The FA Cup is not what it was a few years ago.

We will be reminded of that fact a few times over this weekend.

But you will know that already if you fit into certain categories.

You will know it if you recall when the final was the biggest day of televised domestic football.

You will know it if you recall when winning the FA Cup seemed a bigger deal than winning the league.

You will know it if you used to look forward to watching the final for a few days, lapped it all up on the big day and felt a bit deflated when the players were doing their post-match interviews while drinking bottles of milk and you realised it was all over for another year.

You will know it if you recall your dad (or someone else from the family) bringing home the match programme a day or two before the game because you could buy it in WH mith (I think you still can).

You will know it if you recall Bobby tokes’ bobbler (wasn’t he offside?), the ‘five-minute final’, Roger Osborne scoring and fainting, Keith Houchen’s diving header, the shock at Kevin Moran’s red card, Elton John’s tears, nasty Willie Young, “and still Ricky Villa” – but you can’t really remember what happened in the final five or six years ago.

You will know it if you remember how magical Wembley looked and (if you were lucky enough to ever get there) felt a you walked toward it hallowed concrete and world famous towers.

You will know it if you remember the corner flag falling over at Wrexham.

Or second and third replays – or replayed finals.

Or the follow-up competition, which long since bit the dust, and wondering who would become Cup Winners Cup winners.

Yes, times have changed. If you are still with me now, you are showing your age.

But the reasons for those negative (for the cup itself) changes are mainly positive when you look at the bigger picture.

Do we want to go back to one domestic game live on TV per year?

Do we want to go back to smaller squads which made line-up changes impractical?

Do we want to go back to a time when, outside the top flight, a lack of play-offs meant most teams were crying out for some excitement and something to play for when third or fourth round day arrived?

Do we want to be able to see both goals and the whole pitch when we go to Wembley?

What about attendances? More and more people are paying more and more money (in real terms) to go to games these days.

The percentage of season ticket holders is higher.

Inevitably that boom might lead to a drop-off when the cup comes around.

Back when you were paying game by game and handing over actual cash at the end of the week, it could be more tempting to skip league games if your team were not doing so well or the weather was bad or Christmas was coming.

Then the FA Cup came around and there was fresh excitement. Dig deep.

When Albion kicked off their run to the 1983 final, there were almost 18,000 at the Goldstone to see them play second-tier Newcastle, an increase of more than 7,000 on the previous league game, versus Nottingham Forest.

When Albion played Manchester United in league and FA Cup in 1980-81, the crowd for the latter (a midweek replay arranged at short notice) was 4,000 more than for the league game.

With precious few exceptions, the FA Cup used to only involve players and managers from these islands who had been brought up on its tradition and importance.

If some of those from overseas do not quite ‘get it’ in the same way, that might dilute the cup's importance.

But that is surely a negative more than outweighed by the way in which they have improved and enriched our domestic football.

The increasing amount and importance of European football has arguably detracted from FA Cup.

But how many Albion fans can, for some reason, now see more appeal in the European group stages than they could even a year ago?

What does that mean for the FA Cup? Changes – but maybe opportunity too.

A chance to see some of those players who get fewer league minutes, a chance to see games at reduced ticket prices.

A lower-cost chance to introduce kids who might enjoy it, might not.

More televised and streamed football to enjoy on more platforms, including free-to-air (but let’s keep the scheduling accessible for match-going fans, shall we?).

There are still great things about the cup – and that is without going into the magic, the excitement and the funds provided to so many clubs in the rounds before January.

It is still a major trophy, still Wembley.

Should the semi-finals be at Wembley? I’d say not but we can hopefully have that debate around Albion later this year.

The great thing for Albion is Roberto De Zerbi seems to take the FA Cup very seriously.

Events last season have not satisfied his appetite for a cup run. They have whetted it.

That might be tested if FA Cup, Europa League and Premier League commitments start to clash later in the campaign.

But he has shown a willingness to name very strong sides in the FA Cup, going back to the third round tie at Middlesbrough last year.

At the same time, there have been a few well-chosen changes which have added interest as players are given another chance to shine.

No doubt we will hear this weekend that the FA Cup is all about giant-killing, underdogs, shocks, David v Goliath.

Yes, but it is also about big clubs and players taking it very seriously.

Any FA Cup hall of fame from down the decades would include the great upsets.

But it should also include Arsenal v Manchester United in 1999, the Chelsea v Leeds battle in the replayed final, Gaa beating David Seaman, Steven Gerrard rescuing Liverpool, the 4-4 Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

And, of course, the 1983 final.

If Albion were to go all the way to the final, the excitement would be as great now as it was then.

The turnout in the away end at Bramall Lane might underline that this weekend.