1989 FA Cup Third round: Newcastle v Watford

It was a good day to bury bad news. As all and sundry debated the reign of Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, the FA announced that there will be no FA Cup fifth round replays from this season onwards. I’m not sure there is any more space for the organising body to hammer another nail into the coffin of the famous old competition.

Perhaps it is time for dinosaurs like myself to let it go. Let’s face it, the magic of the FA Cup vanished years ago, suffocated by greed, with most clubs now viewing it as a bit of an inconvenience. Bit by bit, all the elements that made the FA Cup what is was have been chipped away.

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