Quarter-finals this weekend 

©TM/IMAGO

Following the March international break, English club football will resume this weekend with the FA Cup quarter-finals. Across the last 29 seasons, only three teams outside of the traditional ‘Big six’ teams have won the FA Cup – Portsmouth in 2008, Wigan in 2011 and Leicester in 2021. It’s been a competition dominated by England’s most successful modern clubs. However, this season things could be different. Manchester City are the only ‘Big six’ team left in the last eight, and even Pep Guardiola’s juggernauts have had numerous problems this campaign. Elsewhere fans of other clubs can start dreaming of Wembley glory.

Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Fulham and Brighton have all enjoyed great Premier League campaigns and remain in the hunt for the European places, as well as being in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Aston Villa are on an upward trajectory under Unai Emery and will be hoping to make it to Wembley in May. Crystal Palace also remain in the hunt, as do Championship side Preston. So there is a strong possibility this year’s winner could be a side who haven’t tasted FA Cup glory for sometime or maybe even never. So how long has the wait been for each remaining side? The quarter-final fixtures are as follows: Fulham v Crystal Palace, Brighton v Nottingham Forest, Preston vs Aston Villa, Bournemouth v Manchester City.

How long has it been since each FA Cup quarter-finalist last won it?

As illustrated in the graphic above, four of the remaining eight teams in this season’s FA Cup have never won it in their entire history. For each of Brighton, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Fulham it would be their first FA Cup triumph. Palace made it to the final twice, being beaten by Manchester United in both the 1989/1990 and 2015/2016 seasons. Brighton were also beaten by Man United in their maiden final in the 1982/83 season. Fulham lost to West Ham in the 1974/75 final, whilst Bournemouth have never even made it to a final to date.

For the other sides, barring Man City, it’s also been a long old wait. Preston were a successful side back in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. They won the English top-flight twice, and the FA Cup twice, but with their last FA Cup triumph coming in the 1937/38 season, 87 years ago. Aston Villa have waited 68 years for FA Cup glory – they beat Man United in the 1956/57 campaign. Whilst Nottingham Forest were last champions 66 years ago in the 1959/60 season, beating Luton in the final. For Man City, its been a very different story. They have won it three times in the last 13 years, and seven times in total. Nevertheless, they have looked well off the boil this term, which could represent a real opportunity for the other remaining sides.