Post by GasMacc1 on Nov 30, 2016 7:20:50 GMT
Our Name is Not on the Cup
Even after our best FA Cup performances, I’m sure not many Rovers fans have ever wondered whether our name is on the Cup. But we’ve had some creditable runs. Five stand out.
The best Cup run was in 2008, when we went through six rounds, including the ultimate reality check at the Memorial Stadium against West Bromwich Albion. Fulham and Southampton had fared no better than Leyton Orient, Rushden and Barnet against us in the Cup that season.
Less celebrated, though, is the five-match run in 1998-99. Rovers brushed aside Welling, Exeter, Rotherham and Leyton Orient before crashing out at Barnsley.
We also enjoyed decent FA Cup campaigns of four matches in three other seasons.
In 1986, the win over Leicester at Eastville came after away wins at Brentford and Swansea, both in the same division (third-tier) as Rovers at the time. A third away game, at Luton, proved too much.
The historic victory at Premier League Derby in 2002 followed wins against Aldershot and Plymouth. If ever a name typified Rovers' luck of the draw, it’s “Gillingham”. As unfashionable then as now, but two divisions higher than us at the time, Gillingham eliminating us at the Priestfield Stadium was a squeak after the roar at Pride Park.
The radar has also missed our other four-game run in the period; in the 2007 competition, we put out Barrow, Bournemouth and Hereford, before giving Derby the chance to restore natural order.
So we’ve had some good runs in the Cup, but on 21 occasions since 1969-70, we’ve been knocked out in the first round at which we entered the competition. At least we could then concentrate on the League.
Even after our best FA Cup performances, I’m sure not many Rovers fans have ever wondered whether our name is on the Cup. But we’ve had some creditable runs. Five stand out.
The best Cup run was in 2008, when we went through six rounds, including the ultimate reality check at the Memorial Stadium against West Bromwich Albion. Fulham and Southampton had fared no better than Leyton Orient, Rushden and Barnet against us in the Cup that season.
Less celebrated, though, is the five-match run in 1998-99. Rovers brushed aside Welling, Exeter, Rotherham and Leyton Orient before crashing out at Barnsley.
We also enjoyed decent FA Cup campaigns of four matches in three other seasons.
In 1986, the win over Leicester at Eastville came after away wins at Brentford and Swansea, both in the same division (third-tier) as Rovers at the time. A third away game, at Luton, proved too much.
The historic victory at Premier League Derby in 2002 followed wins against Aldershot and Plymouth. If ever a name typified Rovers' luck of the draw, it’s “Gillingham”. As unfashionable then as now, but two divisions higher than us at the time, Gillingham eliminating us at the Priestfield Stadium was a squeak after the roar at Pride Park.
The radar has also missed our other four-game run in the period; in the 2007 competition, we put out Barrow, Bournemouth and Hereford, before giving Derby the chance to restore natural order.
So we’ve had some good runs in the Cup, but on 21 occasions since 1969-70, we’ve been knocked out in the first round at which we entered the competition. At least we could then concentrate on the League.
