F.A. Cup third round this week-end

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 20

F.A. Cup third round this week-end

NZPA-Reuter London Reputation, wealth and current form will be of scant significance this week-end when England’s first and second division clubs join the great F.A. Cup free-for-all. The third round of the cup is traditionally a time of heroic deeds and everyone, from the holders, Liverpool, to tiny Caernarfon, will share the same dreams of a Wembley final. Such is the beauty of the competition that the tiny semi-professional club from

the hills of northern Wales appears to have a better chance of reaching the next round than the former kings of Europe. Caernarfon have a home tie against a struggling second division side, Barnsley, while Liverpool must face the ever dangerous Luton away from home tomorrow on an artificial pitch and in a stadium closed to visiting supporters. Old Trafford will be the theatre for the most highly

charged atmosphere when Manchester United and Manchester City temporarily put their league troubles behind them. In spite of their respective league positions of thirteenth and sixteenth, United and City will attract a crowd of over 50,000 and the sound of the tackling may reverberate across the breadth of Manchester. Newcastle’s St James' Park is the potential scene of the shock of the round. The local

club, United, struggling at the bottom of the first division, must face the runaway fourth division leaders, Northampton, who have lost just once in 24 league appearances and have already scored over 70 goals this season. The Northampton manager George Carr, born and bred in Newcastle, relishes the prospect “I have a lot of feeling for the place and it is great to know I will be taking a side there which has a chance of matching them.”