Is This The Queue For FA Cup Final Tickets?
Today saw Manchester United and Sunderland's FA Cup Third Round ties. United stumbled to a 2-0 win at Yeovil, Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria briefly lighting up another poor performance. Sunderland played Leeds in a repeat of the 1973 final, where the Wearsiders pulled off one of the all time great shocks courtesy of a Ian Porterfield goal and a frankly extraordinary double save from Jim Montgomery.
Montgomery was in attendance at the Stadium of Light today to witness the same outcome, a 1-0 win for the Black Cats courtesy of a strike from the returning Patrick Van Aanholt.
My Sunderland FA Cup memories are not quite as fond. 2004 saw Sunderland drawn against Millwall in the semi finals. My Dad had a contact at the club at the time and got us tickets for the match at Old Trafford. Manchester United had beaten at Arsenal at Villa Park the day before and we headed up to Manchester dreaming of the perfect final. The events of that match are something of a blur now. Tim Cahill gave Millwall the lead. John Oster hit the bar. Sunderland seemed to dominate the second half. Jason McAteer was sent off with five minutes to go. All I remember was the final whistle blowing and the sense of utter dejection that followed.
We headed back south with an almost funereal atmosphere in the car. All the way down the M1, we seemed to be surrounded by vehicles with Millwall flags. Finally we pulled into a service station for some food. I shuffled into the queue for KFC. The girl in front of me was wearing the jersey of their goalkeeper, David Marshall. A boisterous geezer behind enquired "Is this the queue for FA Cup final tickets?". It wasn't. Ticketing arrangements would be made through the club at a later date, with priority given to season ticket holders and those who had attended the previous rounds. But that was no concern of mine. I sat down with my Tower Burger Meal. It tasted bitter with the regret of what might have been, the most depressing fast food meal I've ever consumed. And that's a competitive field.
Montgomery was in attendance at the Stadium of Light today to witness the same outcome, a 1-0 win for the Black Cats courtesy of a strike from the returning Patrick Van Aanholt.
My Sunderland FA Cup memories are not quite as fond. 2004 saw Sunderland drawn against Millwall in the semi finals. My Dad had a contact at the club at the time and got us tickets for the match at Old Trafford. Manchester United had beaten at Arsenal at Villa Park the day before and we headed up to Manchester dreaming of the perfect final. The events of that match are something of a blur now. Tim Cahill gave Millwall the lead. John Oster hit the bar. Sunderland seemed to dominate the second half. Jason McAteer was sent off with five minutes to go. All I remember was the final whistle blowing and the sense of utter dejection that followed.
We headed back south with an almost funereal atmosphere in the car. All the way down the M1, we seemed to be surrounded by vehicles with Millwall flags. Finally we pulled into a service station for some food. I shuffled into the queue for KFC. The girl in front of me was wearing the jersey of their goalkeeper, David Marshall. A boisterous geezer behind enquired "Is this the queue for FA Cup final tickets?". It wasn't. Ticketing arrangements would be made through the club at a later date, with priority given to season ticket holders and those who had attended the previous rounds. But that was no concern of mine. I sat down with my Tower Burger Meal. It tasted bitter with the regret of what might have been, the most depressing fast food meal I've ever consumed. And that's a competitive field.
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