An age-old tradition will be broken as Manchester United take on Manchester City this weekend in the FA Cup final.
The two Manchester clubs face off for the first time ever in a domestic cup final, which will bring more than just bragging rights to the city.
This is ever more important as a win for Manchester United. It means they stop the potential of a Manchester City treble. This will mean retaining their title of being the only team in England to do so.
It’s going to be a cracker of a game no doubt. One that will go down in history. Speaking of which, the fixture is already breaking historic traditions. More on this below.
152-year-old tradition broken this weekend at FA Cup Final
For 2023’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City – the trophy will be partially engraved before the game kicks off.
Usually, the name is engraved after the game. However whoever out of United or City lifts the trophy, the word ‘Manchester’ will be visible.
This is obviously the first time this has ever occurred, breaking a tradition of over 150 years.
Speaking with the FA, Thomas Lyte, the official designer and maker of the FA Cup trophy had the following to say about breaking the long-standing tradition.
“We regularly welcome the Emirates FA Cup trophy into our fine silver workshops at Thomas Lyte for engraving, repairs, and restoration,” said Thomas Lyte CEO, Kevin Baker.
“This iconic symbol of football excellence holds a special place in the hearts of fans and players. It is our responsibility to ensure its impeccable presentation and preservation.”
“The Emirates FA Cup team approached us, as the official makers and custodians of the trophy, with an extraordinary request. Recognising the rarity of the two clubs sharing such similar names, they asked us to engrave the word “Manchester” on the trophy before the momentous showdown.
“This request is unprecedented and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Engraving the trophy with the name of the city that would eventually win the title, even before the final match, is a remarkable gesture.
“Each stroke of the hand engraving tools symbolised the historical significance and immense anticipation surrounding this fiercely contested Manchester derby.”
It remains to be seen if ‘City’ or ‘United will be engraved after the full-time whistle. We are praying it’s the latter.
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