The 'magic of the FA Cup' is a cliché that gets rolled out every year when we reach the early rounds of the competition.
This is despite the fact that the FA Cup doesn't hold the same level of glory for many of the top clubs as it once did, so we often see Premier League and even Championship clubs play weaker sides to keep players fresh for the league. But in the year of a pandemic, where there is very little to celebrate, we'll take any bit of 'magic' we can get.
A HUGE goal for @chorleyfc 🏆#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/PG51OUYQks
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 9, 2021
Non-league Chorley FC from the sixth tier of English football beat Derby County 2-0 to advance to the fourth round draw, but this wasn't quite the giant-killing it may seem on paper. The entire Derby first-team squad, including manager Wayne Rooney, along with most of their under-23 players were ruled out of the tie following a Coronavirus outbreak that closed down their training ground.
So Chorley were right to fancy their chances against a young and inexperienced group of players togging out for the Championship side, and the non-leaguers booked their place in the fourth round for the first time in the club's history.
Fourth round bound, @chorleyfc 🤩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/HGJr3K5t6I
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 9, 2021
Despite the reality of Derby's weakened team on the pitch, Chorley's day still managed to produce some elements of classic cup-romance. Stories of their groundsman having to camp on the frozen pitch overnight to keep it warm enough to ensure it was playable for the noon kick-off. Live TV cameras showing a cherry-picker just outside the ground carrying some local spectators so they could catch a glimpse of the action. And most enjoyably, a rousing sing-along with the victorious players in the changing room after the game.
Chorley FC, coming in your ears 🙌pic.twitter.com/i99H6Nz12Y
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 9, 2021
It was an ambitious choice to go for Adele's 'Someone Like You' given some of the challenging high notes in the chorus, but they manage to just about pull it off. They've had plenty of singing practice on this cup run so far, as they celebrated their win in the second round in the exact same way. If they can make it all the way to Wembley, maybe Adele might turn up for a collaboration.
I present to you Adele ft. Chorley FC after their 2-1 win against Peterborough in the FA Cup second round. Love it lads 👏 pic.twitter.com/U48vqjMC48
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) November 28, 2020
A win like this for a club like Chorley will be a huge financial boost, particularly in the middle of a pandemic where many of the lower league clubs have faced huge challenges to stay afloat. The FA Cup might not hold quite the same magic as it once did, but scenes like this serve as a reminder that the competition offers a huge opportunity for lower league clubs to shine.
Chorley will look forward to another day out in the fourth round, so in the meantime they can start working on some more Adele tunes just in case.
Look how much this victory means to someone like Connor Hall and @chorleyfc 😄
Nothing but smiles as the club continues to make history...
And he wants Newcastle in the next round 👀#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/FaBUmlNGNY— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 9, 2021
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