No ordinary suburban Sunday as Sutton produce Cup magic
By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - The corrugated stands shook, 'Que Sera Sera' rang out in time-honoured fashion and ecstatic fans danced for joy in the rain with absolutely no intention of going home.
This, evidently, was no ordinary Sunday afternoon in suburbia.
For on a weekend in which the FA Cup's reputation for shocks and romance was embellished again, it was National League (fifth tier) Sutton United who offered the most captivating evidence that the competition's old magic still exists.
Forty-seven years after a mighty Leeds United side managed by Don Revie arrived at the same quaint Gander Green Lane ground in the suburbs of south London and dished out a 6-0 drubbing, Sutton had their revenge in front of 5,000 fans and millions watching around the world on live TV.
A second-half penalty by skipper Jamie Collins, a builder by trade, earned them a 1-0 win against the Championship (second-tier) side 84 rungs higher up the English football ladder.
Now, Sutton enter the fifth round for the first time, along with the likes of Cup thoroughbreds Arsenal, Chelsea and holders Manchester United. There is no doubt they deserve to be there.
Their win stirred memories of 1989 when they put out the then top-flight side Coventry City. Only this time there was not a dollop of mud to be seen, thanks to a state-of-the art 3G synthetic surface paid for by volunteer manager Paul Doswell.
Playing intelligent passing football against an admittedly second-string Leeds side, they could have won by more than the spot kick coolly dispatched by Collins after the exciting Roarie Deacon had been bundled over in the box.
"This has to be the biggest day in our history," Doswell told reporters. "We have had the glory days in the past, but want to make a modern history with this team.
"After 10 minutes I knew we had a big chance today. We lost 6-0 47 years ago -- so we've made some progress."
In Deacon they had the most impressive player on the pitch and only several superb saves by Leeds keeper Marco Silvestri and a hairline offside decision denied him a goal he deserved.
Former Cup winners Leeds were there for the taking as manager Garry Monk fielded a side of youngsters, giving Billy Whitehouse and Paul McKay unlikely baptisms of fire.
Rightly or wrongly, Monk's priority is not on Cup romance but a Championship promotion race and the prospect of a return to the Premier League that Leeds vacated in financial disarray in 2004.
Not that Sutton's fans cared about any of that as they serenaded their heroes long after the whistle with renditions of Beatles classics in the club bar filled to bursting.
The party might still be going when Monday's last-16 draw takes place. Sutton will be hoping for a huge pay-day to top up the 500,000 pounds ($628,150.00) they have already earned from the Cup run.
"If we get a big draw it's a game-changer for the club," Doswell told reporters up the main stand. "The stand is leaking, we had water in the electric room yesterday. That's the reality.
"It's an old lady of a ground and needs a bit of upkeep.
"We would love to have one Chelsea, Manchester United, one of the big boys down here. That would be unbelievable."
Whatever their adventure takes them next, however, Doswell is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
"None of the Cup money will go on signing players," Doswell said. "We have no ambitions to be a League Two club. It will go on the infrastructure. The National League is the right league for us. We haven't got the capacity to be a League Two club.
"Being a League Two manager holds no interest for me. This job is not a CV enhancer, it's a passion."
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(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ian Chadband)