FA Cup Final Trivia by the Numbers by Dan Smith
So, Cup Final Week really isn’t what it used to be, is it?
By now, as a child, I would have listened to the team song they just released, I know what suits they wear for the big day and reporters would be outside hotels feeding us team news.
So, I had to entertain myself…
I was set a challenge to find curious facts about the 2020 Final through the numbers. We decided 1-13 as that’s how many times we lifted the famous old cup.
This took ages – feel free to use in a quiz one day.
1- Arteta will be the first manager in 23 years to lead out a side at Wembley in his debut season as a manager. It was last done by Ruud Gullit in 1997 who like the Arsenal boss had played for the club he now was in charge of (Chelsea).
2- This is quite a sad Statistic. Since 1995 only one English manager has lifted the FA cup. Frank Lampard will try and make it 2. Who is the other English coach he’s trying to emulate? Ironically, it’s his Uncle Harry.
3- It might surprise you to know that this is only the third time Arsenal and Chelsea will meet in the FA Cup Final. We won the other two occasions, 2-0 in 2002 and 2-1 in 2017. Can we make it a hat-trick on Saturday?
4- Arteta is looking to become the 4th Spanish representative to lift the FA cup as manager. Outside of Britain, that would still put Spain 1 win below Italy. The Italians have had 5 managers lift the famous trophy.
5- Giroud is looking to win an incredible 5th FA Cup in 6 years. The cruel irony is that 3 of his medals were with Arsenal. Win number 5 would tie the striker in second place for most FA Cups. The record is 7 and belongs conveniently to a left back who played for both Arsenal and Chelsea – Ashley Cole.
6 – This might come as shock for a competition over 100 years old but there has only ever been 6 previous London Derbies in FA Cup Finals.
Spurs vs Chelsea
West Ham Fulham
West Ham – Arsenal
Spurs vs QPR
Arsenal vs Chelsea (twice)
7- It’s quite an exclusive club when it comes to nationalities who have won the FA Cup as manager. Only 7 nationalities have won it – English, Scottish, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese. Obviously, that won’t change this year.
8- While 17 men have won the FA Cup as player and manager, only 8 did both with the same club. One way or the other those numbers will soon change to 18 and 9, respectively.
9- Since lockdown clubs have been allowed up to 9 on the bench meaning the 2020 Final makes history for the most subs ever.
For you history buffs, the chance to make 1 change was introduced in 1966 but only for an injury. A year later it was extended to 2 so managers could have one option for an injury but also 1 for tactical reasons.
By 95 it was 3 but one had to be a keeper, but that was quietly dropped.
From 96 – 09, it was 5, since then we got used to 7. Now 9- I guess more people get a chance to play in a Cup Final.
10- Not including Spurs squatting there in the Prem, Arsenal have won an impressive 10 out of 13 games at the ‘New Wembley’. Taking the buildings whole history into account no one has played there more than our 53 occasions.
12 – This is a great trivia quiz question..
Some might remember Wales hosting the FA Cup Final while England’s national stadium was being rebuilt, but in fact as many as 12 stadiums have hosted the event at least once.
They include:
Wembley – London
Stamford Bridge – London
The Oval – London
Lille Bridge Grounds – London
Crystal Palace Sports Centre – London
Millennium Stadium – Cardiff
Old Trafford – Manchester
Bramall Lane – Sheffield
Goodison Park- Liverpool
Burnden Park – Bolton
Fallowfield Stadium – Manchester
County Cricket Ground – Derby
13 – So you know how we all hope winning the FA Cup could be something for a rookie manager and young squad to try and build on, well I did some research which took me a long time. Using the start of the Prem in 1992/1993 as my starting point of the 26 winners of the FA Cup 13 (so half) go on to win another trophy the following year.
Got your yellow Ribbons Ready peeps because we going to Wembley (I’m so nervous)….
Dan Smith