TOM GILL looks at this year's FA Cup and how the absence of the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool could pave the way for an underdog to grab their moment of glory...
Recent weeks have seen many of the so-called big teams make the exit from the FA Cup, leaving the door open for one of the minnows to take the famous old trophy.
12 of the 16 fourth round ties played at the end of last month displayed three or more goals and showed that many of the teams included were not prepared to admit defeat to big reputations.
Scunthorpe against Man City, Crystal Palace at Wolves and Brighton at Villa Park are some examples and even though the big shocks may have been short, there were more than enough close shaves.
Eight of the remaining 19 teams left in the Cup are from outside the Premiership, with the possibility of Wolves, Spurs and Wigan still not making the fifth round.
From the way the fifth round has been drawn there is a guarantee that there will be at least one team from The Championship in the quarter-finals, when Reading and West Bromwich Albion go head-to-head.
Even though the last time a side outside the top-flight were represented in the FA Cup Final was only back in the 2007/2008 season, when Cardiff City lost 1-0 to Portsmouth, we have to go back nearly 30 years to find a lower League side to lift the trophy.
Back in 1980 West Ham went on to beat Arsenal at the old Wembley, making them one of only eight teams who have won the whole competition whilst playing their domestic football outside of the English top-flight.
Thus far in its history, the FA Cup has never been contested between two teams from lower leagues.To the surprise of many, in 2007/2008, three of the four semi-finalists were from The Championship (Cardiff City, Barnsley and West Brom) but in the end, as previously mentioned, Premiership strugglers, Portsmouth went on to lift the trophy.
So is this the year that one of the smaller clubs finally make history and have there names engraved on the prestigious trophy? The other noticeable thing while looking at the remaining FA Cup teams is that there is six West Midlands-based sides remaining in the draw (Aston Villa, Stoke City, Derby County, West Bromwich Albion, Wolves and Birmingham City), which is a positive sign for the future of Midlands football.
For years now most of the trophies, domestic and European, have gone to either Manchester or London but with so many local clubs left in one competition and Aston Villa in the Final of the Carling Cup, this could be the year for the Midlands to shine.
TOM GILL
