"The FA Cup third round is where some of English football's biggest clubs take on teams of far humbler means. This weekend, for instance, sees reigning FA Cup champions Crystal Palace travel to Macclesfield of the National League North - a team ranked five divisions and 117 places below them in the English league system. Meanwhile, fan-owned Exeter City visit the opulent surroundings of Manchester City's Etihad Stadium,"
"A stalwart of football in the English county of Devon, he's spent several spells as a caretaker boss at Argyle during his career. Last year, he temporarily took charge alongside club captain Joe Edwards after the sacking of Wayne Rooney, and the duo led the side to an FA Cup victory over Premier League side Brentford. He talks to the BBC's Ed Harry about his memories of that day - and what happened when they then faced Liverpool in the next round."
The FA Cup third round pairs top English clubs with much lower-league opponents, creating mismatches and the potential for surprise results. Crystal Palace travel to Macclesfield, a team five divisions and 117 places below them, while fan-owned Exeter City play at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium. Shrewsbury Town visit Wolverhampton Wanderers despite vastly different finances and resources. Kevin Nancekivell, a long-serving Plymouth Argyle caretaker, helped the club to an FA Cup win over Brentford alongside captain Joe Edwards before facing Liverpool in the next round. John Murray reflects on favourite cup memories and the competition's enduring significance.
Read at BBC
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]