Shame among the prawn sandwiches

A corporate sponsor speaks...

So the FA Cup Final second half has begun, and nearly two-thirds of the executive and corporate hospitality seats are empty. Total respect to ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley for having a real dig at them, and pointing out that while they are disrespectfully ignoring the purpose of the event in order to do another business deal, stuff another prawn sandwich, or neck another drink... thousands of true football fans would have given their right arms to have their tickets.

In many respects, this kind of unedifying spectacle epitomises the problem of football in the top flight(s). It is run and funded for the benefit of those who aren't that bothered (except by status and money), while real supporters often have to make do with crumbs from the table, and people like the EPL's exceptionally well-paid  Richard Scudamore look on smugly at their "brand".

Mind you, prawn sandwiches aren't much of a temptation for me, I have to confess. I'm veggie. Not that I'd miss a second of any game for even the tastiest morsel. 'Aye, sad-sack. (Ooh, Mario Balotelli's throwing a hissy-fit for Manchester City, Stoke's free kick has been scrambled away, Carlos Tevez has missed, and it's end-to-end stuff. That's more like it. 'Mon Stoke!
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Barely 'up for the Cup'

This afternoon, the first post-season Saturday for lower league fans, presented three choices. Watch an uninspiring nothing-at-stake Hibernian versus Aberdeen clash down the street at Easter Road (and pay £22 for the privilege). Watch the Stoke City versus Manchester City FA Cup Final on the telly (a ringside seat, but with ITV's irritating ineptitude twittering away). Or, well, get a life and enjoy Edinburgh's beaming sunshine.

Being a fitba man my "life quotient" was bound to be the one that suffered (after a coffee with friends in the morning and quick step-out to the legendary Christian Aid booksale), so here I am in front of the TV - cheering Stoke on.

I had to spend a bit of time deciding which, of two English teams I don't spend much time thinking about, I would back. You just have to support somebody. I know more Man City supporters, but with respect to them and their Club's determination to end a 35-year silverware drought, I cannot but lend my voice to the Potteries' underdogs. They really want the historic Cup, whereas many Sky Blues have spent the week saying that it isn't nearly as important as qualifying for the European Champions League or winning the English Premier League on the back of their new-found billions. That's very hard to sympathise with as a neutral, let alone a backer of a 'diddy team'.

"Fair enough," I find myself saying. "Let someone who actually appreciates this Cup's irreplaceable value and history win it, then!"

Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Carlo Mancini has singularly failed to convince anyone that it really matters to him either, other than as a means of avoiding the elbow. Besides, Manchester United are liable to upstage City this afternoon by winning the EPL, whatever happens at Wembley. So why not let the boys from Stoke achieve a dream far more unimaginable in the (post)modern era?

So far it's been an interesting, gutsy but not over-thrilling game, 0-0 at half-time. Stoke are struggling to keep up, but defending well. Manchester City - who at least have the distinction of being the only EPL side truly from Manchester [discuss!] - have missed a couple of good chances, but will probably get more. We'll see.

Ah, for the days when the FA Cup really was the highlight of the football calendar in England, and produced a whole day of magic...

Footnote [17.04]: In spite of all that - well done to Manchester City, and all those who are genuinely thrilled.  Someone in Manchester has won something at last *cough*. 
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Who's the wally with the scarf?

"The hedge at Glebe Park last night was more impressive..."

Here's my dignity-free moment at the Emirates Stadium on 2 March - showing 50,000 Arsenal fans, and around 9,000 Leyton Orient ones, what a real football team's knitwear looks like. O's supporter Mark Smith balked somewhat, but was gracious enough to snap it for me. I was in north London to watch the East-enders try to repeat their moment of glory at Brisbane Road, when they earned the prestigious, money-spinning FA Cup Fifth Round replay with a fine 1-1 draw.

This evening, things would turn out a little differently. Arsenal's pitch is like a billiard table, well suited to a flowing, passing game. Orient, to their great credit, took on the Gunners in this department and displayed not a little technical ability. The standards of lower league football in England have increased exponentially since I first saw (old) Fourth Division Brentford in 1967. However, whatever the Os could do, Arsenal could do better. They clinched the game 5-0, going in at half time 3-0 up. It could have been more.

