immediately and cannot be replaced during the game; their team must continue the game with one player fewer.
Yellow Card: A cautionary warning issued by the referee to a player for unsportsmanlike behavior or a variety of infractions.
Tickets:
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.com
Travel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comNotable Quotes:
“The FA Cup Final is the greatest single match outside the World Cup Final—and it’s ours.”—SIR BOBBY ROBSON, Ispwich Town’s manager and Cup winner
“When I was fourteen there is no doubt that the FA Cup was the greatest competition in the world. It was 1975. West Ham played Fulham in the final and I was so excited because West Ham had Watford old boy Billy Jennings on their team. It was unbelievable. A player I had watched and cheered so many times at Vicarage Road was actually playing at Wembley in the FA Cup final. How good could things get?”—GRAHAM FISHER, Soccer News
“It’s the biggest game of my career. One of the biggest club competitions in the world. It’s so well-known throughout the world. To have a chance to play in it is great and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve not won any honours yet in my career and I’d love a winners’ medal. That’s what we’re going out to do.”—GAVIN RAE, AFC Defender, Cardiff City
Relevant Websites: