The semi finals of the FA Cup.

 The semi finals of the FA Cup.

And then there were four. Football's oldest and most treasured of all Cup competitions the FA Cup now almost reaches its full flowering with the prospect of the same opponents as last year and the very real possibility of yet another identical FA Cup Final from years gone by.  Over the weekend we discovered the four remaining teams left in this year's competition and tried to imagine a time when history hadn't repeated itself because that would have been a blissful relief since repetition can be ever so slightly tiresome.

So it is that Manchester United, Manchester City, Coventry and Chelsea all lock horns to determine the identity of this year's FA Cup finalists. The logical and realistic choice would be either another Manchester derby hot on the heels of last year's contest or another stirring rendition of the 1994 FA Cup Final when Eric Cantona emerged as the most instrumental figure in United's convincing 4-0 victory over Chelsea. It now seems a lifetime ago but the cultural references remain just as relevant now as they were back then.

In those days Cantona was one of the most skilful forwards in football's top flight. Now the rebel with a cause has just diversified into the world of pop music and his new album is a crooner's delight. There was a brief flirtation with the world of arthouse films, but Cantona was just unplayable against Chelsea side simply counting down the minutes until the final whistle. The Cantona vinyl repertoire has to be a source of much intrigue but then we always knew the Frenchman was channelling his inner Charles Aznavour.

The truth is though that either we'll see vivid reflections of 1994 again or just a straightforward rerun of last year's FA Cup Final. Manchester United's fabulously pulsating 4-3 victory over Liverpool, Chelsea's equally as intoxicating 4-2 win over Championship side Leicester City at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City's almost regulation 2-0 triumph over Newcastle United were rather like several carnivals of attacking football rolled into one.

For some of us the once traditional venues for both FA Cup semi finals are almost historical artefacts. It used to be either Villa Park, Hillsborough, Stamford Bridge and not forgetting Highbury. Highbury of course was the setting for that famous bloodbath when Brian Talbot finished the FA Cup semi final for Ipswich Town with a blood soaked bandage on his forehead while poor West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich's opponents 46 years ago, could only lick their defeated wounds.

In 1964 West Ham, facing the most formidable  quartet of George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Nobby Stiles trudged through the treacly mud of Hillsborough and then opened up a Manchester United defence that would become one of the most respected in the old First Division with a 3-1 victory. West Ham would go on to beat Preston in a five goal thriller in the FA Cup Final winner with a last minute header from Ronnie Boyce.

Without a hint of bias your team from East London also figured prominently in the 1980 FA Cup semi final against Everton. West Ham were temporary residents in the old Second Division at the time and nobody gave them the remotest chance against the Goodison Park side. The height and upper body strength of burly striker Bob Latchford equalised for Everton in the replay at Elland Road, almost overpowering West Ham. But then both an Alan Devonshire goal after a delightful one two and then Frank Lampard senior lunged heroically forward to direct a dramatic diving header high into the net, a goal that sent the Hammers to Wembley. Here they beat favourites Arsenal to win the FA Cup at the old Wembley. It may prove to be West Ham's last and only contribution to FA Cup history.

And so we return to this year's semi final where Wembley will once hold top billing. The traditionalists amongst us will yearn for the good, old days when an FA Cup semi final had to be played on a neutral ground. We were just conditioned to its springtime arrival rather like the cuckoo at the crack of dawn. But fear not the two Manchesters, Chelsea and Coventry are champing at the bit and anything could happen but probably won't because we know how football very rarely rewards giant killers and besides this is not 1987 and not Spurs. Coventry may think otherwise and we know everything there is to know about the unpredictability of FA Cup Final day. David and Goliath? You bet.