Never mind the New Year, the best football weekend of the year awaits as the FA Cup third round unfolds this weekend.
This year’s entry of the clubs from the top two divisions perhaps hasn’t thrown up the most stunning of ties, but the magic of the cup is that there is an unexpected classic lurking somewhere.
While others looked elsewhere, I thought the draw of the round was the re-run of the 1953 ‘Matthews final’ which will see Lancashire rivals Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool lock horns at the Reebok Stadium.
Just six points and seven places separate the pair in the Championship and it could serve up a competitive contest – though one unlikely to match the drama of the dying minutes that graced the Coronation year’s showdown.
The clash of the Titans has to be Tottenham at Arsenal with fledgling Spurs boss Tim Sherwood facing his first North London derby at the reins.
Unlike some previous Spurs managers, at least former player Sherwood will have a firm grip on what shooting down the Gunners can mean to the White Hart Lane faithful – a win should buy him a good half dozen games worth of honeymoon period.
Only three non-Leaguers remain, but Conference Premier sides offer more threat than romance these days.
Mark Robins’ Town travel to fourth-placed outfit Grimsby Town , Peterborough face a tough trip to fifth-in-the-table Kidderminster Harriers and Sheffield Wednesday go to Macclesfield Town with all three League sides more than aware that any slips could be punished.
And Liverpool, who will fancy the competition as a major chance of bagging some silverware to consolidate a much stronger showing this season, face an intriguing clash with Oldham Athletic, who knocked them out last season.
Finally it is always nice to have a look at where the current holders begin their defence of the trophy, however for the life of me I can’t remember who lifted the cup last season even though I am sure I attended a game at Wembley on May 11 – it’s dreadful what trauma can do!
