FOOTBALL: Danny Cullip's weekly column (January 7)

It has been a good solid Christmas period for the Albion. Four points from two league games to lift us out of the relegation zone is just what was needed to start January. And then, of course, the FA Cup result was just fantastic. Torquay is a tough place to go and it never helps playing a lower league team but we battled away and got a result. Crofty, on his return, got the crucial goal and he really seems to be weighing in with a few now. People say that the FA Cup is one of the best cups in the world, and you won't find many places where there is a such a unique trophy. You can have non-league teams playing and holding their own against top opposition, even County League sides are in with a shout. Look at Havant & Waterlooville a couple of seasons ago, beating Swansea and giving Liverpool a good scare in the fourth round. We got an excellent draw away at Aston Villa and should take a massive crowd up to Villa Park, with all the boys being well up for it. After Leeds' result at Manchester United, there is no reason we can't go up there and cause another upset. Personally, my favourite time in the FA Cup was with Sheffield United in the 2004-05 season. We were finally knocked out at Bramall Lane by Arsenal in a fifth-round replay on penalties, after a draw at Highbury. We also beat West Ham in a fourth-round replay after knocking out Aston Villa at the previous stage. Neil Warnock was in charge at the time and he loved the cup. I was with the Worthing Academy boys on Worthing beach on Monday and it was absolutely Baltic. I thought we could have been in Siberia. We went down there and found some grass on the front and did a bit of running for our first session of the year. There were 25 lads who turned out, although they struggled to play at times as there were a few dog walkers out and the dogs were chasing all the balls. But the guys would all have slept well after the work-out they got. ------------------------------------- Click here to go back to Worthing sport. Click here to return to Gazette sport. Click here to go back to Shoreham sport. Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here. Email the Herald: steve.bailey@worthingherald.co.uk