But Orient had a couple of good chances too, and did not disgrace themselves, in spite of the end result and only having 35% of possession. It was a clear, freezing cold evening, though, and not one on which it was ever going to be possible for the comparative minnows to hassle the Champions League wannabes off the ball. At one point, the away support chanted, along with "2-1 to the Birmingham!" (a reference to the previous week's Carling Cup final), "You're going to win f*ck all!" towards the Arsenal end. Cruel but possibly not unfair - as the Gunners' ejection from the top table of European competition to Barcelona and subsequent FA Cup exit to Manchester United indicated. I'd really love Arsene Wenger's men to win the EPL - on pure footballing grounds. But I still doubt that it will happen.

Meanwhile, Orient's supporters, including the contingent I was with (thank-you, Kevin Scully, for my early Christmas present, including the special scarf and programme) had a wonderful time, defeat notwithstanding. "You're so loud, you sound like Aldershot!" they cried to the relatively silent home fans. And, when the third goal went in, "We're going to win 4-3!"  Marvellous stuff. This was also my first visit to the Emirates. Wonderful architecture, pitch and scale. Mind you, the concourse at the away end was a bit spartan, given all the oil money behind it. And did I mention how cold it was?  You'd think they could afford central heating. Not even any free snoods, before FIFA bans them.
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Where Barca fear to tread?

In what may seem the unlikely (but not impossible) event of Leyton Orient beating Arsenal in the replay of their FA Cup Fifth Round tie at the Emirates stadium on 2 March 2011, their reward would be an away tie at Manchester United ten days later.

After today's remarkable home 1-1 draw against the Gunners, the Os fans were chanting, "We're better than Barcelona!" - referencing Arsenal's equally notable 2-1 midweek win against the Catalans in the European Champions League.

The merchandisers are on song too, I see -- with an eBay auction for a video of today's Brisbane Road encounter already up and running. Meanwhile, Orient goalscorer Jonathan Tehoue was not among the seven things the Gunners had been advised to watch out for in East London... a cunning ploy from Matt Simpson (author of Leyton Orient Greats) in the West Stand, no doubt.

Barry Glendenning also makes a good point about the future of the competition that has engineered this little piece of football magic, too: "Leyton Orient's players are as jubilant as you might expect and have just been joined by their chairman Barry Hearn, who looks beside himself with excitement. Hearn featured in the Observer this morning saying it would be crazy to do away with FA Cup replays, and those scenes are proof that further meddling in the format of the FA Cup just to please Premier League titans who can't be bothered to field full-strength teams to win matches first time out would be most unwelcome."

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Hearn says of today's result: "We can play a lot better than that... there's still a long way to go in this tie." He pays tribute to manager Russell Slade and says this is the best Orient team in sixteen years.

The money from the Cup tie will be used to fight the EPL, the Football League and West Ham over the Olympic Stadium issue, he says. "This is going to run longer than an Agatha Christie novel!"
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Half way and more for the Os

The BBC's Chris Bevan reports at half-time: "So far, so good for Leyton Orient, who are halfway to a money-spinning replay at the Emirates. They have been out-passed but not outclassed by the Gunners and, for the most part, restricted Arsene Wenger's men to shots from range." The Telegraph's Thom Gibbs adds: "Fair play to Orient... for keeping this game so tight. Arsenal's tactic will surely be to pass their opponents into oblivion and deliver a killer blow when tiredness kicks in at around the 77 minute mark."

The Guardian's feed has rather more entertaining anecdotage, incidentally - including the biscuit saga and fashion news about well-paid commentators and summarisers slumming it in the East End of London. On the football front, Barry Glndenning reports: "Leyton Orient get the second half started and they've a fresh pair of legs on the team. Tom Carroll, who's at Brisbane Road on loan from Spurs comes in for Jason Crowe, who's been struggling with an ankle injury.

53mins: 1-0 Arsenal, courtesy of Tomas Rosicky. Orient are still trying though, and Jonathan Tehoue has added different options and energy up front. Some great stops from Os 'keeper Jamie Jones, too. Time to bring Spurs loanee Harry Kane off the bench, methinks (18.07). He's a goalscorer.

