Championship PodJockey

This weekend has thrown up some amazing games in the FA Cup and has revived the famous competition after it has seen harsh criticism in recent years; and what clubs have come to the rescue? Championship clubs, that's who.

Cardiff overcame Middlesbrough with relative ease to book their place in the semi-final and a day out at Wembley, but the team of this year's competition has to be Barnsley. They alone have been the conquerors of two of the top four, Liverpool and Chelsea, something that many  Premier League sides are unable to manage. So has the FA Cup regained its magic, or is this year's competition just a flash in the plan?

Premier League teams have been showing the FA Cup little respect in recent years by playing a weakened team in the competition and showing that a place in the top flight is worth more than claiming football's oldest prize. Championship teams are starting to gain confidence when playing the so-called big teams as a result of this desperation to stay in the ‘Promised Land' or book a place in Europe.

In the third round Coventry went to Ewood Park and handed out a thrashing to an established Premier League team, that's one shock. Then we had the fairytale story of little old Havant and Waterlooville going to Anfield and having the audacity to take to lead in front of the Kop, twice, after beating Swansea in round three.

Bury dispatched Norwich after a replay, Preston hammered Premier League outfit Derby ( not sure if this can be considered as a shock however), Bristol Rovers made it past Fulham and Southampton, and Huddersfield outclassed Birmingham City.

So it seems as though it has been a vintage year for the famous old competition, but there have been some poor games this year likewise. Everyone remembers how bad the two games between ‘Boro and Sheffield United were; two tedious matches that by the end had us all catching forty winks on the couch.

The first game between Norwich and Bury at Carrow Road was as pitiful with few chances to either team.

So how much interest is there going to be in this years final if it's between West Brom and Cardiff? It's hard to imagine the world clambering to watch the game, and this could well dent the competition's reputation for good if the game fails to produce the sparkle that the rest of this year's competition has produced.

Add in the fact that the semi-finals are being played at Wembley and this may well mean that the final will not be as exciting for the clubs involved having already experienced the national stadium. It won't be as unique for the fans as they will have already seen their team win at the stadium a few weeks before, there could well be a sense of occasion lost.

We may have to wait for at least another couple of years before we find out if the FA Cup is back to its romantic best, but the signs are certainly there.

Tune in to Isaac and the team at the Championship FanCast here at Football Fancast.com, where this week they reflect on the fantastic achievements of the Championship teams in this season's FA Cup.

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