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FANS STILL ENCHANTED BY MAGIC OF THE CUP - ...FA Cup is a huge draw for online supporters

10:00 10/02/2005

The world's oldest cup competition still attracts huge interest worldwide according to the latest figures from football search engine Megasoccer.com.

Fans around the globe were searching for results and information on the FA Cup as the smaller sides attempted to upset the odds against the big guns from the Premiership and the Championship in the third and fourth rounds last month.

Non-league Exeter City's goalless draw at Old Trafford was undoubtedly the biggest story of round three, while Wayne Rooney's spectacular salvo against Middlesbrough in round four ensured the cup holders progressed to the last 16 rather more comfortably.

The 'FA Cup' proved to be January's most popular search term on Megasoccer, ahead of Thomas Gravesen and the top Premiership bosses Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. And with the 'big three' - Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United - all still in the competition, and all taking it seriously, there should be plenty of excitement still to come between now and the Cardiff showdown on May 21st.

Mike Flynn, the C.E.O. of Fast Web Media - the company behind Megasoccer.com - commented: "The resurgence of the FA Cup this season is fantastic for the game and fans have obviously been caught up in the spirit of the competition. It's great for them to know they can find information on any team, from Yeading to Arsenal, on Megasoccer, without any of the irrelevant results returned by traditional search engines."

Top Ten Searches on Megasoccer.com in January 2005

1. FA Cup
2. Thomas Gravesen
3. Jose Mourinho
4. Alex Ferguson
5. Arsene Wenger
6. Craig Bellamy
7. Peter Crouch
8. Robbie Savage
9. Steven Gerrard
10. Jens Lehmann