This weekend sees the return of the FA Cup, and both semi-finals will be played at Wembley. Reading take on current holders Arsenal this Saturday, with the Royals having reached their first semi-final in 88 years. Then, on Sunday, Liverpool and Aston Villa meet, with both sides having won the competition seven times. The question is: should the FA Cup semi-final be held at Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium is nearly as historic as the cup competition itself. Having hosted the final every year since 1923, apart from the seven years Wembley was under new construction, the ground has become synonymous with cup final glory and misery.
The semi-final of this competition had, until 1991, always been played at another neutral ground, with Wembley being saved for the final. Aston Villa’s Villa Park, for example, has showcased 55 FA Cup semi-finals over the years, with Manchester hosting a further 41 from Maine Road and Old Trafford respectively. Sheffield too has become synonymous with FA Cup semi-final grounds, with Bramall Lane hosting 17 until 1938, and the infamous Hillsborough hosting 34 until 1997.
The first FA Cup semi-final at the old Wembley took place in 1991, where Tottenham and Arsenal met in a highly anticipated North London Derby. Spurs won that game 3-1, and I’m sure many will remember Paul Gascoigne’s incredible free kick. The old Wembley went on to host seven semi-final ties between 1991 and 2000, with the Millennium Stadium hosting just two in its seven year association with the final. Whilst the final was in Wales, the FA decided to revert back to its previous neutral selection, with Villa Park and Old Trafford popular venues.
Prior to this weekend, the new Wembley has hosted the semi-final every year since the reconstruction was completed: fourteen in total. But fans, players, and even past players have all said that the magic of the FA Cup is reaching the Wembley final. Has some of that magic been lost on a Wembley Semi-Final?
This time last year, Football Association Chairman Greg Dyke argued that the main reason was that of a financial one, commenting: “It is about the economics of building a stadium like this and having to use it to make enough money to pay for it.” The comments came after the Football Association came under scrutiny for allowing this venue to be used for the pre-final game.
However, Dyke does have a point. After all, the reconstruction cost a reported fee in excess of £750 million. Following last season’s semi-final, in which Arsenal beat the previous season’s winners Wigan on penalties in front of 80,000 fans, Dyke stated: “It was an enormous turnout. Where would we play it to get those sort of numbers? Before adding: “You would get 40 or 50,000”, in reference to Villa Park.
Admittedly, part of the FA Cup magic is reaching the final at Wembley, and with four sets of fans due to encounter that Wembley experience this weekend, it does have an effect on the final’s glory. On the other hand this weekend, Reading are the underdogs in their tie with current holders Arsenal, and if they do end up losing in the semi-final, their players and fans alike have been treated to a rare day out at England’s national stadium.
Saturday 18th:
Reading vs Arsenal—17.20 kick off
Sunday 19th:
Aston Villa vs Liverpool—15.00 kick off
