I’ve never taken much interest in the FPL Cup.  Some seasons, it has started and I have been knocked out of it without even being aware that I have entered it.  However, this year, things are different.  This year, I am taking the Cup seriously.

Not that I have any hopes of winning; among almost 10.5 million players worldwide, the chances of success is National-Lottery-slim.  But I do fancy a good cup run.  Picture myself as that plucky outsider who defies expectations; beats the odds to knock out a few more-favoured opponents, before ultimately succumbing to crashing reality.  Think Calais Racing Union, 2000.  Morocco, 2022.

And, I have had a promising start.  A first-week bye.  On what basis?  I do not know.  But I am taking the result regardless.  Second week: an easy win.  Admittedly against a team, which appears unchanged since Gameweek 3 – packed with multiple injuries and early-season hopefuls – but a win’s a win.

And then into week 3 of the Cup.  And it proves to be a close-call.  Looking at the two teams before the start of matches, and the result could go either way.  And so it proved.  With the results in, I am six points to the good, but there is a complication.  With the suspension of the Bournemouth-Luton match, it looks likely that the points gained from players of those two teams will be voided.  It would mean a loss of six points for me; none for my opponent.  Six points!  It is the vital difference between our two teams.  The FPL seems to take an age before coming to a decision about the match but, finally, as predicted, I find six points knocked off my Gameweek score.  And the Cup?  We are tied on points.

How will this be resolved?  I do a quick web search.  What happens when two teams have drawn in the FPL Cup?  It goes to goals scored.

I check my team against my opponents once again.  I have scored three goals against his one.  I go through to the next round on a tie-break.

The luck of the Cup?  Maybe it really is my year.

The dream continues.

© Donnie Blake

All Donnie Blake wants for Christmas is a good FPL Cup run.

Perhaps you’d like for Christmas a copy of Donnie’s book, Artie Yard and a Very English Pickle?