Never lucky enough to get a Cup Final ticket I used to get all my gear on, shirt, hat, sweat bands, scarf, and go and meet my Mum from work at lunchtimes on Cup Final day proud to wear my colours. People would smile and acknowledge me, there would be a bit of friendly banter and a few good lucks, and I would wait with anticipation for the game to start. I thought those days would never end, but they did.
We've lost the last 6 FA Cup Semi-Finals we have competed in. That's almost as many as we have won! I have seen us get humiliated by Chelsea (5-1), seen Arsenal beat us twice, the humiliation of losing to Portsmouth and seen Newcastle destroy any hopes I had.
Its got to the stage where I ever wondered if we would get to the final again. Since the late 90's the Cup final has been dominated by Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd, oh there has been the odd upset, Wigan beating Man City and Portsmouth winning it as well, but we were never able to get there.
When Arsenal were buying Viera and Henry, we were buying Jason Dozzell and Ronnie Rosenthal, great blokes I'm sure but shit for us. When Man Utd had Giggs and Beckham we had Rohan Ricketts and Simon Davies, when Chelsea had Lampard and Drogba we had Arron Lennon and Sandro.
To say we couldn't compete and were shit is a real understatement. Then this little Argie bloke, who had done a half decent job at Southampton gets the job and WOW we are competitive once again! Through shrewd signings and developing youngsters we now sit at the top table for the first time in a generation.
People take us seriously, they believe we can win the FA Cup and beat Chelsea and so do I. This team isn't the old Spurs side that have lost 6 Semi-Finals, this Spurs side is special and I believe good enough to beat Chelsea Saturday, get to the Final and win the Cup.
A club that had such a tradition of winning the FA Cup, of great games and players, totally lost its way and we as supporters have suffered some really terrible games and players down the years. I was so proud of our record of winning the most FA Cups as a kid, now we don't talk about it because of whats happened in the past.
We are all so scared to believe that we may actually get there that you are shouted down if you mention it, in case you jinx it, total bollocks all of it. Me thinking we are going to win Saturday doesn't mean we are bound to lose and doesn't mean it will be my fault if we do. Its football that is what happens. Games are decided by 22 players and 2 managers not because Fat John has his lucky pants on, or Divy Dave has washed his nuts with his left hand because the last time he did we won a game.
However saying that I believe we will win because of the law of 7. 7 is seen as a lucky number, we are in the year that ends in 7, this will be our 7th Semi-Final appearance since winning it and we've won it 8 times, okay it doesn't quite fit but you get the point. See, its in the stars people!!!
Enjoy Saturday for what it is, A FA CUP SEMI-FINAL. I believe well win, Ive said it from the start Ive a feeling well do it. I hope I'm right. Now wheres my lucky pants and have I cut my nails on my left hand before I was my nuts?
