| Football's coming home |
 The FA Cup Final is back at its true home, the new Wembley. For six years it was held in Cardiff while the Twin Towers were being transformed into the giant arch which is the trademark of the new stadium. There’s an old Tottenham celebration of Ossie Ardiles leading them to a Cup Final in the ‘80s which goes, “Ossie’s on his way to Wembley; his knees have gone all trembley.” It encapsulates all the magic of our greatest sporting venue. Wembley Cup Finals are full of memories. If you’re old enough, you may recall some of the great ones: 1923 – The White Horse on the pitch as the crowd spilled over 1953 – The great Stanley Matthews final when he dribbled round Bolton’s Tommy Banks all day and Banks never fouled him. If that had been today… 1983 – Brighton almost beating Man U in the closing minutes but losing 4-0 in the replay 1988 – The Wimbledon crazy gang toppling mighty Liverpool 1996 – Cantona’s volley to beat Liverpool 2005 – Arsenal being totally outplayed by Manchester United for 120 minutes but winning 5-4 on penalties – the first ever Cup-final penalty shoot-out What is it like to play in the Final? Gavin Peacock experienced it in 1994 with Chelsea. It was the first time Chelsea had been in a Cup Final for 27 years. The semi-final against Luton had also been at Wembley and Gavin scored twice as Chelsea won 2-0. “Obviously playing in the Cup Final is the culmination of six months’ hard work in cup games and it’s everyone’s dream to get there” he says. “It was a tremendous experience to play at Wembley and I loved every minute. “In the first half we were doing well and at one stage I got hold of the ball, outside the box, knocked it onto my left foot and hit it. I thought ‘This is going in.’ It dipped over Schmeichel’s hand and hit the bar. “Just to play in the Cup Final was great for me, even if I didn’t win it. But then you play in it and it’s gone. If that is just what you are hanging your hopes on, any success is just momentary.” When his mother started going to church Gavin went along too to see what it was all about. After a bit he was convinced and became a believer. He has carried his faith into his football career. “That is the thing about football. You have got to keep a level head. If you do get carried away, football throws you from one extreme to another. “Within a week you could be up at the top doing well, then two games later, the next weekend you’ve dropped a few places and you might be out of the team. “So you do have to maintain a level head about it. And of course, my faith helps me in that respect. With my faith I think that God gives me my self-worth, my value, so I am a Christian first and then I am a footballer.” First contest The FA Cup Final was first contested in 1872, with Wanderers winning five of the first seven finals. Lord Arthur Kinnaird played for the Wanderers – in fact he played in nine FA Cup Finals between 1873 and 1883 for Wanderers and Old Etonians, gaining five winners’ medals. The FA Cup was given to him in 1910 in recognition of his services to the game! The story is told of his wife expressing her fear that “Arthur would some day come home with a broken leg”. “Don’t be alarmed,” was the response, “for if he does it will not be his own.” Kinnaird had a strong Christian faith and was described by a contemporary newspaper as someone who “took a deep interest in all manly sports and was of the muscular type of Christian”. In a tribute delivered at his funeral the minister said that his life “bore testimony to what the grace of God can effect in a human heart”. Kinnaird was a remarkable man who devoted his life to football, as a player and administrator without ever compromising his Christian faith. I wonder if the players who take the field on Saturday 15 May will really be aware of the competition’s rich history and the legacy of men like him? |
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