Where would the FFA Cup be without Fox Sports Australia?
As football in Australia begins a new era, with the sport now being broadcast by 10 ViacomCBS through Network 10 and Paramount+ for the next three years, we can't move on without acknowledging the incredible work that Fox Sports has done for our game over the last 17 years.
The FFA Cup we love and know today would not be the same without the investment and faith shown in it by Fox Sports, and we pay tribute to them.
From the very first night of Round of 32 action, all the way to the dominating Adelaide United performance in the FFA Cup 2019 Final, there have been some amazing moments in our beloved knockout competition.
Let's take a look through some of the most iconic moments of the FFA Cup, broadcast on Fox Sports from 2014-2019.
The opening night of the FFA Cup
The first ever night of the FFA Cup Round of 32 was something special. With A-League clubs kicking off their campaigns the following week, Thursday 29 July was a chance for the member federation clubs to have their moment in the spotlight, broadcast live on Fox Sports right around the country.
The story of the night was undoubtedly South Springvale FC, playing in Victoria's fourth tier at the time, who managed to knock out South Cardiff following the first ever penalty shoot-out in the Final Rounds. It remains to this day one of the biggest moments in FFA Cup history.
Elsewhere, former National Soccer League Champions Brisbane Strikers advanced to the Round of 16 after a win away to Broadmeadow Magic. Olympic FC bundled out another former NSL giant, Melbourne Knights. And in Sydney, two-time National League Champions Sydney Olympic advanced at the expense of fellow NPL NSW side, Manly United.
It was a momentous night to have these historic clubs back on TV screens all over the country and encapsulated everything that the FFA Cup is about.
The very first FFA Cupset
This was it. This is the moment that everyone was hoping would happen in the FFA Cup. A Member Federation club knocking out an A-League team!
And we didn't have to wait long, with former NSL powerhouse Adelaide City writing their name in the history books, knocking off the side that went on to win the AFC Champions League just three months later!
The Round of 32 win in the inaugural year of the competition was a momentous one, and it was an incredible run and finish by Thomas Love to seal the 1-0 win.
The inaugural FFA Cup Final
The first ever FFA Cup Final was held in December of 2014, with Adelaide United hosting Perth Glory in the decider.
Adelaide's Sergio Cirio was in red-hot form that season in the Cup, and it had to be him to score the winner in the Final.
The Spaniard scored the only goal of the game, with Adelaide winning the first ever FFA Cup 1-0 in front of 16,142 fans.
Fairytale runs
There have been some fairytale runs in the competition's history, as we touched on above with South Springvale in 2014.
Victoria has been the dominant state when it comes to Member Federation clubs reaching the Semi Finals, with Bentleigh Greens (twice), Hume City & South Melbourne all reaching the final four of the competition.
Alongside the Victorians was Canberra Olympic, who reached the Semis in 2016. They defeated Surfers Paradise Apollo, Redlands United and Green Gully, before falling 3-0 to A-League's Sydney FC in the last four.
There have also been some amazing fairytale runs in the Preliminary Rounds to the Round of 32, including the likes of Balmain Tigers in 2015 and Coomera Colts in 2019.
Boland, Boland... BOLAND!!!!
You can't write an article about the FFA Cup and Fox Sports without a tribute to the late Mike Cockerill.
Cockerill is a legendary figure of Australian Football, and his commentary will forever be etched into the incredible moments of the early years of the Cup.
He absolutely loved the FFA Cup and what the competition is about, and it shone through on our TV's. Probably none more so than this moment in the match between Green Gully and Central Coast Mariners.
Just minutes after finding an equaliser, Liam Boland struck the winning goal for Green Gully in spectacular fashion, knocking out their A-League opposition.
Cockerill's commentary of the goal is something you'll never get sick of hearing...
All the Cupsets
Since Adelaide City's Cupset over the Wanderers, six other member federation clubs have managed to knock off an A-League team.
Redlands United defeated then A-League Champions Adelaide United in 2016 after extra-time.
As we saw above, Green Gully defeated A-League side Central Coast Mariners in the same year with a 92nd-minute winner.
Blacktown City also knocked out the Mariners, beating them 3-2 in 2017.
In that same year, Heidelberg United defeated Perth Glory 1-0.
APIA Leichhardt knocked out then A-League Champions Melbourne Victory in 2018, also 3-2.
Bentleigh Greens knocked out A-League outfit Wellington Phoenix in the same year, winning 1-0.
And Brisbane Strikers defeated Wellington Phoenix a year later after a thrilling 120 minutes and penalty shoot-out in 2019.
Inside Access & Multi-games
A massive drawcard of the FFA Cup coverage was the live crosses to the goals and big moments from the other simultaneous games!
The iconic cowbell/horn/release the kraken noises would sound, and you'd know that something big has happened in one of the other games!
Also, the exclusive inside access into the club rooms that Fox Sports provided saw some incredible #scenes post match, as seen below!
The FFA Cup Final 2016
After Adelaide United and Melbourne won the first two Finals, 2016 provided the opportunity for Melbourne City's men's team to claim their first piece of silverware!
It was all set up for their marquee man, Tim Cahill, to steal the show. And guess what? He did exactly that.
Cahill scored the only goal of the game - a trademark header no less - and City held on to win 1-0 in front of their home fans at AAMI Park.
However, the Cup is also known for two other notable moments. The first was Sydney FC goalkeeper Danny Vukovic carrying a seagull off the pitch after it had been struck by a pass. The birth of the @FFACupSeagull.
And the second was Bruno Fornaroli's victory speech. We won't repeat what he said, but everyone agrees it was hilarious.
The FFA Cup Final 2018
Sydney FC defeated Adelaide United in the 2017 Final in Sydney, and a year later these two sides would meet again in the 2018 Final.
However, this time it was Adelaide who had the advantage at home, and what culminated was one of the most thrilling 90 minutes of FFA Cup football in the competition's short history.
Adelaide United claimed the win 2-1, with Craig Goodwin scoring two stunning goals, and it was a special night for the FFA Cup in-front of another capacity crowd at Hindmarsh.
The Magic of The Cup
As well as on the pitch, there have been some absolutely Magic moments off it as well.
From the Duck at Knights Stadium to Adam Peacock devouring a Souvlaki on live TV, there have been some memorable moments from the FFA Cup broadcast on Fox Sports.
Thanks for the memories, Fox Sports Australia!
