Click on the dates above for a tour around some of the greatest FA Cup finals in football history

Alex Ferguson's Old Trafford rebuilding programme was still struggling to get off the ground and the manager's head was on the block.

The salvation of FA Cup silverware promised to buy Fergie a little more time. But Crystal Palace striker Ian Wright came within seven minutes of bringing the United manager's reign to a premature end.

The future Arsenal star leapt off the substitute's bench to play his part in a dramatic final.

Bryan Robson and Alex Ferguson celebrate Man Utd's eventual triumph

After breaking his leg earlier in the season, Wright was nowhere near fit enough to start and only managed a place on the bench after receiving pain-killing injections.

Wembley's first all-seater crowd saw Gary O'Reilly and Bryan Robson exchange headed goals before Mark Hughes drilled United ahead midway through the second half.

Enter Mr Wright.

Three minutes after coming on, the substitute rode Mike Phelan's tackle and drifted inside Gary Pallister before firing past Jim Leighton from 12 yards.

Then, two minutes into extra time, Leighton misjudged a John Salako cross and Wright was on hand to volley Palace back in front.

But the goal prompted a United cavalry charge and Wright's hour of glory was undone by a second Hughes goal seven minutes from time, setting up a drab replay which United edged 1-0.

The rest, as far as Ferguson is concerned, is history.

FA Cup Final 1990
Man Utd 3-3 Crystal Palace (after extra time
Scorers:
Man Utd: Robson 35; Hughes 62, 113
Crystal Palace: O'Reilly 18; Wright 72, 92
HT: 1-1
Att: 80,000