COMMENT: Manchester United fans know a thing or two about last minute winners, at one time they became a regular and expected occurrence.
Big games won in the dying seconds. That never say die attitude of the team and the belief from the fans that the goal would come, no matter how many seconds left on the clock. Some say there isn't a better time to score as the opposition can't come back from it. As much as its jubilation for United, it was always a sucker punch right in the proverbial for the opposition.
Whilst we all remember that famous night in Barcelona in 1999, the late dramatic winners became a tradition associated with Sir Alex Ferguson. The FA Cup was full of late dramatic moments over the Fergie years.
Equalising and winning goals in 1999 against Liverpool, a late Ruud Van Nistelrooy winner after a dramatic comeback at Villa Park versus Aston Villa and even late goals that felt like winners such as Mark Hughes' last gasp spectacular equalising volley in the Wembley semi-final against Oldham back in 1994.
However in recent years, that belief has not been evident in the team. Under David Moyes and now Louis van Gaal the players and fans alike lacked belief. The raising of the board notifying that the game would bring three or four minutes once raised hopes in fans, yet these days it's usually a signal for the majority to start heading out the exit gates. As that board was raised yesterday at Wembley, the thoughts immediately turned to fears that an extra 30 minutes would mean missing the last train home rather than what three added minutes could bring...
Boom! Anthony Martial's late, late goal was the stuff of Ferguson's magic moments, the celebrations from the fans and players alike resulted in a moment not seen for many a year. The players rushed to the fans, the fans rushed to the players and the image of the two together in jubilation painted a million words.
The Everton players slumped to the Wembley turf, dealt a killer blow by the sucker punch of the new heavyweight champion Tony Martial!
The belief was back. The players had played with a tempo befitting of the big stage, a tempo the fans have demanded this season. Whilst a lack of finishing could've come back to haunt us, the brilliance of David De Gea kept us alive.
Throughout United's Cup run, I've made comparisons to the 1990 season, when Alex Ferguson's future hung in the balance. A season where the unknown youngsters stepped up, made a name for themselves, won the Cup and supposedly saved the manager's job.
With that, it's strangely coincidental that United will now face Crystal Palace at Wembley, a repeat of the 1990 final. Whilst it may be too late to save Van Gaal, that win acted as the catalyst for success under Ferguson.
Let's hope this new generation gets that same taste for success. United fans partied hard in 1990 and the celebrations yesterday certainly left a taste for wanting more.
Now, 26 years on, who will be United's Lee Martin?
Andrew is the co-founder of Stretford End Flags, an independent fans group set up to improve the atmosphere and colour within Old Trafford. SEF provide the famous Stretford End banners. Visit stretfordendflags.com for more information - and to get involved.
Follow Stretford End Flags on Twitter: @sef_Mufc
