Cup success is a key part of Wimbledon's history; the Amateur Cup victory of 1963 is still valued greatly by our fans (as evidenced by the emotive reception to the recent death of the legendary Roy Law), and our 1988 FA Cup triumph is often cited as one of the most memorable moments in English football.

But in recent seasons, we've experienced somewhat leaner times in the various cup competitions, much to the chagrin of many of our fans.

It seems that nowadays, league success is the undisputed primary objective.

This shift in priorities can be easily explained by a quick look at our fixture list. As a reward for our moderate success in two competitions, we face a run of four games in just 10 days.

And it's not just the team that are affected by the extra weight of fixtures - only 186 of us made the trip up to York on Saturday, and there will likely be fewer still at Bristol on Tuesday.

With a few exceptions, this is a pattern that has been repeated across the country this weekend; the cup seems to have lost its appeal.

Ardley feels the restoration of pride at York City

An idea instigated by the country's elite sides, that has quickly filtered down the divisions, is the tendency to use the cup to bring through youth players, or as an opportunity for squad rotation.

This policy can serve a useful purpose: seven of our current squad made their debut in cup games, including appearances for three home-grown players already this season.

Surrey Comet:

Loving a cup run: The 1988 FA Cup triumph is possibly one of the most memorable moments in English football           Picture: Dave McKnight

However, an obvious consequence is the sacrifice of a potential cup run that would not only be appreciated greatly by the fans, and do wonders for the general mood at the club, but also be highly lucrative for the club.

This season we've reached the third round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy - the first time since 2010 that we've managed a cup run of more than two rounds, in a competition where silverware is a very real possibility even for League Two sides.

The prospect of a trip down to Bristol on a cold Tuesday night might limit the number of Dons fans in attendance, but the interest shown in this often trivialised competition speaks volumes about the excitement that cup success can bring.

It feels like the penny has finally dropped at Kingsmeadow that attributing a little more significance to cup games can reap considerable rewards. 

Winning is a habit that can often be kick-started by a decent cup run, and it can also represent a welcome change from the grind of League Two.

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