THIS is what Saturday was all about!!

From the Telegraph

"A side assembled for £1 million took the lead against a visiting Chelsea XI costing £100 million, and they then protected that lead with their lives as all around shouted "Yorkshire, Yorkshire". As the late siege of Luke Steele's goalmouth deepened, a Barnsley child in the stands clutched his Thomas the Tank Engine bag tightly for reassurance, occasionally using it as a shield to obscure the sight of Chelsea's scary attacks. When the day was won, the bag flew to the heavens. That was the moment a Yorkshire lad fell in love with football for life. The Cup has that effect."

Love it!!!

 

henry winter,top journalist nt

 

I'll second that. Telegraph sports coverage I think is the best.

 

The Full Article

On the weekend that downstairs stormed upstairs, similar defiance to Portsmouth's against Ferguson's United could be discovered at Oakwell.

A side assembled for £1 million took the lead against a visiting Chelsea XI costing £100 million, and they then protected that lead with their lives as all around shouted "Yorkshire, Yorkshire". As the late siege of Luke Steele's goalmouth deepened, a Barnsley child in the stands clutched his Thomas the Tank Engine bag tightly for reassurance, occasionally using it as a shield to obscure the sight of Chelsea's scary attacks. When the day was won, the bag flew to the heavens. That was the moment a Yorkshire lad fell in love with football for life. The Cup has that effect.

Barnsley's impressive young manager, Simon Davey, spoke for all outside the roped-off area of the glitterati when he enthused about the lower orders' fervour for the Cup.

"We hope we have put the Cup back up there on its pedestal," said Davey, as the Thomas the Tank Engine bag was reunited with its owner and police and stewards ushered jubilant Barnsley fans off the pitch.

"It has always been a top Premier League team side, a United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea who have won the Cup. We put Liverpool out and now Chelsea. We are making dreams come true. We are putting the magic back in the Cup."

The numbers give substance to Davey's words, to the whiff of revolution in the air. Of the 248 semi-finalists since the War, 72 have worn the colours from United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, with 29 of the 62 trophies falling to that leading quartet. Not since 1987 have one of the Big Four failed to feature in the semis. Throw in Tottenham and Everton and the last time the elite were not represented in the final four was 1975.

The Cup runneth over with joy everywhere. In the BBC bus parked in the Oakwell car-park, familiar faces who know their way to Wembley, illustrious former professionals like Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer and Mark Lawrenson, nibbled on crisps and feasted on the extraordinary event they had just covered. A Barnsley fan walked past with a banner celebrating the Beeb's presence. "Bring Back Lawro's Tash" it read.

The Cup is certainly back in fashion. "Look at the stadium," Davey told his players before kick-off as Oakwell shook with passion. "Look at the supporters. Look at the players you are playing against - and don't miss today. Be focused. These occasions don't come along often. Make sure when you read the papers in the morning, they are talking about you not them."

The more lionised the elite are, the more money the Anelkas and Ballacks earn, and the more vain and histrionic some become, the more teams like Barnsley crave this chance to prove their own worth. "We went out there knowing all our families and friends were watching," reflected Barnsley's outstanding full-back, Rob Kozluk. "They're the people you don't want to let down, not just yourself."

Kozluk kept throwing his body in the way of Chelsea shots. Some of his colleagues even spilled blood for the cause. In chasing down one ball, Martin Devaney collided with Michael Essien, a fate akin to encountering a Baobab tree at speed. "He's still got part of my nose on his forehead now!" smiled Devaney, whose magnificent cross set up Kayode Odejayi's winner.

Carlo Cudicini was badly at fault and the keeper may join Florent Malouda and Juliano Belletti hurtling out of the Bridge this summer. Cup humiliations are remembered long, hard and bitterly because of their sudden, high-profile nature. Speculation inevitably intensifies now that the Cup may eventually cost Avram Grant his job.

Chelsea's powerbrokers were hugely disappointed. Neither Roman Abramovich, Eugene Tenenbaum (director) or Peter Kenyon (chief executive) were at Oakwell but the chairman, Bruce Buck, was present, his lawyer's frame perched on a wooden seat, watching the unfolding horror. To his credit Buck had the class to applaud Barnsley off.

Stamford Bridge sources stress that Grant will be their manager next season, but caveats surely abound. Having frittered away the inheritance bequeathed by Jose Mourinho, notably the two Cups, Grant must impress in either the Premier League or Champions League. Chelsea's hierarchy noted that Mourinho's name was chanted briefly by the visiting fans.

"I didn't hear anything," shrugged Grant before admitting blame for the mess. "I am responsible for everything. There will be many negative things said about it [the Cup loss] and I will accept it." Grant patently lacks the authority and nous to lead Chelsea but he did possess the good grace to congratulate Davey and company. His captain followed suit.

"Well done, you deserved it," John Terry told Davey. "Now go and win the Cup."

Terry then handed his shirt to Odejayi, while Cudicini gave Steele his keeper's top. Barnsley players were unable to repay the compliment. Most had their shirts ripped from their backs by overjoyed fans. Some reached the dressing-room in only their jock-straps.

As regards the pitch invasion, the FA will take into account whether there was negligence by Barnsley on the security front (which there was none) and any violence by their supporters (again, no). Some of the greatest moments in English football have climaxed with people on the pitch.