Yeovil Town staying up is more important than winning the FA Cup

THE bedrock of Yeovil Town’s history and roots is based on glorious giant-killing acts in the FA Cup, writes Steve Sowden.

Alec Stock and the 1949 heroes of the old sloping pitch of Huish still have a massive place in the history of the Glovers – albeit their achievements have been matched and surpassed in recent years by the Yeovil teams of modern times getting into the Football League and The Championship.

But there is no doubt about it – the FA Cup is still very special to Yeovil Town and many fans of a certain age, who remember all too well when giant-killing and cup runs was the be all and end all of any season, will be eagerly-awaiting the Third Round match at Huish Park on Saturday (January 4, 2013).

Leyton Orient are the visitors and both teams will be confident of claiming a spot in the Fourth Round.

For Yeovil that achievement would be for just the third time in the club’s history with the previous excursions being that famous giant-killing win over Sunderland in 1949 and then a narrow defeat at Charlton Athletic, then of the Premier League, in 2005.

It would be a dream come true – almost an unbelievable dream to be honest – to think that Yeovil Town could win the FA Cup.

But not so long ago and it could be argued that it would be a dream come true – almost an unbelievable dream to be honest – to think that Yeovil Town would be playing league football just one division below the Premier League.

Dreams can become reality.

But if you were given the choice of either Yeovil Town winning the FA Cup or avoiding relegation what would you choose?

In any other season it would be feasible to think that Yeovil fans would snap your hand off at the thought of going to Wembley Stadium and seeing the Glovers win the FA Cup.

But the 2013-14 season is no ordinary season and Yeovil fans would dearly, I am sure, swap FA Cup glory in favour of surviving relegation from the Sky Bet Championship.

And that is the view shared by Yeovil boss Gary Johnson. “I would rather stay up than win the FA Cup,” he said.

It could be suggested that avoiding relegation would be easier than winning the FA Cup. Cynics, however, would possibly say that winning the FA Cup would be more within Yeovil’s grasp than staying up!

Perhaps Yeovil Town could do both - stay up and win the FA Cup! Now that would be a dream!

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