At the beginning of the season Bradford Vs Swansea would have undoubtedly been one of the most unlikely of line-ups in a major English final. At the beginning of the last decade it may have been an unlikely fixture 'full stop'.
Although it isn't particularly surprising that a club currently sitting in 8th position in the Premier League would reach a Wembley final, after the departure of star performer Joe Allen and manager Brendan Rodgers at the beginning of the season, Swansea could have been forgiven for not having set its sights any higher than simply 'top-flight survival'.
Even the most optimistic of Swans' fans will be surely be delighted by their teams progress this year, the Welsh side building on the successes of their previous campaign. The appointment of new manager Michael Laudrup and the addition of Michu, a classy 'surprise-package' who has burst onto the scene, looking instantly at home amongst the stars of the Barclay's Premier League - in many respects a player who epitomises the club's recent accomplishments.
The fact that League Two's Bradford will walk out on the hallowed turf to contest a major trophy and potential passage into European football, is nothing short of incredible. An achievement made all the more special by the fact they have dispatched Arsenal and Aston Villa (over two-legs none the less) along the way.
However unlikely this contest seemed in August, rewind eleven years and the prospect of a major cup final would have been a complete irrelevance to both clubs who were concerned only with their immediate existence, crippled by debt, unable to pay their players and in financial turmoil.
Swansea were in the bottom tier of English football and Bradford were about to embark on a descent of four divisions after their brief flirtation with life in the Premier League had left the forlorn club with massive debts.
In October 2001, Swansea AFC was teetering on the brink of administration. The new and often wayward owner Tony Petty had asked the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) for a loan of £225,000 with the club unable to meet the players' wage bill.
Petty, who had recently taken control of the club had tried to implement ruthless cost-cutting measures which included the attempted sacking of seven of the playing staff (a clear breach of contract which was successfully overturned by the PFA).
The then Swansea captain and PFA Chairman Nick Cusack said at the end of 2001: "After having assurances that we would definitely be paid, they are now turning round on Christmas Eve and saying that funding is not available to pay us."
After the club failed to meet the December wage bill, The PFA intervened and loaned Swansea City around £75,000 to cover the unpaid wages.
There ensued a power struggle for ownership of the club with Australian investor Tony Petty initially resisting a buy-out from a rival consortium headed by ex-player Mel Nurse. The unrest led to the creation of the Swansea City Supporters' Trust, which eventually guaranteed supporter representation on the club's board.
The Petty Group sold its stake in January 2002 ending a bitter stand-off with the Nurse consortium, which by this point had the support of the majority of the club's fans. Whilst the Swans found themselves under a transfer embargo, at least with the help of the PFA they avoided administration and could start to rebuild.
At a similar time across the border Bradford City had overstretched themselves financially whilst chasing Premier League survival. The Yorkshire club doubling its wage bill in a single season prior to being relegated from the top-flight.
Following relegation Bradford's debt spiralled to around £36 million and at one stage the players went unpaid for 17 weeks; a situation that echoes recent events at Portsmouth FC.
Reflecting on just how perilous the situation was at Bradford, PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor admits "it came very close to pulling the plug on the club".
"We have helped rescue many clubs but this was the most difficult. We were horrified when we saw the extent of the mismanagement and just how cavalier the Bradford Board had been."
When the clubs finances were dissected in full, it became transparent that there wasn't much that the club had not borrowed against. The land and buildings at Valley Parade, Benito Carbone's club residence and even Long Barn, which housed Bradford's youth players had all been committed. Gordon Taylor recalled: "Our lawyers and accountants found there was nothing left to mortgage. Everything had been used to borrow money."
Whilst Bradford fans might now take a wistful glance up the football pyramid, with their club currently occupying a mid-table spot in League Two, they can look forward to a Capital One Cup Final knowing that the club's financial outlook and existence are secure. A future that up until only relatively recently was still very much on the brink.
Swansea meanwhile have gone from strength to strength, rising through the Football League before securing promotion to the Barclay's Premier League in 2010/2011. Managers Martinez, Rogers and Laudrup have all committed the club to free flowing football which has become the Swans' defining style, each manager building on their predecessors blueprint.
During the low point of Christmas Eve 2001, it would seem inconceivable to flash forward nine years and see Swansea thriving at the Liberty Stadium in the Premier League and about to contest their first domestic cup final in their 100 year history.
At a time when the PFA is currently involved in delicate negotiations in trying to ensure Pompey's survival, Gordon Taylor will watch Bradford Vs Swansea knowing that the PFA's intervention helped secure a future for both clubs.
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