The FA Cup is.... exactly the same as it was 30 years ago

Interesting stats and discussion about whether the FA Cup is alive and well in the Guardian today. It turns out it is.

On attendances:

Take FA Cup attendances. If you're of a mind to add up the crowd figures of all 1,628 FA Cup matches played between the 1980-81 and 1989-90 seasons – and, yes, this writer was – you'll find that 20,714,856 fans went through the turnstiles over the decade, an average of 12,724 per game.

 

During the 90s that figure dropped slightly to 12,399, while from 2000–09 it popped up again to 12,792. And, judging by the figures since 2010, those numbers are unlikely to change radically in the coming decade.

 

So across over 30 years, the average of people watching an FA Cup has remained – cue sound of a discordant trumpet – broadly the same.

On the 'romance' of the Cup:

The figures are startling only in their uniformity. Between 1980 and 1989, top-flight clubs lost to lower-league opposition on 60 occasions. Between 1990 and 1999 it happened 63 times. From 2000-2009, 62 times.

 

But what about the incidences of top-flight teams losing to teams in the old Third Division (today's League One) or lower? Well, they have barely changed either. Between 1980 and 1989 there were 19 such "shocks". From 1990-1999 there were 17. And from 2000-2009 there were 18. So far the pattern is continuing in this decade, too.

Article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jan/06/fa-cup-finals

It just isn't though. The magic just isn't there cf 70s and 80s. It has its odd year but it used to be a massive event , whoever was playing.

It just isn't though. The magic just isn't there cf 70s and 80s. It has its odd year but it used to be a massive event , whoever was playing.

Probably more to do with it being one of the few live televised games back then. Now you can get wall to wall football if you want it.

It's clearly not the same for youngsters as it was 30 years ago. I have 3 boys ranging from 14 to 24, between that age I knew all the winners,knew all the heroes, the dickie guys, Ronnie radfords, could name the finalists since I was about 6. There's no way I would miss a cup final on tv. My lads are mad keen on football, but the cup is must,meh, to them. It's only going to get worse because us fossils will be gone and they won't pass what they don't really give a shiny ****e about, on to their kids.

30 years ago going out in the 3rd round would have ruined the week for me, id have been gutted. By 7pm sat I was just glad we didn't lose 3 points.

Whoever says the cup is as it was 30 years ago is talking bollards

It will never be the same now the dirt down the road have their name on it with the team they couldn't afford. I switched the TV off the instant the game finished against Cardiff and vowed never to take the FA Cup seriously again.

It's not the same, sadly. Could you have ever imagined Lawrie resting Channon and Osgood in 1976? That is effectively what Adkins did on Saturday. For the first time Adkins upset me - spouting that we want to win the Cup when clearly he had no intention of trying to get through the 3rd Round. Getting stuffed 5-1 and focusing on the positives. Idiot.

It's not the same, sadly. Could you have ever imagined Lawrie resting Channon and Osgood in 1976? That is effectively what Adkins did on Saturday. For the first time Adkins upset me - spouting that we want to win the Cup when clearly he had no intention of trying to get through the 3rd Round. Getting stuffed 5-1 and focusing on the positives. Idiot.

With the obvious excepton of Lambert, I thought we put out a pretty strong side on Saturday - and a lot of good it did us.

I can only agree with other replies on here, irrespective of what the stats say the FA Cup is not a patch on what it once was. Youngsters on here probably won't realize just how big a deal the final was back in the day. For instance the TV coverage started at midday at the latest, there where camera crews encamped at each of the team hotels. The progress of each team bus was charted in minute detail - via a helicopter - and the nations ear holes were assaulted with (often terrible) Cup Final songs - oh happy days. I recall with special horror the 1986 Liverpool v Everton final - you could not turn on a TV without seeing some professional scoucer's mug confronting you.

Watching the DVD of the 76 final should of course be required watching for all young Saints fans ... and yes I do know I'm starting to sound like Ron Manager, but lets go with the nostalgia here!

the day they told you the teams numbers when doing the draw, the excitement of that started to diminish

To put the figures in the OP into context it needs a comparison with PL/Old Div1 attendances over the same period. If (I've no idea if they have or not) they have increased whilst the Cup stood still then it would be fair to say the magic has been lost.

Agree with previous posters, As a nipper I could recall every winner, runner up and score from way back when, now I struggle to think who was in last years final. The final was - I think - the ONLY live tv football match of the season apart from World Cup, so it did seem very special indeed. Now, it's not even the only game that day. Getting knocked out in any round was like having a dream taken away for another year, nowadays fans say they are relieved to lose so they can concentrate on the league. Would love to see it restored to it's former glory/importance but just can't see it happening now.