Listening to the BBC’s 606 call in show today, I heard a delightful story from a father, who’s son couldn’t wait to wear his Southend shirt to school today amongst the kid’s usual collection of Premier League club shirts. The family even planned on framing the match program!

Once again the beauty of the game came through. Despite the gap in celebrity and wages between both teams – it meant nothing on the night. Cup games in football are a great leveler, and each season there is a great “giant killing”. Props to Southend.

Fergie is taking the defeat in his stride… Personally, after hearing of Mohamed Sissoko’s injury for Liverpool tonight – I’m just glad we didn’t lose an influencial player to a competition that ranks lowest on most clubs’ agendas.

Though not a total disaster by any means – the result will likely put a dampener on Fergie’s twentieth anniversary celebrations…

But at least it’s one less distraction in persuit of higher honours.

A quick glance of the squad however, reveals that Fergie may be giving “The Shrimpers” some healthy respect. Some of the older players will get to put their feet up – but overall it’s a strong group that will travel to the beach, and the cozy confines of Roots Hall.

Southend have nothing to lose and I’m sure the home crowd will treat this like a cup final. Based on league form United should walk this match – but it’s the cup – and anything can happen… I thought we’d cruise in Denmark last week, but that one quickly turned pear-shaped! That’s the beauty of the game of football – there are no guarantees…

You have to remember that Liverpool were the club back then. They’d been the dominant force in British Football for over a decade – as my school’s countless Liverpool fans would always remind me! The odd cup glory was simply not good enough – the league title had become every United fan’s Holy Grail – yet we’d not won the title since 1967.

So the news that Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson was to head south for the “biggest job in English football” was greeted with great anticipation from United fans. We’d all seen Aberdeen’s unlikely success in the Old Firm dominated Scottish game – but were nervous that he could translate this to the English game and the inevitable pressure of being United’s boss.

Never in our wildest dreams would any sane fan have imagined that 20 years later Ferguson would have guided United to 8 Premiership titles, 5 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 1 Champions League, 1 Cup Winners’ Cup and a personal knighthood to boot! There were honestly times in my teenage years when I’d wonder if United would ever win the League in my lifetime – it seemed that far out of reach.

Also, let’s not forget that Fergie wasn’t an instant success – incredibly, certain sections of the United faithful (my Dad included) were calling for his head before the capture of the 1990 FA Cup – that task thanks in no small part to this man.

The rest, as they say, is history. United fans will remember Sir Alex Ferguson for a long time after he has departed. I’m sure they will build a statue of him outside Old Trafford. His meaning to the club can never be overstated. He made being a United fan a wonderful thing. There will never be another to match his acheivements.

Cheers Fergie!