Bentleigh Greens’ run to the FFA Cup semi-finals generated plenty of attention. But was it really a fairytale?

Yes, Bentleigh won seven games to get there – four coming in Victoria’s Dockerty Cup – and their effort, which ended in a 3-0 loss to A-League leaders Perth Glory on Tuesday, should be commended.

But the nature of the FFA’s compromised draw meant one non-league team was always going to make the final four.

And the manufacturing of the competition did not stop there.

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A minimum of three non A-League sides were to feature in the quarter-finals and nine in the last 16. And in the round of 32 – when A-League teams entered the competition – four of them were to play away, while three all top-flight matches were set in stone.

“We all grew up with the romance of the English FA Cup and well remember the history of upsets. I’m sure the FFA Cup will bring the same fascination to fans across Australia,” FFA CEO David Gallop said at the unveiling of the competition trophy.

The FFA’s desire was clear – they wanted the ‘magic’ of the cup. Is manufactured magic the real thing, though?

Bentleigh Greens’ field of dreams in Cheltenham. Photo: Getty

I also grew up fascinated by the FA Cup in England.

Some of the competition’s big upsets – non-league Hereford United’s win against top-flight Newcastle United, Wimbledon’s ‘Crazy Gang’ success of 1988 and, more recently, third-tier Leeds United’s shock at Premier League champions Manchester United – immediately spring to mind.

These incredible stories came without a compromised draw.

Leeds fans celebrate their 2010 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Photo: Getty

And if they can happen in England, where the influx of foreign owners and ridiculous player wages mean the gap between the Premier League and the rest of the football pyramid is bigger than ever, they can surely occur in Australia.

If the FFA want to increase the chance of upsets without interfering with the draw, they can move the competition back.

Bentleigh had played one competitive match since September 16 before Tuesday’s clash. It makes life tough when the league leaders – match-fit and sharp from regular matches – roll into town.

Discussions within the FFA are continuing about the timing of the competition and I understand their preference is to scrap the mooted Australia Day final in future – which will not go ahead this year due to the Asian Cup – and stage the showpiece in October.

Wimbledon with the 1988 FA Cup after beating Liverpool. Photo: Getty

That would mean more of the competition is played in-season for non-league sides, increasing their chances of producing the upsets the FFA so clearly want.

Ideally, the draw for each round would have fans gripped to their televisions as it is conducted. Fans of A-League clubs should be able to dream of all the options – be it a clash against their rivals, a home fixture or a non-league visit.

Instead they knew they were playing away in stages, while some ties were slated to be non-league only. Perhaps this is something else the FFA could re-visit.

That is not to say this year’s FFA Cup has not been a success.

The crowds have been great, it has generated significant media interest – credit is due to Fox Sports, who have covered the competition outstandingly – and given football fans in Australia a wide range of talking points.

And best of all, the many clubs of ‘old soccer’ – so overlooked and forgotten since the introduction of the A-League – have been given a chance to shine.

I was at Bentleigh on Tuesday and enjoyed it. The last time I visited Kingston Heath – a bitterly cold winter’s night for a Victorian Premier League match – fewer than 200 people were there. This time, on a cool spring evening, a capacity crowd of 3300 piled in.

I never thought I’d see fans queueing for tickets at Bentleigh and panicking that perhaps they had missed out. The match offered a range of things unavailable in the A-League – from Bentleigh’s famous souvlaki to the press conference held in the Greens’ clubrooms and open to fans.

The introduction of the FFA Cup has made a significant impact and is why papers and TV have been full of football news this week. It’s why Glory owner Tony Sage was standing on a chair singing Perth songs with the travelling band of supporters after Kenny Lowe’s media duties had ended. It’s why Bentleigh had to shut the gates and stop selling tickets.

But the competition can make even bigger strides next year. Without the compromised draw.