1992/1993
Not a good year. Cardiff were beaten in round 1 at home 2 - 3 by non league Bath City on Saturday November 14th, 1992. Incidentally City went on to win both the Division 3 title and the Welsh Cup that season under Eddie May, so it wasn't an entirely bad thing.
1993/1994
The Cup run of 93/94 was one of the best for City in recent history. It started sluggishly with a 0 - 0 draw at Enfield on Nov 13th. City scraped the replay 1 - 0 at Ninian Park with a goal from Nathan Blake. No one could have guessed how long the Bluebirds were to stay in the competition. The second round on Dec 4th was a 3 - 1 away win at Brentford including one of the most remarkable own goals you'll ever see. The prize in round 3 a home tie with Middlebrough. On Jan 8th City drew 2 - 2 with 'Boro in the driving rain, a late toe-poked goal from Garry Thompson earned a replay at Ayresome Park (goals of which are in the classic video file - link in left hand column). City won 2 - 1 after extra time, Stant scoring the opener within 10 minutes while injured, with current City captain Graham Kavanagh getting a last gasp equaliser for M'boro to take the tie into extra time. Blake squeezed the winner under Pears in the Boro goal while City rode their luck at the other end, one Boro effort was cleared by Aizlewood when clearly two foot over the goal line.
Then the Nathan Blake cup tie. Sat Jan 29th, live on BBC TV,
Cardiff 1 - 0 Man City. Nathan's goal and a penalty save by City keeper Mark Grew put City into round 5. Nathans goal is also in the classic video files, and the penalty save. A crowd of just over 20,000 saw that game. It was to end in round 5, a 2 - 1 home defeat by Luton in front of 17,296 fans. And I still haven't forgiven the linesman for the 'offside' second Luton goal.
1994/1995
Incredibly enough were drawn at Enfield again. Not so lucky this time around. City on the end of a 1 - 0 giant killing by the non leaguers.
1995/1996
Non league opposition again this season in round 1. Easy enough though as City beat Rushden and Diamonds 3 - 1 at Nene Park, notable for a Lee Jarman scoring from a free kick. Kenny Hibbitt was manager at the time and had every reason to be smug in the post match press conference as the country's media had lined up our game as a potential giant killing. Away again in the second round but an exit, 2 - 0 at Swindon Town who were at that time walking away with the Division 2 title as we languished in the lower reaches of the dungeon.
1996/1997
Home this time to non league Hendon in round 1. A 2 - 0 win set up a second round home tie with Gillingham. The game was played on Saturday 7th Dec with an evening kick off and was live on SKY. Unlike the good run of form on Sky at the moment City went down 2 - 0 in a poor performance in front of the cameras.
1997/1998
City took two attempts to overcome non league Slough in round 1, drawing 1-1 in Berkshire wearing our 'Barcelona' kit, with a Wayne O'Sullivan goal. The replay was won 3 - 2 (aet) with Steve White netting the winner. In round 2 we were drawn against Hendon for the second successive season. For the first time since the 93/94 season City made it through to round 3. Hendon were beaten 3 - 1 at Ninian Park and the reward was a home tie against Oldham. Jason Fowler scored the only goal, firing his shot in at the near post, as City beat the Latics with a team that included such greats as David Penney, Andy Saville, Mark Harris and Anthony Carss. A hailstorm at half time saw the Oldham fans on the then open Grange End catch the soaking of their lives.
Round 4 was a home tie against Reading who included Jason Bowen in their team. A 1 - 1 draw at Ninian Park in front of more than 10,000 fans was followed by a 1 - 1 draw t Elm Park, with Dale on target for the Bluebirds. An infamous night at Elm Park as over 3000 city fans made the journey to the Thames Valley. A female Reading ballgirl was injured. The national press accused City fans of being racist when in fact Jason Bowen was receiving the You Jack B******* chant. To cap it all Craig Middleton missed the vital penalty after a goalless extra time and City went out.
1998/1999
Another good cup run this year. A 6 - 0 home thumping of Chester in round 1, with Mark Delaney scoring his only ever goal for Cardiff. A 3 - 1 home win over Hendesford in round 2 was followed by a classic cup time at home to non league Yeovil in round 3. An 84th minute leveller from Kevin Nugent forced a replay. The Yeovil goal at Ninian Park came from former Bluebirds legend Carl Dale. In the replay City won 2 - 1 thanks to an extra time winner from Kevin Nugent, which has since featured on "What happened next" on BBC Question of Sport, as the goalkeeper fluffed his kick. Sir Jeff Eckhardt had a great game at Yeovil and kept the side together under immense pressure from the non-league team. In round 4 City went to Sheffield Utd. The game was played after the draw for round was made. The winners were to face Arsenal at Highbury. Half time at Bramhall Lane it was 1 - 1 but Sheff Utd were too strong and run out 4 - 1 winners. Sheff Utd went on to play Arsenal twice as the first game was replayed after Arsenal scored an 'unsportsmanlike' goal after an injury.
