FA Cup final day

As another FA Cup final approaches, my mind cannot help but drift back to a happier time for the competition. An era when trying to win the famous old trophy was not seen as a major distraction for clubs involved in multiple competitions, or others trying to stay in or gain entry to the top flight.

We all know money is the root of all evil, and that the Premier League, Champions League and too much live football has destroyed the magic of the cup. But some of us more mature members of the football family can at least hark back to our formative years and remember what it was like to wake up on FA Cup final day with the prospect of hours of television coverage to look forward to.

Saint and Greavsie

There is possibly nothing worse than hearing a load of old people banging on about the past and how great things used to be. Shut up, grandad. Who wants to hear about three channels on UK television, Ceefax, no internet, and mobile phones the size of breeze blocks? Put your typewriter to one side and move on.

If nostalgia leaves you feeling cold, then I might have to question why you have landed on this blog in the first place. A site that rewinds to the 1980s, dons the rose-tinted glasses, and swims in a sea of reminiscence. You may want to look away now if wallowing in the past is not your thing.