The FA Cup

[Tao 66]

Accrington or Yeovil v Manchester United

 

A few years ago I'd have been champing at the bit to go to see this fixture if we got through, now I'm just going to the replay here, because I know it will be a no holds barred footballing scrap to win the prize...

 

But what prize exactly? At home to a United reserve side with some stars on the bench just in case things go wrong, or making a cameo appearance at the end...Yeovil or Accrington will give half a United side a good game, but do I want to part with the best part of £30 to watch cameo appearances by Messrs Rooney and van Persie. 

 

The FA Cup has lost it's appeal to me really. In 1993 my boys gave Arsenal a good game, we lost 3-1 but we were non league then and they sent out the best they had. It was worth watching.

 

£30 will pay my taxi tto Pattaya in January

 

So if we beat Accrington, I simply can't be arsed.

[par47]

Agree, the FA Cup has diminished in recent years. The big clubs dont care about it because they don't make much money from it, the little clubs are more focused on league survival.

 

Still, I'd be happy if the mighty Canaries won it, we never have!

[bob82]

I think Man U should have been booted out of it when they pulled out to play the world club cup.

[vimto66]

Give the FA cup winners a champions league place,see how serious some teams take it then.At least the winners will have won a trophy,unlike the current format where fourth place aka also-ran can qualify for the richest club competition in the world by winning fuckall.UEFA are shit scared of the big euro clubs taking their bat and ball home and starting a rival competition if they`re chances of qualifying are diminished.

[brewster]

The 3rd Round is all about AFC Wimbledon v Liverpool...

 

[Tao 66]

Yeovil actually beat the full United reserve side 3-2 in a pre season a couple of years ago. Well...no stars played or no names I'd recognise, probably a mixture of reserve and academy I dunno. I bought my replay ticket today and that's gonna be a very good game. BT sport has the fixture against Man United live so the winners of the replay will have a good pay day.

 

United have come unstuck before playing with a weakened side. 0-0 against Exeter and Burton Albion are 2 calamities i can remember plus MK Dons thrashing them this season in the league cup.

 

So you never know....

[Nws]

I'm a Watford fan & will be heading to the bridge to see if we can shut up Jose & stuff a few of Romans Rubbles down his throat, somehow I doubt it

[jinx]

I'm a Watford fan & will be heading to the bridge to see if we can shut up Jose & stuff a few of Romans Rubbles down his throat, somehow I doubt it

I think Elton John can work on Romans throat, while the players look after Jose ... ;) on a serious note enjoy your trip to the bridge and good luck.

[jinx]

I think Man U should have been booted out of it when they pulled out to play the world club cup.

I lived in Birmingham for a few years Bob & I would attend matches at Villa Park every so often, my mate Andy was a Villa fan & a seaon ticket holder, he was the only reason I obtained tickets for Man utd matches (Huge demand for tickets). Villa park today as well as back then is far from full on match days, but when United came to town it was packed to the rafters.

 

The point I am coming to is that United (love or hate them) put bums on seats. Would any team refuse an FA cup outing to Old Trafford ?, plus the profit it would bring to that respective club ? They bring revenue to the opposing teams coffers as well as their own.

 

The old chestnut that United ruined the FA Cup angle is a bit jaded now. Champions league football came to town plus massive premiership television money with still more money to come. I was just reading today that the next big premiership TV deal might involve Friday night football.

 

Overall I'm still in love the FA cup like all football fans but the FA cup outgrew itself, if that sounds right. The new Wembley is a fantastic spectecal but it can never replicate the magic of the old stadium. The teams recording a song for the final, along with interviews from their hotels, seems to be a thing of the past. The sponsors name seems just as important as the cup itself, add to that the fact that both Semi finals are now played at Wembley, it's taken the spotlight away from the final day.

 

One of my work colleagues who is an Arsenal fan would always say United ruined the FA cup, but he was damn glad this year that his team won it ( & respected it's value ) as any Wigan, Portsmouth, Wimbledon or Coventry City fan would testify to.

 

I agree with Vimto's point about the FA cup winners replacing the fourth placed finishers in the Premiership for a Champions league spot.

 

Jinx.

[bob82]

I lived in Birmingham for a few years Bob & I would attend matches at Villa Park every so often, my mate Andy was a Villa fan & a seaon ticket holder, he was the only reason I obtained tickets for Man utd matches (Huge demand for tickets) Villa park today as well as back then is far from full on match days, but when United come to town it was packed to the rafters.

The point I am coming to is that United (love or hate them) put bums on seats. Would any team refuse an FA cup outing to Old Trafford ?, plus the profit it would bring to that respective club ? They bring revenue to the opposing teams coffers as well as their own.

The old chestnut United that ruined the FA Cup angle is a bit jaded now. Champions league football came to town plus massive premiership television money with still more money to come. I was just reading today that the next big premiership TV deal might involve Friday night football.

Overall I'm still in love the FA cup like all football fans but the FA cup outgrew itself, if that sounds right. The new Wembley is a fantastic spectecal but it can never replicate the magic of the old stadium. The teams recording a song for the final, along with interviews from their Hotels, seems to be a thing of the past. The sponsors name seems just as important as the cup itself, add to that the fact that both Semi finals are now played at Wembley, it's taken the spotlight away from the final day.

One of my work colleagues who is an Arsenal fan would always say United ruined the FA cup, but he was damn glad this year that his team won it ( & respected its value ) as would any Wigan, Portsmouth, Wimbledon or Coventry City fan would testify to.

I agree with Vimto's point about the FA cup winners replacing the fourth placed finishers in the Premiership for Champions league spot.

Jinx.

i agre about the the semi finals. It takes the shine off the final and they should be played at other neutral grounds. As for villa park being far from full. That's true I'm a villa fan myself and hardly ever go but it's expensive and who wants to shell out a load of money to watch a mediocre side being starved off funds. Still think and always will that United pulling out the oldest club cup comp in football was a disgrace. And they should never have played in it again. But that is only my opinion. I understand most lower league teams,players dream about pulling a cup draw at old Trafford .

[Tao 66]

Wembley should be part of the prize for the final not for the semis...I think that's awful. Old Trafford or Villa Park is quite capable of holding a semi final as they have before. Wembley shouldn't be used for the semis.

[mousemat]

 

 

Personally the FA cup has lost its appeal for me and I have not watched a final in about 7 or 8 years. There is so much football on TV that you can almost watch it 24 hours a day and this has resulted in me being very selective on the games I choose to watch.

 

Most premiership teams play reserves so I would rather watch Barcelona on sky sports if I had to choose.

 

I support a lower league team and have only watched about 2 FA cup games in the last 5 years but seeing my boys play at the Emirates ( library) and Everton were experiences I will never forget.

[sparkey]

I'm old enough to remember when the streets were empty on FA cup final day

 

Everybody watching it.

 

We always went round my nan's . Colour. TV.

 

It was a real occasion

 

How things change