Robins Reunion Ensures the Magic of the FA Cup is Alive and Well!

Coventry City vs Manchester United

It is a memory that will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life.

Not so much for the day itself 34 years ago – although that was vitally important – but more for what followed.

I can still remember hearing the news that my beloved Manchester United had been drawn away to Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup and the pressure from the media in the build-up was intense.

I watched the entire match on BBC1 with my granddad – marvelling at the pass Mark Hughes delivered with the outside of his foot for youngster Mark Robins to head home what proved to be the only goal and then being relieved when a late Forest equaliser was ruled out for offside – who then drove me home as I had to be ready for school the next morning!

As I was sitting in the backseat, I do recall the journey home wondering, as 13 year-olds often do, could this be the start of an ultimately successful cup run.

That it was – I was also at my grandparents’ house for every other round (apart from the final) – provided me with a joy which only football fans can understand.

The rest, as they say, is very much history – even if the suggestions that Alex Ferguson would have lost his job had Forest won that day may be football folklore and apocryphal rather than a fully accurate description of the position.

Talking Points

As Robins, whose FA Cup highlights also included goals in the fifth round victory at Newcastle and the semi-final replay winner (to finally see off unlucky but plucky Oldham Athletic) in 1990, prepares to meet the club where he grew up, it is impossible not to cast your mind back.

The first trophy in the Ferguson era was the springboard for a period like no other in English football, just three years after Coventry City, where Robins has done such a first-class job as a manager, enjoyed their own moment to cherish – still the best ever in the club’s history.

1987, Keith Houchen and all that is also firmly ingrained FA Cup folklore as the Sky Blues lifted the most famous cup in football against all the odds, coming from behind twice to beat Tottenham 3-2 in extra time.

During their run, there is another moment I can recall (for unhappier reasons) as the team shaped by John Sillett and George Curtis won at Old Trafford in a fourth round tie, just under three months after Ferguson had arrived at the club.

How fitting that the clubs now meet again at Wembley in this competition, a special occasion especially for Coventry who have endured two decades of difficulty and, at one point, were attracting crowds of only 2,000 when they were playing at Northampton because of a ground dispute,

On Sunday, 34,000 Sky Blues fans will be at Wembley and Robins will receive a hero’s reception from both sets of fans.

He will deserve it as the reunion creates another chapter in the magic of the FA Cup.

History

The history books show 23 Coventry wins, 43 United successes and 18 draws.

Their first three meetings actually were in the FA Cup, initially in the second round in 1912 when United ran out 5-1 winners.

The scorers that day were Enoch West, Harold Halse (two), George Wall and Sandy Turnbill with Fred Jones netting for the home side before a crowd of 17,251.

It wasn’t until the 1967-68 season (when United were crowned European champions) that they met in the top flight of English football.

United won 4-0 at Old Trafford with Bobby Charlton, George Best and John Aston (two) the scorers before Ernie Machin and former United player Maurice Setters scored the goals in a 2-0 Coventry win five months later.

Their last league meeting came on Easter Saturday 2001 – a 4-2 United win which saw them end the day as champions and Coventry relegated at the end of that campaign (they have not been back since).

The sides have met once since then, however.

On a famous night for the Sky Blues, they won 2-0 at Old Trafford in the third round of the League Cup, thanks to a Michael Mifsud double.

Among the United players that night was centre back Johnny Evans who returned to the club last summer.

Betting Tip

They may have seen off Wolves in thrillingly dramatic fashion in the quarter-finals but SBOTOP FA Cup betting odds naturally see Championship side Coventry as big underdogs against United, last season’s finalists. I am expecting a fair few goals at Wembley so my *** tip is Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.07.

 

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