Football FanCast columnist Jerome Johnstone looks back at the great cup finals of yesteryear and wonders which one has the right to be considered the greatest in modern times.

It used to be one of the greatest days in football and the showpiece of the English game. You use to get up at 8am and you will have extensive coverage from the build up, from players having breakfast, getting on the coach and the trip to Wembley.

They were also the days when getting to a cup final was a real achievement and the thought of playing in the great stadium on cup final day actually meant something to the players. Unfortunately those days have gone forever and the mystique has gone from what once was considered, the world's greatest cup competition.

Today's game was billed to be one of the worst cup finals of all time and my word it didn't disappoint and was right up there with some of the real mingers we have had over the years. There seems to be a growing trend these days with finals and I really can't put my finger on why it is. We were reminiscing in the pub after the game about the great finals of yesteryear and we came up with three that had us all split in opinion as to which was the greatest:

1981 - Spurs 3-2 Manchester City
This will always be remembered as a special occasion. Not only the 100th cup final, it was the first ever to go to a replay and produced two of what many consider being the finest goals in FA Cup history. This game simply had everything and the hero of the hour was Ricardo Villa. The Argentine on the Saturday was substituted and made an infamous walk down towards the tunnel in disgust but come the Thursday he was a revelation.

Enjoy:





2006 - The Gerrard Final
If Steven Gerrard has ever put in a better performance in a Liverpool shirt then I haven't seen it. It is known as the Gerrard final and always will be for the sheer display of guts, passion, determination and two fantastic strikes - the last a 35yrd speculative shot in the dying seconds. West Ham more than played their part in a final which ended up being decided by a penalty shootout. It will be rightly remembered for years to come and the game will surely be remembered as Stevie G' finest hour.

Enjoy:




1987 - Coventry 3-2 Spurs
Before Wimbledon produced their heroics the following this year this was rightly considered the biggest giant killing in the competition's history. Spurs were simply one of the country's best, whilst Coventry were a mid table side that really offered no significant threat. This game like in 1981 had all the twists and turns as John Sillet's side came back twice before the unfortunate Gary Mabbutt deflected Lloyd McGrath's shot into his own net. It was a tremendous final and will always be remembered for Keith Houchen's diving header.

Enjoy:

So after the dreary afternoon's football, I hope these three games have brought some good memories back to what a cup final is really about. Three great games but which one should be considered the greatest FA Cup final in recent memory?