Minnows

“Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be, we’re going to Wembley, Wembley, Que Sera Sera.” This weekend there were four teams singing this chant, but they weren’t the ones that people had expected. This years FA Cup maybe remembered as the “cup of giant-killers”, as the FA Cup proves once again why its so magical. There are probably two simple factors that make the FA Cup so special. The first is its age, the FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world, dating back to 1871. The second factor, that makes the FA Cup so "magical", is that it allows teams from both “top flight” clubs and lower non league teams as well.

This year the FA Cup accepted a record 731 teams into the competition, they are now down to four who will play in the semi-finals, at the new Wembley Stadium. In the last 15 years, the dominance of the “big four” has meant that only one team that was not in the “big four” has lifted the FA Cup. That team was Everton back in 1995. Through out its rich history many teams have lifted the Cup, and this year could be one of those wonderful cup stories, in which a “lower” league team could raise the FA Cup. Fun facts: Only one of the four teams left have won the FA Cup more than once, West Bromwich Albion (5); None of the teams left have lost in a FA Cup final since the last time they appeared in the final; Non of the teams left have one the FA Cup since 1968, and three have not since 1939. This is the magic of the FA Cup, the chance for lower league and non-league teams to no only face, but over come top league teams.

This year’s semifinalists are: Barnsley, Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, and Portsmouth. Though they haven’t won the FA Cup since 1912, Barnsley have to be slight favorites having beaten both Liverpool, sigh, and Chelsea, yea. Barnsley will face Cardiff City, who have not lifted the FA Cup since 1927. Portsmouth would have to be the other favorite, as they are a Premier League side, they defeated Manchester United for their place in the semifinals. Pompey will face West Bromwich who last lifted the FA Cup in 1968.



'Everyone talks about the romance of the cup. Year in, year out it is always the same teams that seem to be playing but this time around it's probably the year of the underdog, Cardiff boss Dave Jones.