The magic of the FA Cup
Friday 1st December 2017
Jack Gladman – Student, UCFB – Wembley
The FA Cup third round draw is a date ingrained into the mind of every lower league football fan in Britain it is a chance for a lucky few sides in the lower tiers of the English pyramid to take on the elite the country has to offer we look at some potentially five intriguing ties which could take place in round three
AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons
Although now a league fixture the bitterness between these makes is always a potentially enthralling tie should both teams advance from the second round could to clubs boast with claims to the same 1988 FA Cup win meet in this historic competition in a sure-fire TV game between two lower football league sides.
Manchester United VS Slough Town
For any team walking out against one of Europe’s biggest clubs would be an amazing achievement but if Slough Town get passed Rochdale and were to draw Manchester United it would be the ultimate David versus Goliath story a side whose previous game before the second round tie attracted just 626 people could potentially play one of the world’s biggest clubs can you imagine how a part-time defender may feel when suddenly faced with the striking combination of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Rashford or perhaps David De Gea saving the penalty of a plumber that will truly be the magic of the FA Cup should it happen.
Stevenage VS Everton
Revenge is always great in England’s premier cup competition and revenge by an underdog wouldn’t that be sweet! Should Everton be drawn against the plucky side from Hertfordshire that will be exactly what the ‘Boro fans will be hoping for after two previous meetings both of which were won by the blue half of Merseyside.
Borehamwood VS Arsenal
The links between the clubs are well known and run deep with Arsenal’s Woman and youth team using the stadium and the North London giants even paying for the relaying of Woods pitch but you can guarantee should these two meet in the third round that Big Brother little brother relationship goes out the window for 90 minutes with both clubs gunning for glory.
Liverpool VS Wycombe
Wycombe Wanderers will be eyeing a glamour tie in the shape of a repeat of their 2001 FA Cup semi-final in the third round, but only if they can get past non-league Leatherhead. Noone more so than star striker Adebayo Akenfenwa, the boyhood Liverpool fan would surely relish the chance to play against his boyhood club once more. He has taken on the Reds as a Wimbledon player, however, he is yet to grace the Anfield turf and surely this creates a mouth-watering should the man known as ‘the beast’ draw the club he once supported