The FA Cup has reached the semi final stage and there are some notable absentees. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been slayed, leaving the cup very much up for grabs.
So who does occupy the four coveted semi final spots? Well that would be Championship strugglers Barnsley, Championship high flyers West Bromich Albion, Championship play off hopefuls Cardiff City and Premiership mid table experts Portsmouth. Now i’m not sure if you noticed, but I actually said the word ‘Championship’ three times there, and the word ‘Premiership’ just the once. Weird, hey?
So has the gap between the top flight and the second tier closed? possibly even overlapped? Hard to say. Cup matches are invariably tough to call, as Barnsley have superbly proved. Reputations count for nothing as both Liverpool and Chelsea have found out.
Apart from anything else, it’s just refreshing to see Championship teams doing so well in the Cup. In the history of the competition, only eight teams who were playing outside of the top level of English football have lifted the trophy. The most recent of which being West Ham, who beat Arsenal in 1980.
Portsmouth are favourites to win, as you would expect, but that is not to say you should write the other three teams off. Both Cardiff and Barnsley have shown a great knack of getting the better of their Premiership cousins this season, while West Brom have amassed an impressive ten goals in their last two cup games. Baggies fans will also be keen to learn that the only team to have ever won the FA Cup and promotion to the top flight in the same season was, yep, West Brom way back in 1931. Perhaps it is fate?
I would like to think that the Championship has gained a lot of respect out of this seasons cup, and rightly so. For too long now this league has been seen as a place for Premiership has beens to pick up one last pay packet. That opinion is wrong and nothing would please me more than to see a Championship team lift the cup in May.
Posted by stepney88 