When the cup final was an all day event and still mattered. I used to start watching at 9am until the end of the program around half 5. So sad what has happened to the FA cup now.
i can still feel the special nature of the day coming through even now. It was as big as winning the league, it really was. Atkinson at Utd kept his job for 5 years just on 2 FA Cups. Today, it all feels synthetic. The Premier League & CL have sucked all the magic out of it.
distantvoices I remember that game against Villa in the 4th round in 88. That away end was packed, when Barnes scored it looked absolutely brilliant what football should be. I thought it was strange that through all the success Liverpool had in the late 70’s and 80’s they went 12 years from 1974 to 86 without winning the cup. One final in that 12 years was crazy as well. We won it 3 times in that period and reached 5 finals. It sounds crazy with all your success but were you a bit jealous watching us having days out at Wembley quite regularly??
distantvoices you’re right jealous was probably the wrong word but you got what I meant. It was just a bit too early for me but my dad always talked about the Jimmy g goal in the 79 semi final. My first United v Liverpool semi final was the 85 game and the replay. 2 fantastic games and that must have been a sickener for Liverpool being, as you say, the 3rd time in 8 years we denied you the cup either in the semi final or final. Although you didn’t have a bad record in the cup from 86-89!!
@distantvoices When Liverpool won the European Cup in 1981 I would have gladly have swapped it for Tottenham's FA Cup win a few days earlier, even though the European Cup win looks more impressive today given the inflated prestige of the Champions League. I remember the Cup disasters of the early 80s: Chelsea in 82, Brighton in 83 & 84.
UEFA toy with the idea of another third trophy ,they should bring back the cup winners cup & make cup final day special again. Theres too much emphasis on finishing 3rd for a euro place when youve won nothing!
Great clips. Trouble was that there was not a lot of live football on the telly back then. ITV always had a great build up to the final like Freddie Starr dressing as Hitler. Could you see SKY doing that.
