Fa Cup Draw Reaction

West Ham have been drawn against Everton or Fulham away in the fifth round of the FA cup - with Tony Gale fervently hoping it is Fulham.

The game will be played on the weekend of February 14th; whether it will prove to continue the romance of the cup remains to be seen, but for Tony, there is only one way that will happen - if the Cottagers win their replay next week.

"I am a Fulham man as well as a West Ham man and I think it is a great tie for both sides if Fulham beat Everton - and I think it would be a close game.

"Who wants to go all the way to Everton? But if it is them, they are a big, strong side and everyone knows about big Duncan Ferguson up front.

"With Jeffers, Rooney, Campbell, and Radzinski they are overloaded in the striking areas.

"But they are not very good in the midfield area and maybe that is where West Ham can win out if we play them."

Ironically, the Everton against Fulham cup tie at Goodison at the weekend, in which Fulham looked to be going through, had Tony cursing and he reveals:

"Just to put everyone in the know, I had a little treble - West Ham to win at Wolves, Sheffield United to win at Forest, and Fulham to win at Everton - so Frannie Jeffers cost me some money with that last minute equaliser!"

£600 to be precise, on a stake of £20.

All the more reason for Tony to want Fulham to do it in the replay next week, and he adds:

"I really hope it is Fulham, a repeat of the '75 final.

"I think, like Wolves, it would be a fairly even game who are a good Premiership side, better than Wolves.

"The good thing is we have got an away draw and I would sooner go to Fulham than Everton."

Of the players involved in the recent transfer activity between West Ham and Fulham, Jon Harley is the only player not cuptied, having been allowed to play for the Hammers against Wolves.

He is currently on loan, but Tony says:

"Would Fulham allow him to play? I am not sure - it would be a difficult one."

Come what may, Ian Pearce and Andy Melville, also on loan, would be spectators.

As for the win at Wolves, Tony adds:

"We played well at the weekend against Wolves; that was a good performance, very, very open in the first half and West Ham always looked more like scoring.

"We were a bit little bit shaky defensively, with Silas and Kennedy getting behind us in the full back positions - and the boys will have to improve on that in the next round if we are to progress.

To add to the tension, West Ham were the last ball to be drawn.