1999/2000
City had to overcome replays in both rounds 1 and 2 to earn an away 3rd round clash with Bolton. City drew 1 - 1 at Orient with Nugent getting our goal from the penalty spot, before beating the Londoners at Ninian 3 - 1. It was to be Bury in round 2, a 0 - 0 draw at Gigg Lane forced a replay which City won 1 - 0 with Mike Ford header in the 120th minute of the game. City went to Bolton on a foggy night just before Christmas after the planned Saturday game was called off. City lost 1 - 0 at the Reebok.
2000/2001
Another foray to round 3 this year. An Earnie hat trick live on Sky as Bristol Rovers were hammered 5 - 1 followed by a 3 - 1 home win over Cheltenham. Crewe came to Ninian Park in round 3 and would have gone home empty handed if Jason Bowen had not scored an own goal from 35 yards out to give the Cheshire side a 1 - 1 draw. The replay at Crewe on a frosty night saw City go down 2 - 1.
2001/2002
Last season. Who will ever forget. The early rounds are a struggle to remember, wins at Ninian Park over Tiverton (3-1) and Port Vale (3-0)and then the golden ticket. Premiership leaders Leeds Utd. Sunday Jan 6th. 2002. After Mark Viduka put Leeds ahead there was surely only one winner. No. Cardiff came back and Graham Kavanagh scored with a driect free kick past the despairing dive of Nigel Martyn. A last ditch Scott Young tackle look to have earned City an Elland Rd replay but Scott had one more trick up his sleeve. He pounced in the dying minutes to rifle home from close range and second division Cardiff had beaten the Premiership leaders in a a cup giant killing. Over 22,000 packed into Ninian Park and many many thousands if not millions watching worldwide on Sky. What a day. Ironically enough we went to Prenton Park for round 4 and were beaten 3 - 1 in a poor performance towards the end of Alan Cork's ill fated reign.
That was our last match in the FA Cup, and it's where we start again tomorrow. A little of the ghost of last season cup defeat was exorcised in the league win in April but the demons will be driven away completely if we can win there tomorrow.
Not a good year. Cardiff were beaten in round 1 at home 2 - 3 by non league Bath City on Saturday November 14th, 1992. Incidentally City went on to win both the Division 3 title and the Welsh Cup that season under Eddie May, so it wasn't an entirely bad thing.
1993/1994
The Cup run of 93/94 was one of the best for City in recent history. It started sluggishly with a 0 - 0 draw at Enfield on Nov 13th. City scraped the replay 1 - 0 at Ninian Park with a goal from Nathan Blake. No one could have guessed how long the Bluebirds were to stay in the competition. The second round on Dec 4th was a 3 - 1 away win at Brentford including one of the most remarkable own goals you'll ever see. The prize in round 3 a home tie with Middlebrough. On Jan 8th City drew 2 - 2 with 'Boro in the driving rain, a late toe-poked goal from Garry Thompson earned a replay at Ayresome Park (goals of which are in the classic video file - link in left hand column). City won 2 - 1 after extra time, Stant scoring the opener within 10 minutes while injured, with current City captain Graham Kavanagh getting a last gasp equaliser for M'boro to take the tie into extra time. Blake squeezed the winner under Pears in the Boro goal while City rode their luck at the other end, one Boro effort was cleared by Aizlewood when clearly two foot over the goal line.
Then the Nathan Blake cup tie. Sat Jan 29th, live on BBC TV,
Cardiff 1 - 0 Man City. Nathan's goal and a penalty save by City keeper Mark Grew put City into round 5. Nathans goal is also in the classic video files, and the penalty save. A crowd of just over 20,000 saw that game. It was to end in round 5, a 2 - 1 home defeat by Luton in front of 17,296 fans. And I still haven't forgiven the linesman for the 'offside' second Luton goal.
1994/1995
Incredibly enough were drawn at Enfield again. Not so lucky this time around. City on the end of a 1 - 0 giant killing by the non leaguers.
1995/1996
Non league opposition again this season in round 1. Easy enough though as City beat Rushden and Diamonds 3 - 1 at Nene Park, notable for a Lee Jarman scoring from a free kick. Kenny Hibbitt was manager at the time and had every reason to be smug in the post match press conference as the country's media had lined up our game as a potential giant killing. Away again in the second round but an exit, 2 - 0 at Swindon Town who were at that time walking away with the Division 2 title as we languished in the lower reaches of the dungeon.
