THIRTY years ago on January 7, 1984 Bournemouth played FA Cup holders Manchester United in the FA Cup third round.

The score – Bournemouth 2 Man Utd 0 – created one of the biggest shocks ever in the history of the FA Cup.

It put the club on the map.

Papers reported the match on the front pages as well as the back. People around the world were asking about Bournemouth.

European giants at the time Steaua Bucharest all of a sudden wanted to play us in a pre-season friendly.

Thirty years on the winners of tomorrow’s game between Bournemouth and Burton Albion will play Liverpool at home. Only the FA Cup can do this.

Unlike many other things in life, the FA Cup can make dreams come true, it can break your heart, it is a football competition like no other.

Other countries can only dream of having an FA Cup. So please why do so many managers play under-strength sides, describe it as an inconvenience and treat it with a total lack of respect?

Ask any Wigan fan would they have swapped winning the FA Cup for another year in the Premiership.

I wonder what they would say.

How can you replace being in the FA Cup final and winning it?

In 30 years’ time they will remember the FA Cup final in 2013 and will still be talking about it, just like Bournemouth fans 30 years on talk about the time they beat Manchester Utd in the FA Cup third round in 1984.

In a few weeks either Bournemouth or Burton will take on Liverpool.

I wonder if, whoever wins, whatever happens, that everyone realises it’s only the FA Cup that can do this and maybe, just maybe, in 30 years from now everyone will be talking about the day Liverpool came to town.

BRIAN GEORGE, Twynham Road, Southbourne, Bournemouth