For Japhet Tanganga, the FA Cup is very special.

An east London boy, the young defender grew up watching the world’s oldest cup competition and was always stirred by its unpredictable nature.

The tournament’s make-up sees it invariably produce ties where lower league sides are pitted against those in the higher echelons of the footballing pyramid, usually creating David versus Goliath scenarios. But the results of those meetings are often as surprising as that famous biblical tale. Any team, no matter their position or situation, can run out victorious. That is ‘the magic of the cup’.

And, even with the growth of the Premier League and Champions League in recent years, Japhet doesn’t feel the FA Cup has lost any of its fabled shine, with it remaining as acclaimed as ever.