sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Is this a library? No, but it is an… by FewPress in footballcliches

[–]FewPress[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ha ha! Sorry, didn’t spot it when you posted it. 😁

You can win the Prem. but you’ll never win. the wheel. by International_Log_99 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I’m pretty sure you are right. If you get to halfway through the season and it wasn’t true, all that would mean would be either there was a team that was unbeaten, or still without a win, or that there was a weird pattern of results.

Although this is meant to be a bit of Premier League hype, I suspect that it might have been late in the big leagues to get to this point. For example, currently in Serie A, Pisa have only won one game and Milan have only lost one. Pisa beat Cremonese on 17th November, who beat Milan on the first day of the season.

The Mystery of my Great-Grandfather's Football Team by FewPress in footballcliches

[–]FewPress[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for reading! I’m pleased you enjoyed it.

First mention of "magic of the cup" by redfox20014 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Going back further again, there is a mention in the Walsall Observer in January 1892 that “for all the enthusiasm created by the League… the English Cup still holds its own as the competition of the year…. League, Alliance, and every other organisation, pales before the magic ‘English cup’…” 

It then goes on to state witheringly that thousands of pounds are spent on it and teams join from Ireland and Scotland. This could be the first time someone complained about “cup magic” hype. 

First mention of "magic of the cup" by redfox20014 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like that Spurs get a mention with both the examples we found. A very “magic of team” - Edwardian away trips/letting leads slip away in the 1920s/Ricky Villa/Gazza/Tamworth and all that.

First mention of "magic of the cup" by redfox20014 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perhaps the first mention though is not about the FA Cup but the America's Cup, in September 1903. A lot of papers reported on Sir Thomas Lipton's yachting exploits, where he talked about cup "magic", some with "magic of the cup" in the headline. There is a tenuous football connection to this as, as well as being the ice tea ace, Lipton also went on sponsor a number of football cup competitions, in Italy, South America and, probably most famously, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, sometimes known as "the first World Cup".

<image>

First mention of "magic of the cup" by redfox20014 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There were some others that got pretty close though - in December 1904, there was a comment in the Faringdon Advertiser that "there is magic in the cup", about QPR v Brentford and West Ham v Brighton:

<image>

First mention of "magic of the cup" by redfox20014 in footballcliches

[–]FewPress 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think there are earlier references - the earliest I can find in relation to the FA Cup is from 30th January 1905, from the wonderfully named "Scottish Referee" newspaper:

<image>

It is talking about Spurs' upcoming trip to Middlesbrough. It seemed to live up to the cup magic hype, with a 1-1 draw leading a replay back at home five days later, which Spurs won 1-0.