Many fans see the glamour and excitement behind a run in either the FA Cup or the League Cup.
Both have such great tradition and the FA Cup, in particular, holds some brilliant memories for West Ham fans. It has, however, been a long time since a Hammers captain got his hands on a cup trophy. But there would be cause for concern if Allardyce was to risk Premier League safety for a cup run, as shown in recent years by Birmingham City and this season Wigan Athletic, winning a trophy can seriously jeopardise your club’s league position.
With the financial wonders on offer with a place in the top flight of English football, there have been many teams who now field second string sides in the cups, this season we’ve bowed out of each cup at the first hurdle, following a humiliating defeats to Wigan Athletic and Manchester United. There is no doubting that winning a cup gives a club a great day out with unrivalled joy, especially compared to the safe and slow finish to the season for West Ham in their return to the Premier League, but to risk our top flight status and possibly have to endure another season or more in the Championship could financially bring the club to its knees and would be the worst possible scenario ahead of the club’s move to the Olympic Stadium.
West Ham last reached the latter stages of the cup in the 2010-11 season that culminated in a semi-final battle where the Hammers exited at the hands of eventual winners Birmingham City. Prior to that, Alan Pardew led the side to Cardiff in 2006 to face Liverpool in what was one of, if not the most exciting cup final in English football for years.
A day out at Wembley is incredible, as Hammers fans know with our most recent visit where West Ham beat Blackpool in a tense final to secure our return to the Barclays Premier League. The memories that a cup run, especially the traditional FA Cup, holds for West Ham are some of our best moments in history, the Ron Greenwood side of 1964, the last team to win the trophy with an all-English side under John Lyall in 1975, and being the last side to win the cup without being in the top flight of English football in the 1980 FA Cup win over Arsenal.
But with the financial importance on staying in the Premier League it might not be best for Allardyce to go all guns blazing next season for a cup run, though it would be great to see, don’t bank on it happening as Sam looks to restrict any second season syndrome that might hit the Hammers.
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