18 Cracking Photos Of An FA Cup Institution: The Tin-Foil FA Cup

Chris Wright

5th, January 2015

1 Comment

By Chris Wright

It was most pleasing to see a healthy smattering of tin-foil FA Cups in the terraces this past third round weekend, proving that the FA Cup as a footballing folklore institution is not quite dead on its feet yet.

We love ourselves a good cardboard FA Cup effigy – it soothes our mortal souls – so lets get started with what might just be the first ever documented appearance…

Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic v Manchester United

The sixth round tie between Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Manchester United in March 1957, in case you were wondering!

Soccer - FA Cup - Third Round - West Bromwich Albion v Gateshead - The Hawthorns

3 for the price of 1: Gateshead fans hold their tin foil replicas aloft during this weekend’s third round match against West Brom

Soccer - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Everton v Swansea - Goodison Park

One young Everton fan sits with his spectacular homemade FA Cup during The Toffee’s fifth round tie against Swansea last season

Soccer - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Everton v Swansea - Goodison Park

Two more young Everton fans proudly show off their home-made effort before the very same game

Soccer - FA Cup - Final - Manchester City v Stoke City - Wembley Stadium

A Stoke City fan holds their magnificent effort aloft at Wembley, May 2011

3D sculpting is a rarity within the genre and, as such, should definitely be commended

Soccer - FA Cup - First Round - Replay - Aldershot Town v Portsmouth - Recreation Ground

Festively adorned with tinsel, Aldershot fan Sylvia poses with her foil cup before her side’s FA Cup first round replay against Portsmouth last November

Britain Soccer FA Cup

Sunderland supporter George makes his way to his seat clutching his impressively detailed FA Cup effigy for the fourth round tie against Kidderminster Harriers, 2014

Soccer - AXA FA Cup - Semi Final - Liverpool v Wycombe Wanderers

A mini replica sits festooned in Wycombe Wanderers colours during a game against Liverpool, 2001

A Leicester fan thrusts his loving creation into the air during the fourth round tie against Huddersfield, 2013

Soccer - FA Cup - Third Round - Chelsea v Macclesfield - Stamford Bridge

This Macclesfield Town fan (who appears to have commandeered Wayne Rooney’s face) holds his sizeable FA Cup replica tightly, 2007

Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Middlesbrough v Cardiff City - The Riverside Stadium

Basic but elegant: A Cardiff City fan holds up their cardboard FA Cup in the stands at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, 2008

Tamworth supporters sheepishly display their tin-foil handiwork during the third round game against Everton, 2012

Soccer - FA Cup - Final - Manchester City v Wigan Athletic - Wembley Stadium

Proper whopper: A Wigan fan holds their FA Cup aloft in stands at Wembley during the 2013 final against Man City

This creative Watford fan cleverly affixed his trophy to a stick for maximum arm-waving leverage, 2013

Soccer - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Brighton and Hove Albion v Arsenal - AMEX Stadium

Perfect silhouette: Cracking effort from a Brighton fan for the Seagulls’ fourth round tie against Arsenal, 2013

Textbook “bigger than the person holding it” effort from this young Wigan fan, 2013

Soccer - FA Cup - Final - Portsmouth v Cardiff City - Wembley Stadium

The spelling’s close, but not quite close enough!

(Photos: PA/Getty)

Posted in FA Cup, Featured, Newsnow, Photos

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1 Comment

  1. Cosa says:

    Never has a mackem ever had anything they’ve made described as ‘impressively detailed’, not even their Greggs pasty orders.

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