FA Cup Fever Continues to Grow

"The FA Cup Trophy" by Carlos Yo (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The FA Cup first round is nearly upon us and the greatest cup competition in the world will be fought out by teams up and down the country. If you ask any non-league football fan, they will tell you that they have been playing in the FA Cup since August, but on Saturday, November 4, we will see the first influx of league teams.

The FA Cup first round is nearly upon us and the greatest cup competition in the world will be fought out by teams up and down the country. If you ask any non-league football fan, they will tell you that they have been playing in the FA Cup since August, but on Saturday, November 4, we will see the first influx of league teams.

The 2016/17 FA Cup was won by Arsenal after a great final against their London rivals Chelsea. The competition as a whole was great, with many stories, and this year’s competition will have to be good to live up to last season’s event. Many people will have their eyes on the weekend of Saturday, January 6, which is the date of the third round and when Championship and Premier League clubs join the competition, including Reading.

"Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1" by Chelsea Debs (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The major forces in the Premier League dominate the latest FA Cup betting, with Manchester City being 5/1 favourites. Alongside City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool head the betting and it is likely that some of those clubs will be involved in the final stages of the competition. Elsewhere further down the betting list, Reading are priced up at 150/1 to lift the FA Cup in what would be a huge sporting shock.

In areas up and down the country, whether it is at the start of the qualifying rounds in August, the start of the first round in November, or the start of the third round in January, people get very excited. There is something special about the FA Cup that gets people from all levels of football interested and dreaming of reaching their goal. It doesn’t matter if you are a non-league fan dreaming of the first round, or an Arsenal fan dreaming of back-to-back titles, the special feeling you have thanks to this competition is the same.

It is this feeling, and how many people feel it, that makes the FA Cup so special and one of the greatest competitions in the world. The tournament ended abruptly for Reading last season, with a 4-0 defeat away at Manchester United. That loss came in the third round, so fans saw Reading play just once in the competition, but it was a special away day that many will remember for a long time. It is those magical journeys that add so much to this great competition, and many fans would much rather travel away for a big day, than play at home.

The first round of the FA Cup is the next big milestone in the competition and is just around the corner. After that, fans will look forward to the third round, especially those of the big clubs because this is when they enter. All Reading eyes will be focused on that round, hoping for another memorable trip to a big ground like last season, or a game where they have a chance to progress onto the fourth round of this great competition.