Comment: Don't let us down now City

Last updated : 20 March 2006 By Ben Collins
I was 18 months old the last time we made it into an FA Cup semi-final (although we did go on to reach the final) so I think I - and the rest of you - are due a good run.

I was there for the last quarter-final we made in 1993, but that's best forgotten really, isn't it.

The match with Spurs (again!) marked the opening of the brand-spanking new Platt Lane Stand (although now called the Umbro Stand) so hopes were high, and things really did look good when Mike Sheron gave us an early lead.

However, as we've become accustomed to, it all went wrong in calamitous circumstances. Spurs managed to go 2-1 up by half-time, then 4-1 up, and then there was a pitch invasion and horses peeing on the pitch.

Spurs could have scored 5 when Teddy Sheringham missed a penalty - he later said he'd done it deliberately to avoid another pitch invasion - and 'we've got that' Terry Phelan scored probably the best goal of his career but all it did was make the final score 4-2.

Very eventful, as it promises to be again tonight, but ultimately we were out of the FA Cup and that's pretty much been it for us in the Cup for the last 13 years (apart from the odd humbling, the Old Trafford robbery and the best comeback ever, of course).

The only other time we've made the last 8 since the 1981 Final was in 1988, when we were in the old Division 2 and were up against eventual Division 1 champions Liverpool. Not surprisingly we were beaten 4-0 at home.

So, just our third FA Cup quarter-final since 1981 and our 1st for 13 years, is it any wonder we're all getting excited about tonight's game?

However, I think some of us are in danger of looking too far ahead. I've heard people already talking about Cardiff, which would be fantastic, but we've yet to beat West Ham.

We all know full well how City like to let us down when it's there for the taking - just look at last season's 'UEFA Cup play-off' with Middlesbrough. At least last season we can say they gave it their all, and if it does all go disastrously wrong tonight, I just hope we can say that again and not have to witness another shocking performance like we had against Wigan on Sat.

But let's stop worrying. A home win against West Ham is all that stands between us and a semi-final in Cardiff - boys, please don't let us down!!