Everton: Goodison Park would have been perfect for FA Cup after ‘Shambles’ at Wembley
Goodison Park would have been a perfect venue to stage last weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals, according to Ian Herbert in his Daily Mail column [Page 63, 26 April].
He slammed the “shambles” of Wembley including the atmosphere at the national stadium during the clash between Manchester City and Sheffield United as well as the rail infrastructure in England, required for fans in the north to travel to London.
Traditionally, the two last-four ties would have been played at a neutral venue ahead of Wembley hosting the showpiece final.
Herbert’s strong opinion will have resonated with many, in a reflection of contemporary difficulties that are overlooked by the football authorities, with costs being a particular burden.
“What wouldn’t I have given to take my grandson to an FA Cup semi-final involving one of the great Manchester teams at the weekend, at one of the great stadiums which have hosted that fixture over the years?” he stated.
“The tepid atmosphere at Manchester City v Sheffield United on Saturday said it all.
“A ground like Goodison or Villa Park would have been bouncing. The boy watched it on TV instead.”
Nostalgia that remains relevant today
Saturday’s game between City and the Blades just didn’t feel right at Wembley.
Here we had two teams from the north, including a second-tier club, required to travel to the capital for the match due to the decision made by the FA to host all semi-finals at the new stadium in order to meet repayment costs, following the rebuild of the famous old venue.
With the much-maligned railway system struggling to move people from A to B, it compounds an already difficult situation yet it wasn’t always like this.
In days gone by, Goodison Park was joined by the likes of Villa Park in staging FA Cup semi-finals in the heyday of traditional neutral venues but it isn’t just about nostalgia, the concept remains relevant today only for financial matters to dictate the agenda.
Herbert is right, the home of Everton would have been bouncing, full to capacity, providing a fitting backdrop for the occasion last Saturday. Instead, Wembley witnessed a damp squib as Sheffield United’s slim hopes on the pitch evaporated like the limited noise through the expanses of the vast arena.
In other Everton news, Michael Ball blasts ‘out of touch’ Bill Kenwright after development at Goodison.