January 29 2007

FA Cup

Jamesey wonders why the FA Cup seems to have lost its appeal to Palace supporters.

Once upon a time when dinosaurs roamed the land and you could drink 11 pints of mild ale, smoke 40 Capstan Extra Strength Coffin Nails and still get change from four silver groats, there came about a tournament called the Football Association Cup.

Basically the idea was to give every club in the country - from Barnstoneworth to Manchester United - the theoretical opportunity to get to the final at Wembley.

The competition was extremely popular and captured the nation's imagination every year.

The emergence of television enhanced the popularity of the FA Cup and I well remember watching the "Matthews Final" (Blackpool v Bolton 1953) on my auntie's tiny Bush TV set, with a magnifier on the front.

Diminutive footballers shuffled about in a monochrome murk.

By the 1970s, the main TV channels seemed to devote the entire day to the final, with endless previews, interviews, punditry and more.

So why was it that the 8400 crowd which bothered to turn up found itself in a half-closed Selhurst Park to watch CPFC play Preston North End in a Fourth Round cup tie on Saturday (Jan 27)?

An event which once would have enthralled and attracted us now seemed to repel us.

Yes, there are all the obvious explanations. Everyone is skint after the horrendous costs of the Yuletide festivities, higher interest rates are sending our mortgages up, and the fact that many fans - and I personally know one or two - feel that a year's outlay on a season card is enough and bridle at the thought of laying out more money on cup competitions.

Nevertheless, I do wonder why an attractive and winnable (we thought beforehand) home fixture in the Fourth Round, with tickets cheaper than league games and which would have put us through to the last 16, drew such a meagre response.

After a fizzing first half from Palace that produced everything except a goal, the second half saw a lacklustre and naive display from the home side and the tie was lost 0-2.

My old friend and colleague, HOL match reporter Peter Gillman joined me for the game and he too was equally mystified as to why the fans stayed away.

Well, whatever the reasons, it was funny to hear many Arthur Wait displaced refugees, singing "We're the Arfur over 'ere" while geographically in the Main Stand.

If only we could have heard what everyone thought was impossible...."We're the Main Stand over 'ere".

Email Jamesey with your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

In Depth Jamesey's Veteran View Index