By Nada Grkinic

Ferguson relishes his first FA Cup win back in 1990

How times have changed, both for Sir Alex Ferguson and the FA Cup.

In 1990, the Manchester United manager won his first piece of silverware when his side defeated Crystal Palace in the Cup final replay at Wembley.

During that season's competition, Mark Robins' strike against Nottingham Forest in the third round was said to have saved Ferguson from the sack after he had failed to bring success to Old Trafford in the preceding four years.

That FA Cup victory proved the catalyst for a decade of unrivalled dominance in the English game with United going on to win another three Finals, the last of which came in 1999 when Ferguson's men clinched an historic Treble.

However, the thirst for yet more European glory after United had won the 1999 Champions League final meant that the FA Cup was relegated to third in the list of Ferguson's priorities.

Once a cup of salvation, Ferguson turned his back on the famous old trophy in 2000.

United were under pressure from the Football Association, who wanted them to participate in the World Club Championship in Brazil to aid England's World Cup 2006, and withdrew from the competition.

That single act damaged the prestige of the world's oldest cup contest and arguably it has never recovered, although Ferguson feels United have had to pay a price too.

"We've not been in a final for five years and I think we've served our penance for not going," he said after the 1-0 semi-final win over Arsenal.

Since their last Cup victory in 1999, United have focused solely on winning the Premiership title - which they have done three times - and challenging for the Champions League.

It's a big thrill to be in the FA Cup Final Sir Alex Ferguson

Yet this has been a season of discontent at Old Trafford, and the FA Cup could once again come to the rescue for Ferguson.

United's position as England's pre-eminent team has unquestionably been taken away from them by an imperious Arsenal side, they have been financially outmuscled by Chelsea and had Rio Ferdinand banned for failing to take a drugs test.

So now they are left with the FA Cup to once more provide a silver lining to a disappointing year.

However, maybe that is not as bad as it seems.

Yes, it will take more than an FA Cup victory to put Manchester United within touching distance of a far superior Arsenal team.

And the Cup run will hardly provide the financial rewards of guaranteed Champions League football (United must go through the qualifying stages in August to be assured of a place in Europe's elite competition after finishing third to Chelsea in the league).

But who would have thought that the class of 1990 which included Paul Ince, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes would form the nucleus of that decade's dominant force?

There are signs that Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to ring the changes for Saturday's Cup final with Millwall by starting the game with Manchester United's rising stars Darren Fletcher and Cristiano Ronaldo instead of Phil Neville and Nicky Butt - once part of the original "Fergie Fledglings".

And to that end, despite the different circumstances surrounding this season's final appearance, maybe the slow process of regeneration at United can at least be kick-started with a much-needed FA Cup triumph.