‘That’s a cracking football.. lovely memories’, say fans as retro Mitre ball for FA Cup released

1 month ago 16

THIS season’s official FA Cup ball has taken fans on a trip down memory lane.

The FA revealed a nostalgic Mitre football to be used throughout the 2024/25 edition of the world’s oldest football competition.

a mitre ultimate soccer ball sits on a blue chair

Mitre have unveiled the new Ultimax Pro to be used in FA Cup games this season[/caption]

three mitre soccer balls on a field in front of a sign that says please keep off the pitch

The new balls have transported nostalgic fans of a certain age back to their childhoods[/caption]

Mitre unveiled the Ultimax Pro 3 on Thursday ahead of the FA Cup first round proper next month.

The company have supplied official match balls for the tournament since 2018, taking over from Nike.

And the latest, featuring an iconic V-shape and dashes of silver, has fans of a certain age remembering the classic Mitre Delta and Mouldmaster.

Both of the balls were used throughout English football in the 1990s and early 200s, with the Mouldmaster a staple in playgrounds across the country.

The Mitre official X account wrote: “Introducing the @emiratesfacup Official 24/25 Match Ball.

“Inspired by the magic of the cup, and what it means to the fans.

“Flashes of silver, etched and scratched to reflect tin foil trophies. Power, precision, perfection.”

One nostalgic fan wrote on X: “That is a cracking football. Came along way since the mouldmaster. Lovely memories of that skelping my leg in a gale force wind.”#

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Another said: “Great to mitre balls being used in top games again.”

While a third added: “Absolutely love these!

But a baffled non-league fan commented: “Why now? We’ve already had 6 rounds!”

The first round of this season’s FA Cup will be held between Friday, November 1 and Monday, November 4.

a white and blue mitre ultimax premier league soccer ball

The original Mitre Ultimax was used over 20 years ago in the Premier League[/caption]

Why FA Cup changes are GOOD NEWS

By Martin Lipton

THE FA and Premier League should have done the deal to scrap FA Cup replays years ago.

No doubt traditionalists will moan but it is right that the competition has finally been brought into the 21st century.

Ending replays will bring extra sharpness and excitement to the ties, with the knowledge that there will be a winner, whether in 90 minutes, extra-time or penalties.

If big guns have a bad day, they are more likely to pay the price. Replays after draws give them a fall-back they do not deserve.

Giving the FA Cup total and absolute priority over four weekends – and ensuring there is no competing match on the day of the Final – will enhance the profile of a competition that was in danger of falling out of the spotlight.

And as long as the FA ensures a better split of the prize money fund, weighting it more towards the earlier rounds, and potentially a similar move with TV match money, there should be few losers.