Luck of the draw, magic of the cup and giant-killing potential: these are the three cliches which circulate round after round, year after year, in the FA Cup.
But there is something deeply romantic about the underdogs going on a David-like run against Goliath.
In 2021, eighth-tier side Marine went on a brilliant run to the third round, while non-league Lincoln City reached the last eight in 2017. Last season, fans watched sixth-tier Maidstone United reach the fifth round before losing to eventual semi-finalists Coventry City.
All of those giant-killing runs showed how the luck of the draw can constitute the magic of the cup. Maybe the cliches aren’t so bad after all.
This season, too, there’s the sniff of an upset in the air ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup third round, and the excitement is highest at the Lamb Ground.
National League Tamworth host top-flight big boys Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and although there are over 100 league places between the two teams it has all the ingredients of a giant-killing.
But to watch the Lambs take on Spurs? That’ll be £38-£42. A lot has been made of the prices Tamworth are charging, with even under-10s tickets starting at £25.
But a combination of wanting to maximise revenues and the scrapping of FA Cup replays means that clubs lower down the pyramid feel they must do what they can to survive – even the local snowdome is hosting a fanzone at £10 a head to make the most of the occasion.
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