The Fleeting Magic of the F.A. Cup

Accrington Stanley hosted Ispwich Town in one of dozens of third-round F.A. Cup matches played over the weekend.
"ACCRINGTON, England — Andy Holt is standing at the door to the bar, watching the celebrations unfold. On the field, Accrington Stanley’s players are in the middle of an impromptu lap of honor, pumping their fists and beaming broad smiles. John Coleman, their manager, is conducting the crowd’s chanting, soaking in their adulation. Holt, the club’s owner, does not seek to join them, to bask in their reflected glory. But still, as fans start to leave, a steady stream heads toward him, hands outstretched, wanting to offer their congratulations, or share their glee. He greets each one like an old friend. ... On one level, that is what the F.A. Cup means to a club like Accrington Stanley, and to a chairman like Holt. Though Coleman’s team is now thriving in League One — English soccer’s third tier — it is doing so on a fourth-tier budget. ..."
NY Times

Watford won at Woking in the third round. To many fans, the chance to glimpse a Premier League opponent up close is still the best part of the third round.