The magic of the FA Cup is still very much in evidence, it seems – but these days it tends to be more of a vanishing act. The problem is that for all the pleasing randomness of the FA Cup, the A-list collisions and potential giant-killings that make its reputation are vanishingly rare. Before the game, Birmingham’s struggling manager, Pep Clotet, was asked how much importance he placed on the FA Cup. “I grew up in an era where you respected the FA Cup,” he said. The attendance of 7,330 was the lowest here since 2016 and the lowest in the FA Cup since 1990.

Source: The Guardian January 05, 2020 06:56 UTC