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FA Cup Final | 17th May 2008 | Portsmouth vs Cardiff City | KO 15:00 | Ground: Wembley

FA Cup final preview

Cardiff and Portsmouth hope for fitting finale

skysports.com preview:



Cardiff City and Portsmouth meet at Wembley on Saturday to contest the 126th FA Cup final.


This season the Football Association's flagship competition has thrown up more shocks, upsets and spectacles than even a soap opera scriber with a taste for the dramatic could concoct.


As Cardiff and Pompey prepare to cross swords at the home of English football, hopes are high for a fitting finale to a fabulous year for the world's oldest and most illustrious knock-out tournament.


It has been suggested that the infamous magic of the FA Cup has been buried six feet under for many-a-year following the 13-season monopoly of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.


But this weekend's final has sparked flashbacks to yesteryear as plucky Championship underdogs Cardiff prepare to do battle with Premier League opponents and popular favourites Pompey.


Showdown


Non-league Havant & Waterlooville's fourth round exploits at Anfield will sit fondly in the memory, while giant-killers Barnsley eliminating Liverpool and Chelsea earns recognition, but if Cardiff manager Dave Jones is the man with his hands on the silverware come Saturday evening that would deservedly be hailed as the greater achievement.


The Bluebirds have accounted for Chasetown, Hereford, Wolves, Middlesbrough and semi-final opponents Barnsley on their way and Jones will now be calling on his Welsh club to produce one last effort in a bid to replicate the 1927 victory which forced the FA to rename the English Cup.


Jones will offer wily striking veteran Robbie Fowler, who has sampled previous cup final heartbreak and joy with Liverpool in 1996 and 2001 respectively, a late opportunity to prove his fitness as he looks to secure every possible weapon in his arsenal.


Fowler has not played for five months following hip surgery, but the former England international is to undergo a fitness test in a bid to secure a place on the bench.


Fellow forward Paul Parry came through his return from a hamstring problem against Barnsley a fortnight ago and will partner Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in attack, while highly-rated winger Joe Ledley could be making his last appearance before a summer transfer.


Renaissance


Pompey boss Harry Redknapp, though, will have no room for nostalgia as he prepares for a first FA Cup final appearance in over 40 years as a player and a manager.


Redknapp has more than done his bit for the renaissance of the competition as, having already steered Pompey to successes against Ipswich, Plymouth and Preston, his South Coast outfit notched another of this term's great upsets with a stunning 1-0 quarter-final victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.


Few could therefore begrudge Redknapp a chance for glory and Pompey - who have lifted the cup once before in 1939 - undoubtedly deserve their final place following a comfortable defeat of domestic second tier winners West Brom in the last four.


Cup-tied striker Jermain Defoe will continue to be absent, but goalkeeper David James (calf) and skipper Sol Campbell (hamstring) are fit to return.


Nwankwo Kanu looks certain to lead the attack, possibly with Nigerian compatriot John Utaka on the wing or on-loan Milan Baros as chief support despite no goals for the Czech Republic international in 15 appearances.


Another striker, David Nugent, should be fit to join the squad after a groin strain, while Papa Bouba Diop sweats on a midfield place after being left out in the Premier League last week against Fulham.



Match Officials:


Referee: Mike Dean (Cheshire FA)

Assistant Referees: Trevor Massey (Manchester FA) & Martin Yerby (Kent FA)

Fourth Official: Chris Foy (Liverpool FA)

FA Cup final facts and figures







Key facts and figures ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley.



- Saturday's final is the 127th since the competition began in the 1871-72 season. Although Portsmouth first entered the FA Cup in 1899 and Cardiff in 1910, they have never played each other in the competition before.


- Manchester United have appeared in a record 18 finals, winning the competition a record 11 times. This will be Portsmouth's fourth appearance in the final, and Cardiff's third.


- Portsmouth's only victory was in 1939 when they upset hot favourites Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 in the last final to be played before World War Two. Their other appearances ended in a 2-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers in 1929 and a 2-1 loss to Manchester City in 1934.


- As a result of winning the cup in 1939, Portsmouth held it for the next seven years until the competition re-started in 1945-46 -- the longest any club has managed to keep the cup for.


- Cardiff famously became the first, and so far only club, from outside England to win the FA Cup when they beat Arsenal 1-0 in 1927. Their only other appearance was in 1925 when they lost 1-0 to Sheffield United. The Cup final hymn Abide With Me was first sung at the 1927 final.


- Portsmouth's record FA Cup win came in the first match they played in the competition, beating Ryde from the Isle of Wight 10-0 in a first qualifying round match in 1899. Their record win in the competition proper was a 7-0 victory over Stockport County in 1949.


- Cardiff's record win came in 1931 when they beat non-league Enfield 8-0. On their way to this season's final Cardiff were losing to non-League Chasetown in the third round before recovering to beat them 3-1.


- Cardiff were involved in an extraordinary FA Cup coincidence in the 1950s. They were drawn to play away at Leeds United in three successive third round matches in 1955-56, 1956-57 and 1957-58. Cardiff won all three games 2-1.


- Cardiff are attempting to become the first club from outside the top division to win the FA Cup since West Ham United of the second division beat Arsenal in 1980. In total there have only been eight winners from outside the top division since league football began in 1888-89.


- Portsmouth were the only Premier League club to reach the semi-finals of this season's competition. If they had failed to beat West Bromwich Albion at Wembley in last month's semi, the final would have been the first to be contested between two clubs from outside the top division.

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any help with other news, statistics or any other stuff about the final is well welcomed.

hoping that i'll not talk alone here.

LE: Poll added too.