FAN ARTICLES
What the FA Cup means to me

I was born in Cambridge 1981, dad's a Man Utd fans and big bro is too. My Grandad is from Liverpool and an ex-Everton season ticket holder, and my uncle is a crazy Evertonian, so there was only one team they would let me support and that was Everton. Early games are going from the memory but watching Big Dunc score against the Man Utd to win one-nil is still fresh in my mind.
Having taken so much stick from friends over the years it was tough for my generation of Evertonians. The greatest day of all was the FA Cup Final in 1995. The family (excluding my Grandad) got tickets for the game so all headed down in the car. My Uncle had bought me the new Danka kit! Fantastic! Two Evertonians Vs two Mancs.
We won it in the car for me. From the moment we got into the car, it all started. My dad had a car phone which wasn't connected, so my uncle picks up the phone, pretends to dial a number and fakes a conversation with Joe Royle. "Hey Joe, it's Tony, is Big Dunc playing today" "He is?, well, we'll destroy them then!"
It went on and it was comical magic. He was a larger than life character. So final whistle, as I wasn't sitting with my Uncle, we all met up afterwards, my brother was gutted! He didn't want to be in the car on the way back with uncle Tony and wasn't looking forward to the trip back at all. I was there, a quiet kid, just smiling.
Then Tony comes back with a huge smile on his face, luckily for my brother he had lost his voice completely. The drive home was magical, cars with flags beeping as they drove past. As a 14-year-old, I was loving it. When my uncle got his voice back the next day, he said it was the greatest day of his life.
Four years later he lost his love to cancer; one year later he died in a car crash. Since then I've felt lost and I have had to fly the flag and try and make up for his character, but I don't think I can get anywhere near what he was as an Evertonian. God he would've loved Tiger Tim, I wish he had seen him play!
I know we are going to win on Saturday and he will be there. I look forward to see my Grandad's face when he sees me wearing my uncle's gold Everton chain that he let me have when he died. My Norwegian girlfriend (a converted Manc) will be wearing her Everton shirt and will be as nervous as she was in the semi-final.
My kids will obviously be blue noses, it's in the blood....... and I look forward to telling them about Uncle Tony and about the magical trips to Wembley. Who said the FA Cup has lost its magic? If anyone dares say this to me, I will headbutt them.
Only cos my uncle would've!!!!
COYB
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Having been to the Semi Final and the atmosphere, I for one cant wait until tomorrow.
Above all else Everton fans will go down en mass to ensure that it is a great occasion, win or lose.
I am a proud Everton fan and always will be
COYB
Memories of the FA Cup, if anyone is interested.
1966; wasn’t interested really and was playing in the street but happy that we won.
1968; cried when Astle beat us.
1984; always thought we would win, gray bundling steve sherwood over the line
1985; moron being sent off
1986; lineker missing a good chance which would have finished them off
1989; going mad when mccall pulled it back to 2-2
1995; couldn’t believe we won it; rideout came good as i always thought he would; watched it at my parents holding my not very well middle child who was then less than a year old
Good luck Everton.
and Jonathan I hope you enjoy it too
I watched the '84 final with my best friend who (besides being a red) still could support Everton with me. We did see those '86, '89 losses together and he never showed the arrogance and stupidity that is typical for many reds fans nowadays.
Then came the 95 final. The guy just hates Man U so cue celebration when we won. After that, we have watched many derbies together and we even got to Goodison in 2003.
We meet about six times a year, we watch the derbies and mourn our too soon departed friend. He will be here at my house tomorrow when we start the barbeque and the party. Have to watch the Bayern match all over again. Seems like the weather will be fine, great! I just wish it wouldn?t be so hostile between the two clubs because it?s so nice to argue when it?s done with style and wit, not with fight and spit.
Tomorrow I?ll be celebrating, it?s a great day to be Blue!
1 Posted 29/05/2009 at 14:06:03
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Come On Blue Boys and follow Phil Neville up those steps and bring it to Goodison.
The world is watching us.
And I’m crying as I type.