DOES THE FA CUP MATTER?

Reading striker Dave Kitson was become the latest football to come out and claim the FA Cup does not matter to Reading - but is he right?

Few could argue with his point that the Royals will be focused on Premier League survival, just as the teams at the top would favour the Premier League trophy to a day out at the new Wembley.

But just look at what the FA Cup can do for the reputation of a team - Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Everton are all clubs with great FA Cups traditions - associated with playing attractive football and entertaining their large fan bases.

What Kitson does not consider is the romance of the most famous cup competition in the world. Kids everywhere dream of lifting the trophy that has so much history behind it.

Teams such as Middlesborough, Bolton and Wigan who consistantly fail to pack out their stadiums would do well to remember that an FA Cup ran can inspire and bring together the whole city in a way that is otherwise impossible.

The big money may be in the Premier League, but for the purists, the FA Cup stills holds more romance than any other competition in world football.