Premiering on TNT Sports on Friday 9th January at 10pm, and available to stream on Discovery+, FA Cup: The People’s Story is a new feature length film that tells the story of the FA Cup through the people who lived it – on the pitch, in the stands and in communities across England.
Directed by Noah Media Group’s Emmy award winning Richard Milway, the film spans nearly 60 years, focusing on five unforgettable FA Cup Finals, each revealing how the competition has reflected the hopes, struggles and changes of the nation itself. From moments of breakthrough and belief to unity in times of tragedy, the FA Cup emerges as something far greater than the oldest football competition in the World.
The story begins in 1966 with the Everton v Sheffield Wednesday final, as Everton’s Mike Trebilcock becomes the first black player to score in a FA Cup Final. The narrative shifts to a time of industrial unrest in the country as Sunderland register a famous underdog victory against Leeds United in 1973. It revisits the deeply emotional 1989 Final between Liverpool and Everton, played shortly after the Hillsborough disaster and charts the rise of the women’s game through the first Women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley between Chelsea and Notts County. The People’s Story concludes with the 2025 Final, as Crystal Palace shock Manchester City to win the first trophy in their history, on a day to dream that underlined the enduring magic and relevance of the cup.
Those remembering their own unique place in FA Cup history in the film include: Derek Temple (Everton), Richie Pitt and Jimmy Montgomery (Sunderland), John Aldridge (Liverpool), Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (Everton), Katie Chapman (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood MBE (Notts County), Joel Ward and Chairman Steve Parish (Crystal Palace).
Produced by Noah Media Group and Insight Film, FA Cup: The People’s Story is a celebration of the FA Cup’s unique power to connect people, places and generations.