Old flavour returns as the Cup is replenished

It's back, it's back in full, and it's back in January. Now we shall see if the English FA Cup can get back to its best.

After last season's debacle - when the third round was moved to early December, Manchester United withdrew and Darlington were allowed to compete in the fourth round having been knocked out in the third just to keep the numbers up after United's Rio decision - this year feels as big as any in the competition's 128-year history.

It is a chance to restore the cup's credibility as a trophy important to the big clubs as well as the small. It is a chance for Premiership clubs with European aspirations to prove the FA Cup is as significant as finishing third or sixth in the league.

And with United running away with the Premiership silverware again, and with Fulham seemingly uncatchable in the First Division, it is also a chance for English football to rediscover some sense of romance, occasion and unpredictability. Finally, it is chance for every fan to sing: "We're on our way to Cardiff."

With Wembley redundant awaiting redevelopment, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium will be England's Welsh HQ for the next three years (possibly five), and United have signalled their determination to be in South Wales in May with their provisional booking of a nearby hotel for Cup final week.

Alex Ferguson and his players were seriously cheesed off with the amount of stick they took for missing last season's competition and, given their form, it would seem incongruous not to tip them to win tomorrow and the trophy in May.

Fulham have received a lot of praise, but how many of their players would get in the United squad, never mind the team? The probable answer is none, and with Chris Coleman in hospital following his car crash and Lee Clark in France seeing a knee specialist, Jean Tigana's side has lost a section of backbone.

United will not have Fabien Barthez due to flu, but it will be one of the upsets of modern times if Fulham win. It should pay to look elsewhere for a commotion.

Of the quintet of non-league clubs who have muscled their way through, sadly four were drawn away from home while the other, Morecambe, play hosts to hardy Ipswich Town. Morecambe have beaten Lincoln City and Cambridge United to get this far, but lost at home to Southport last weekend. There is a durable feel to Ipswich.

With Dagenham and Redbridge at Charlton Athletic, Chester City at Ewood Park and Yeovil at Bolton Wanderers, Kingstonian to win at Southend United is the shortest bet according to the bookmakers. Kingstonian are 4 to 1.

Yeovil at the same odds for a draw is better value. They are top of the conference and in Colin Addison have a manager who was in charge of Atletico Madrid not so long ago.

Any non-league replay is to be applauded, just as the television executives who chose three games involving five Premiership clubs for live transmission are to be castigated: £150,000 sterling means a lot more to Morecambe than to Aston Villa, who visit St James' Park.

The side who beat them in last year's final, Chelsea, would struggle to retain their manager if they were to lose at home to Peterborough, and there would be more questions concerning George Graham's future were Spurs to go down at Leyton Orient. Spurs have won the FA Cup in 1901, 1921, 1961, 1981 and 1991, but Division Three Orient are unbeaten at home in the league.

One division up, Walsall are unbeaten at home in the league, but at least West Ham United will know what to expect having overcome the midlanders narrowly on aggregate in the League Cup. But there will be no Paolo Di Canio, surprise, surprise.

At 5,000 to 1 to win the Cup outright, Carlisle United entertain Arsenal - and entertaining it should be - but surely the most likely "shock" will be found at Vicarage Road. Only eight teams separate Watford from Everton, and having lost five of their last six, Walter Smith's team would definitely have preferred a home draw.

"They know what it is all about," said Smith of his opponents. Indeed they do. It's all about the FA Cup again.