As the row between the two Sheffield clubs and the FA continued to evolve with neither of the sides backing off from their demands, a new alternative to the FA cup semi-final venue had come up in discussions and that was Old Trafford.
Both the Sheffield clubs had complained to the FA that rather than hosting their semi-final at Elland Road they also wanted to play their semi-final at Wembley. That was not only to get more tickets for the event but to also allow their fans to experience a unique atmosphere. With Old Trafford’s name coming up in discussions, Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson wasn’t quite on board.
Alex Ferguson said “Our club would not be promoting our own interests in staging the match and we believe it should be played at Wembley. Just like the Spurs and Arsenal game. The situation is particularly unfair on Sheffield United who has never played there. Whenever a team go to Wembley for the first time it drains them mentally ad physically and that could be a big factor when the final comes around.”
