Emirates FA Cup trophy visits Coventry, London and Manchester ahead of semi-finals

Friday 19 Apr 2024
Founder of Chelsea’s Muslim Supporters Group Zoheb Gaj with the Emirates FA Cup at Stamford Bridge

The Emirates FA Cup’s famous trophy was on the road earlier this week to visit the home cities of this season’s semi-finalists before their games over the weekend at Wembley Stadium connected by EE.

The historic silverware started its tour in Coventry on Tuesday, and featured in a fan forum that was broadcast on BBC CWR and BBC Midlands Today from Coventry City’s sports bar, the Sky Blue Tavern, and hosted by presenters Rob Gurney and Lorna Bailey.

The oversubscribed event gave 250 fans of the EFL Championship side a chance to have their photos taken with the Cup, and to hear stories from club legends Dave Bennett and Micky Gynn about their triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987 Final.

The tour continued on Wednesday in London with a trip to talkSPORT where presenters Paul Hawksbee and Andy Jacobs discussed Chelsea’s chances with their former defender and winner of the competition in 1997, Scott Minto.

Members of the Chelsea walking football team with the Cup at Stamford Bridge ahead of the weekend's semi-final

From there, the trophy travelled west for a live preview show from Stamford Bridge by BBC London. Presenter Nick Godwin and former player Sam Parkin discussed the match with the Evening Standard’s Nizaar Kinsella, Chelsea’s club historian Rick Glanvill, the founder of Chelsea’s Muslim Supporters Group Zoheb Gaj, and the Chelsea Foundation’s Walking Football Team.

The tour culminated at the National Football Museum in Manchester on Thursday, where fans from both the red and blue sides of the city were invited to an audience with Alex Stepney and Paul Dickov live on BBC Manchester. The United and City heroes were interviewed by presenters Gaz Drinkwater and Emily Brobyn, and debated the possibilities of both sides progressing to recreate last season’s historic Manchester derby Final.

The tour reached Manchester, where United legend Alex Stepney and City favourite Paul Dickov spoke about this weekend's games

Two lucky fans from all four of the competing clubs were also treated to tickets for this weekend’s semi-finals, with live competition giveaways hosted on BBC CWR, London and Manchester.

You can listen to coverage of these semi-finals on BBC Radio 5 Live, talkSPORT, and the BBC local radios.

WHERE TO WATCH THE EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL AROUND THE WORLD
By Communications department