Official Site of Man U · Jan 9
Why the FA Cup is always special for United
The club withdrew, as holders, from the competition in 2000 due to involvement in the FIFA Club World Championship, under pressure from the Football Association to give full support to the event in order to not hinder their bid to stage the World Cup in 2006.
"We realise that many of our supporters will be as disappointed as we are with our decision not to compete in the FA Cup," said the club in a statement, yet it enraged people at the time, to ludicrous degrees, and was used as a way to criticise the all-conquering Reds, who had just completed an unprecedented Treble.
A chance to knock Sir Alex Ferguson's thrilling but dominant side was not going to be passed up.