1996/1997
Home this time to non league Hendon in round 1. A 2 - 0 win set up a second round home tie with Gillingham. The game was played on Saturday 7th Dec with an evening kick off and was live on SKY. Unlike the good run of form on Sky at the moment City went down 2 - 0 in a poor performance in front of the cameras.
1997/1998
City took two attempts to overcome non league Slough in round 1, drawing 1-1 in Berkshire wearing our 'Barcelona' kit, with a Wayne O'Sullivan goal. The replay was won 3 - 2 (aet) with Steve White netting the winner. In round 2 we were drawn against Hendon for the second successive season. For the first time since the 93/94 season City made it through to round 3. Hendon were beaten 3 - 1 at Ninian Park and the reward was a home tie against Oldham. Jason Fowler scored the only goal, firing his shot in at the near post, as City beat the Latics with a team that included such greats as David Penney, Andy Saville, Mark Harris and Anthony Carss. A hailstorm at half time saw the Oldham fans on the then open Grange End catch the soaking of their lives.
Round 4 was a home tie against Reading who included Jason Bowen in their team. A 1 - 1 draw at Ninian Park in front of more than 10,000 fans was followed by a 1 - 1 draw t Elm Park, with Dale on target for the Bluebirds. An infamous night at Elm Park as over 3000 city fans made the journey to the Thames Valley. A female Reading ballgirl was injured. The national press accused City fans of being racist when in fact Jason Bowen was receiving the You Jack B******* chant. To cap it all Craig Middleton missed the vital penalty after a goalless extra time and City went out.
1998/1999
Another good cup run this year. A 6 - 0 home thumping of Chester in round 1, with Mark Delaney scoring his only ever goal for Cardiff. A 3 - 1 home win over Hendesford in round 2 was followed by a classic cup time at home to non league Yeovil in round 3. An 84th minute leveller from Kevin Nugent forced a replay. The Yeovil goal at Ninian Park came from former Bluebirds legend Carl Dale. In the replay City won 2 - 1 thanks to an extra time winner from Kevin Nugent, which has since featured on "What happened next" on BBC Question of Sport, as the goalkeeper fluffed his kick. Sir Jeff Eckhardt had a great game at Yeovil and kept the side together under immense pressure from the non-league team. In round 4 City went to Sheffield Utd. The game was played after the draw for round was made. The winners were to face Arsenal at Highbury. Half time at Bramhall Lane it was 1 - 1 but Sheff Utd were too strong and run out 4 - 1 winners. Sheff Utd went on to play Arsenal twice as the first game was replayed after Arsenal scored an 'unsportsmanlike' goal after an injury.
1999/2000
City had to overcome replays in both rounds 1 and 2 to earn an away 3rd round clash with Bolton. City drew 1 - 1 at Orient with Nugent getting our goal from the penalty spot, before beating the Londoners at Ninian 3 - 1. It was to be Bury in round 2, a 0 - 0 draw at Gigg Lane forced a replay which City won 1 - 0 with Mike Ford header in the 120th minute of the game. City went to Bolton on a foggy night just before Christmas after the planned Saturday game was called off. City lost 1 - 0 at the Reebok.
2000/2001
Another foray to round 3 this year. An Earnie hat trick live on Sky as Bristol Rovers were hammered 5 - 1 followed by a 3 - 1 home win over Cheltenham. Crewe came to Ninian Park in round 3 and would have gone home empty handed if Jason Bowen had not scored an own goal from 35 yards out to give the Cheshire side a 1 - 1 draw. The replay at Crewe on a frosty night saw City go down 2 - 1.
2001/2002
Last season. Who will ever forget. The early rounds are a struggle to remember, wins at Ninian Park over Tiverton (3-1) and Port Vale (3-0)and then the golden ticket. Premiership leaders Leeds Utd. Sunday Jan 6th. 2002. After Mark Viduka put Leeds ahead there was surely only one winner. No. Cardiff came back and Graham Kavanagh scored with a driect free kick past the despairing dive of Nigel Martyn. A last ditch Scott Young tackle look to have earned City an Elland Rd replay but Scott had one more trick up his sleeve. He pounced in the dying minutes to rifle home from close range and second division Cardiff had beaten the Premiership leaders in a a cup giant killing. Over 22,000 packed into Ninian Park and many many thousands if not millions watching worldwide on Sky. What a day. Ironically enough we went to Prenton Park for round 4 and were beaten 3 - 1 in a poor performance towards the end of Alan Cork's ill fated reign.
That was our last match in the FA Cup, and it's where we start again tomorrow. A little of the ghost of last season cup defeat was exorcised in the league win in April but the demons will be driven away completely if we can win there tomorrow.