But the whole concept is being turned on its head as clubs like mine – West Ham – treat the cups with contempt as the whole focus is on Premier League survival.

Now I know it’s all about money these days.

But really – do most fans have to settle for cup humiliation against hungrier teams and the lofty heights of a top half finish as the sign of success?

Watching West Ham in FA Cup finals has been the highlight of my football life.

But now those highs are set to be replaced with survive-at-all-costs tactics to keep an overspending club from going bust.

Managers love to trot out the line that cup competitions are a “distraction”.

And they certainly are  – from the grind of trying to get the better of other mediocre rivals in the league.

Players often blah on about short careers and wanting success.

But not many kick-up a stink when they get a midweek rest while their colleagues crash out in the early rounds of the cup.

And its not just relegation-dodgers like West Ham.

Clubs higher up the league battle to get into Europe then treat the Europa League like a total irrelevance.

If the Champions League continues to grow will our top teams put out reserve sides in the league?

And how long before second XIs against the top six become a regular occurrence as managers concentrate their efforts on “winnable” games?

At West Ham we used to believe on our day we could beat anyone – and that’s what gave us a chance in the cups while the league would always find us out.

That chance of glory is gradually being eroded at scores of clubs and it’s a sad day for football.

But on a brighter note we can personally still make cash out of the old game and I fancy a double on Huddersfield and Arsenal which pays out a shade over 3/1 with Paddy Power.

The Terriers are in fine form and should have no trouble seeing of Gianfranco Zola’s stuttering Watford at home while Arsenal are on a good run and can get the better of  Chelsea at the Emirates.

Of course the big sporting event of the weekend is the Ryder Cup and my money is already on a Europe win.

American captain Davis Love is promising a hostile atmosphere in Chicago.

But it will take more than a few check-shorted fat Yanks yelling their witless nonsense to put our boys off from claiming what will be a famous victory.

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Running Total for all 2012 bets to a £10 stake:   +£239.00