"The hosts appeal for a penalty, but the tide marks on Squillaci's face prove otherwise," says Sam Lyon.  Chris Bevan again: "For all Orient's energy and effort, Arsenal have bossed this game from the start. The League One side are looking tired now too - the pitch at Brisbane Road is the biggest in the Football League and chasing the ball for most of the game is taking its toll on the O's, who are running out of time and ideas."

Orient's Smith in action

And then, football being football, Orient equalise! Sam Lyon again: "Incredible! Orient, so adept at late comebacks this season, have done it again - and on the biggest stage of their season so far. Substitute Jonathan Tehoue is the hero, dancing between Kieran Gibbs and Ignasi Miguel and slamming a fierce low shot under Arsenal 'keeper Manuel Almunia's dive and home to send the home fans ballistic. Unbelievable."

18.24: FULL-TIME Leyton Orient 1-1 Arsenal. "What scenes at Brisbane Road. The players are lapping up the acclaim - of which there is more than enough to go around. The home fans are going postal and owner Barry Hearn, understandably, looks just about ready to implode. How sweet will the prospect of a replay taste?"
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Big test for the Orient lads

Kevin Scully

In between other tasks, I'm keenly following the progress of Leyton Orient as they take on Arsenal at Brisbane Road in the FA Cup this afternoon. They are, you could say, my "London team".  I must have seen them a dozen or more times over the last few years, courtesy of the good man in the picture.

Anyway, concerns about the future of the Os in the light of West Ham's Olympic stadium bid can be put aside for a few hours today, as the Waltham Forest maestros hunt a bit of glory at the expense of Arsene Wenger's crowd-pleasing millionaires.

East end priest, writer and Leyton Orient season ticket holder, Kevin Scully, was (unusually for him) reduced to clichés in the lead up to his team's clash with the Premiership titans. Arsenal are 43 places above the League One side, who often play at home to crowds of fewer than five thousand.

"It will be a big test for the lads in the Cup of Dreams but, by all reports, they are up for it," he said. There is a good delegation coming from Bethnal Green, where Kevin - a good friend - is the Rector of St Matthew's Church. "The afternoon draw means that the supporters from the church can be in both holy places in one day," he added. "I will make sure I am in the appropriate dress for both venues."

Initial impressions are good. A driving 25-yard strike from O's Charlie Daniels on the quarter hour has been the best chance of the game so far. BBC Sport's Chris Beva declares : "Orient promised to get 'in Arsenal's faces' and they have definitely done that so far. The League One side are setting an incredible early tempo."

16.58: "Twenty-six minutes gone at Brisbane Road and Leyton Orient more than holding their own, despite conceding the great majority of possession. Exactly as home boss Russell Slade would have planned."

Fingers crossed. So to speak.
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A right Royals evening

After a not terribly inspiring first half, and Liverpool going in one up after a rather fortuitous own-goal in their favour from Ryan Bertrand, second tier Reading fought back tenaciously to rob the Reds of a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup, winning 2-1 in extra time. Midway through the second period the game suddenly became electrifying. Indeed, on the 79th minute it nearly produced the goal of the season so far. The Royals' Jobi McAnuff ran through the entire Liverpool midfield with a series of exquisite touches, only to miscalculate his final move in the box -- aiming to place the ball to the right of Cavalieri, rather than to chip the 'keeper.

That moment alone merited their last minute equaliser from the spot by Gylfi Sigurdsson, after Yossi Benayoun was adjudged (perhaps slightly harshly) to have challenged Shane Long unfairly. To their immense credit, Reading came out fighting again in extra time, not simply sitting back for a penalty shoot out. In the last 50 minutes of the match they played with commitment and, sometimes, verve. Liverpool, meanwhile, looked a pale imitation of themselves, especially when bereft of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Reading's winner from Shane Long's close range header was well-worked and well-taken. From then on it was a tense scrap to the finishing line. In summary, a fantastic victory for the lower league club.

