An FA Cup Story

I grew up on the FA Cup. The excitement seemed far greater than the 40+ games slog of the League programme. Your chances of actually getting to Wembley for the final, the season's show piece and even winning the Cup, a real chance to dream for all fans.
The first Saturday in January (bad weather potential at its peak) was always 3rd Round Day. The so-called 'Big Boys' joining the competition and the possibility of an upset epitomised the romance of the FA Cup.
A team from a lower division of even a non-league club looking to put one over their more famous opponents. The nothing to lose attitude and one-off opportunity of the underdog to cause an upset. A small ground full of local supporters sensing the upset and a playing surface (like it use to be) that levelled the obvious difference between the teams, effecting those players not use to performing on a mud-patch, was further potential to upset the outcome of the game. The anticipation was fantastic and providing it wasn't your team on the end of any giant-killing act, then the excitement of the FA Cup was unrivalled. 
Other European countries have cup competitions, but nothing like the FA Cup, we're constantly told.

Unfortunately the last 15 years or so some of that tradition has gone. Due partly to a Premier league full of clubs desperate to remain in that division at all costs, which has seen many teams not to bother about 'having a cup run'. Their financial priorities considered rather than dreams of Wembley glory. While the top teams, with Champions League aspirations or involvement in this competition, has also seen the FA Cup become a distraction with bigger prizes up for grabs. Even the guarantee of winning the trophy and qualifying for the Europa League not an attraction to warrant clubs taking the FA Cup as serious as they once did.
To play at Wembley was once a huge factor in the romance of the Cup, but nowadays the semi-finals are played at Wembley which appears to devalue even this importance moment. In various attempts by the FA to bring back the glamour of days gone by we've had TV coverage spread out over an entire weekend, kick-off times changed as often as the sponsors and replays that end in penalty shoot-outs, all of which I find confusing. Even messing around with the expectation of the draw, by waiting a few days, hasn't been successful.
This weekend we had lots of possibilities of lower teams on dodgy pitches to provide mud caked heroes, but we only had one upset. (Oxford United, step forward). We had lots of draws and last gasp goals and plenty of celebrating as if they'd won instead of only living to fight another day. Perhaps they were simply rejoicing in a financial pay-day replay? 
It's not easy to see a time when the FA Cup will be taken as seriously as it once was. Which is a shame. Maybe I need to start following an underdog to rekindle that excitement. "Up for t'cup"