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THE THIRD ROUND. OF PASTIES 12-1-05
It's a hell of a long way to Exeter, even from London. Or so I was told yesterday afternoon as I sampled the delights from The West Cornwall Pasty Company's outlet in London's Victoria Station.
These pasties were really great and as a connoisseur of pastry products filled with meat in varying forms, I will be diverting through Victoria whenever I am in London, just so that I can get my hands on another of WCPC's steak and stilton pasties.
The guy who I was talking to was from Exeter and was looking for somebody, anybody to talk to about the Conference side's remarkable 0-0 draw at Old Trafford at the weekend.
Whatever happens in the replay, that was a day that they will never forget and try telling anyone from that town that the magic of the cup does not live on, or has faded in any way at all.
Exeter bloke was convinced that his side would walk it in the replay. Something to do with Fergie's overpaid superstars not finding the Exeter climate to their liking. Or something like that.
Excellence wrapped in pastry
I ordered a second Cornish pasty and listened to him tell me all about players from bygone Exeter eras like George McLean and Wilf Carter.
Hold on a minute. George and Wilf? That sounded very familiar indeed, even though Carter and McLean played for Exeter during the mid sixties.
And I also discovered that one Terry Cooper was manager of Exeter City for a spell in the eighties and then again for three seasons in the nineties. What is it with former Boro players managing clubs who play in black and white stripes? Well, you can't stay at the top forever I suppose...
Newcastle actually won the FA Cup once. Around the time of Alexander the Great
Anyway, back to the pasties and I really do recommend The WCPC because after a quarter of a century of pie eating I have rarely, if ever tasted anything better. I am currently trying to contact the manufacturers to see if I can organise a shipment to the office because overnight, I have become difficult to please when it comes to food.
So I ordered a third pasty, a pork and apple this time and just as I was about to ask Exeter bloke whether his hometown was in Devon or Cornwall, the huge BBC News screen in the station concourse flashed up the very latest news.
Scenes from the election of the new President of Palestine paled into insignificance very rapidly as highlights from the FA Cup fourth round draw flashed onto the screen.
Manchester United or Exeter City v Middlesbrough
Exeter bloke became very excited about this and I didn't have the heart to point out to him that reality dictated that our teams would probably not be meeting in the next round...
On the other hand, isn't that exactly what the cup is all about and is it not why Exeter bloke was so happy at that moment? We can all keep hold of our dreams for a time, can't we?
Besides, I want it to happen because if it does and Sporting Lisbon beat Feyenoord, Boro will be playing cup ties at St James' Park and The Stadium of Light this season. As long as we get past Graz.
A marvellous occasion
And I still didn't find out whether we are off to Cornwall or Devon if the mighty Exeter do produce an upset in the replay. If it happens, I hope that WCPC have branches in the surrounding counties as well as in their home base and a big stand in Exeter's ground...
So is the magic of the FA Cup still alive? Obviously it is in a very big way for some and whilst there still exists an opportunity for ties like Yeading v Newcastle to happen, that very special romance that the FA Cup holds will always be there.
One of the chairmen from the aforementioned tie had commented only recently that the lower league clubs were just fodder for the big sides, a comment that was met with derision from all angles and deservedly so.
As well as that, one of the managers involved on Sunday had also privately stated that he didn't see why he had to put his team out against this lowly, under achieving outfit when he had better things to do, like concentrate on his side's league position. This was really unfair of Johnson Hippolyte because Newcastle aren't that bad really...
That cup magic was very nearly felt by the supporters of Notts County on Saturday, as they took a very early lead against Boro and we all started thinking 'here we go again'.
Our quality showed through in the end though and whilst Notts County are left with a great memory of what might have been, we are now left with the prospect of a tie in the early rounds with one of the 'big three' for the third year in succession.
Not always marvellous for the losers though...
I have Boro marked down for an FA Cup win this year and should we do it, we are going to have to play the 'big' clubs at some point. Besides, we owe United one for turning us over on New Year's Day, so this could be a good opportunity to put that right and settle that score.
Whilst I was away at the weekend, I had very little access to media of any description, so I asked several people for an update on the weekend's third round results. The common answer was that Manchester United had been held at home by Exeter but there were no other noteable surprises.
What about Oldham beating Manchester City? Sheffield United beating Aston Villa, Cardiff drawing with Blackburn, Rotherham 0 Yeovil 3 and Spurs beating Brighton?
If you ask a fan of one of the sides in the Champion's League, then those results are of little significance. However, for the rest of us who remember some of the great FA Cup moments, it is still a great competition and provided the format is not altered too radically, it always will be.
Is the magic of the cup dead? No chance. Not whilst Boro are still in it.
See you at Cardiff. I'll be stopping off at the WCPC wagon in Victoria Station on the way...
Until next week.
Steve
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