With all due respect to the Full Members Cup and the Specsavers Surrey Senior Cup (current holders: South Park Reigate) Crystal Palace have never won amajortrophy. While it’s a state of affairs some trophy-obsessed fans of more elite clubs would argue renders Palace’s 164-year existence a complete exercise in futility, the team from Selhurst Park have contested two FA Cup finals, only to come up short against Manchester United on both occasions. The most recentwas nine years agoin a Wembley showpiece largely remembered for the losing manager’stouchline body-poppingand the winning one being handed his P45 before his captain was presented with the trophy. And to think some people say the famous old competition has lost its magic, eh?
After their team’s2-2 draw with Arsenalat the Emirates in Wednesday night’s snappily titled Don’t Get Knacked Because We All Have Bigger Fish To Fry derby, Palace fans are now free to start bricking themselves about the FA Cup semi against Aston Villa, a team whose most recent taste of major trophy success came 29 years ago in the Coca-Cola Cup. Before a match that both teams will consider eminently winnable, the atmosphere at Wembley come kick-off time on Saturday afternoon ought to be buoyant but will in truth be fraught by nerves, crippling anxiety and downright terror throughout the stands. “We’re very excited,” purred Palace manager Oliver Glasner after seeing his side use up two of their best goals of the season in an inconsequential draw. “I think everyone who is connected with Palace is very excited, but I think on the other side, it’s also important to stay calm.” To which the only obvious rejoinder is: “Good luck with that, Oliver.”
Following Saturday’s semi-final, Wembley Way will be rebranded in the colours of Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, two clubs whose major trophy droughts date back 35 years and 11 months, respectively. Following an unexpectedly disastrous Premier League campaign in which they currently sit one point ahead of a Forest side who are having an unexpectedly brilliant one, City will go into their seventh semi-final under Pep Guardiola as the bookies’ favourites, with most football romantics aside from their own fans (and those of Derby County, Leicester City and Notts County) fervently hoping they lose.
“He had to lock himself in the changing room, fearing for his life. We’ve had a referee threatened to be stabbed by a parent; he said if he gave another foul against his son he would stab him in the car park” – Ian Coates, general manager of the Northumberland Football League, on the threats facing officials in the UK grassroots game, featured inthis long readthat’s worth your time.
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