It’s time the FA Cup got back its Scottish tradition
Last weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final results mean this season’s winners won’t have an English manager for the tenth season in succession.
It’s now a full decade since Harry Redknapp led Portsmouth to glory at Wembley against Cardiff City.
And a record 14 years since the competition’s winning manager was a Scot.
Sir Alex Ferguson was the last boss from north of the border to guide his team to glory when Manchester United defeated Millwall exactly 14 years ago at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
When the FA Cup was first contested, teams were run by committee. But it wasn’t long until managers came to the fore, many of them Scots.
Down through the years, an incredible 18 different Scottish managers have led their teams to FA Cup triumph on no fewer than 35 occasions.
Fergie led Manchester United to five triumphs – but that’s not the Scottish record.
George Ramsay, a fellow Glaswegian, guided Aston Villa to FA Cup success six times between 1887 and 1920. It’s a record unlikely ever to be overtaken. Ramsay had moved to Birmingham to become a clerk in a brass foundry, and was invited to make up Villa’s numbers after watching them train.
He progressed from being captain to running the club from top to bottom, and spent 59 years at Villa Park. Sounds like he should have been knighted, too! Andy Cunningham (Newcastle United), Sir Matt Busby (Manchester United, twice), Bill Shankly (Liverpool, twice), Tommy Docherty (Manchester United), Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool, twice), Graeme Souness (Liverpool) and George Graham (Arsenal) were among those who got their hands on the famous old trophy at Wembley.
And it’s not just Scottish managers who have lit up the FA Cup. Captains have also left their mark on the competition.
Andy Beattie (Preston), Jimmy Scoular (Newcastle United), Ron Yeats (Liverpool), Dave Mackay (Spurs), Billy Bremner (Leeds United), Frank McLintock (Arsenal), Billy Kerr (Sunderland), Martin Buchan (Manchester United) and Alan Hansen (Liverpool) spring to mind.
There have also been many Scots who have scored the winning goal in the Final down the years.
Hughie Ferguson (Cardiff City), George Mutch (Preston), Bobby Mitchell (Newcastle United), Bobby Johnstone (Manchester City), David Herd (Manchester United), Graeme Sharp (Everton), Ian Porterfield (Sunderland)and Ian St John (Liverpool), to name but a few. These won’t be added to this season. But it’s about time Scots came to the fore in the FA Cup again.