Liverpool look disconsolate at the end: out of the two cup competitions, out of the Champions League, out of the Premier League title race... and probably struggling to beat Manchester City to that crucial fourth CL qualifying place too. There will be those baying for Rafa Benitez's head tomorrow, though Reds fans are generally more level headed than many. But the problems on the pitch mirror much deeper seated difficulties in the boardroom, arising from the debt loaded onto the club by its absent owners. Picking up the pieces is going to be very difficult. And the idea that another manager can wave a magic wand at this stage of the season is deluded. That doesn't mean it won't happen, of course. This is football.

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Another Wembley let-down

I'm not talking about bombastic Chelsea sneaking it over cultured Arsenal, either. I'm thinking of the lumpy pitch and the empty corporate seats. As Arsene Wenger observed, the turf was in a gruesome state even before the FA Cup semi-final began. Why semis should be played at the national stadium anyway (other than to grub some more money), I've no idea. But the fact that this overrated, over-hyped, overpriced, over-budget gleaming barn of a structure can't even provide a decent playing surface tells you all you need to know about post-Thatcher England's inability to do anything more competent than line the pockets of private interest groups when it comes to undertaking major projects. I can't imagine the FA World Cup bid will be aided by today's show, either.

When I first went to the 'New Wembley' two years ago, it was the first competitive professional game there - Exeter City versus Morcambe in the Conference play-off final. The Grecians got the opening goal, lost 2-1 and then came back in May 2008 to win promotion to Football League Two by beating Cambridge United. Its conceivable that they might be back in '09, but the hope is for one of the three automatic spots to go into League One this time.

Anyway, first time round the pitch was poor, but that was put down to insufficient time for the grass to 'bed in' and to successive waves of re-planting. Since then there have been repeated problems and multiple relayings. It turns out that the micro-climate created by the stadium's design, its lack of sun and its permanent shadows are the enduring problems. The BBC tried to interview the head ground keeper about the situation this morning, but he had been instructed not to speak to the media. Another fine mess.

As if that wasn't enough, when the second half of today's high-profile match got under way, the corporate area which sits smack in the main camera's eye-line was a sea of red plastic, being two-thirds empty. Twenty minutes later there were still massive gaps. Presumably the fat cats were too busy quaffing champagne, sorting out their next bonuses and celebrity networking to actually watch the football that others would have given their right arm to grab a seat for. The argument is that the big bucks hospitality keeps prices down for the ordinary punters. But the tickets are hardly cheap and the catering is of the usual rip-off variety.

The actual stadium is a splendid edifice, it has to be said. But the atmosphere is anodyne compared to some of the other big grounds. Give me Hampden Park any day.
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Frozen assets

There were quite a few disconsolate Port Vale fans in Exeter this afternoon, with the League Two game at SJP being called off at 1.20pm - though it was another half hour before the message about the frozen pitch started getting through. I'd already left home, but I'm only a 20 minute walk away from the stadium, so I can hardly complain. Meanwhile, congratulations to Nottingham Forest, first love of my friend and colleague Jonathan Bartley, who whopped Manchester City 3-0 in the Cup. Barrow lost out 2-1 to Middlesbrough, but nearly grabbed an equaliser in the closing minutes.
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The New Year kicks off

I'm off to St James' Park again this afternoon - the first time in a number of weeks - to see Exeter City kick off the New Year against Port Vale. Thank goodness I have my thermals ready. It's going to be bloody freezing. A good start to 2009 is needed to regain momentum after the 2-0 defeat by Brentford on 28 December, brought about by a questionable penalty decision towards the end of the match.

I'm also keeping my fingers crossed for my Conference namesakes Barrow (pictured), who take on Premier League Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. It's much more important that they avoid relegation, of course. But this should be a great day out. Good luck to Kevin's beloved Orient, too. They were dire away against Colchester and now have some serious work to do to avoid the drop from League One.
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Welcome back to the FA Cup

The build-up to this year's FA Cup Final has definitely had some of the atmosphere that's been sorely missing in recent years -- including terrestrial TV coverage. Great to see the supporters of Portsmouth and Cardiff City taking it seriously and with passion, unlike some of the Prem big boys. As a habitual supporter of the underdog, and with many Cymru friends, I've got to go for the Welsh lads. Plus they're wearing black and yellow. But to be honest I don't really want either team to lose. On the Pompey side, David James certainly deserves a medal. I just hope it's a good match and that, as we're less accustomed to saying these days, the best team on the day wins.
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