Fa Cup Worth the effort?

[Yorkshire Vixen]

not worth the effort for us

 

[Blue Maniac]

But they do give the opportunity that would not otherw*s* be available to see City on different grounds.

Really? Pre-season friendlies give that opportunity, but the FA Cup seems not to. In recent years we always seem to get drawn at home, or with teams in our league, or both. In the last four seasons we've played away to teams outside our league twice - both replays. And even then, Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage are hardly new territory for us are they? Don't get me wrong - if we drew, say, a non-league side away from home I'd be interested. But Stevenage at the Walkers? No ta.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Really? Pre-season friendlies give that opportunity, but the FA Cup seems not to. In recent years we always seem to get drawn at home, or with teams in our league, or both. In the last four seasons we've played away to teams outside our league twice - both replays. And even then, Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage are hardly new territory for us are they? Don't get me wrong - if we drew, say, a non-league side away from home I'd be interested. But Stevenage at the Walkers? No ta.

I should point out that the season before that we played four away games, and only one of those - Reading - was in our league. Still, The Valley and Ewood Park are places we've been before, and Bloomfield Road isn't even a proper ground.

 

[bocadillo]

Really? Pre-season friendlies give that opportunity, but the FA Cup seems not to. In recent years we always seem to get drawn at home, or with teams in our league, or both. In the last four seasons we've played away to teams outside our league twice - both replays. And even then, Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage are hardly new territory for us are they?

I'm surprised that somebody like you would be willing to tick off a ground after a pre-season friendly. Surely not! Perhaps a little mark with a pencil but not worth IMHO a full tick with a biro!

You may also want to recall that your opening mini-rant in this thread mentioned *both* cups (and would presumably have also included the JPT last season). To that I would reply "Macclesfield, the Don Valley Stadium and Accrington Stanley".

 

[Blue Maniac]

I'm surprised that somebody like you would be willing to tick off a ground after a pre-season friendly. Surely not! Perhaps a little mark with a pencil but not worth IMHO a full tick with a biro!

If I've been, I've been :icon_wink I'm not a 92 Club member, nor do I wish to be. For reasons, see here. Enough to put any sane person off.

You may also want to recall that your opening mini-rant in this thread mentioned *both* cups (and would presumably have also included the JPT last season). To that I would reply "Macclesfield, the Don Valley Stadium and Accrington Stanley".

All very pleasant trips. [Actually, no they weren't - at Macclesfield I ended up breaking into the ground with Stringer and Sinclair hours before kick-off, at the Don Valley I was stuck in Sheffield until after midnight after my coach broke down, and at Accrington my cousin got hit in the face with a ball by Mike Stowell (broke her glasses and knocked her on her arse) and then we got soaked to the bone watching an unbelievably tedious game of football.]

But that's, what, an additional three grounds across three seasons? It's hardly worth it, is it?

 

[Boy Genius]

If I've been, I've been :icon_wink I'm not a 92 Club member, nor do I wish to be. For reasons, see here. Enough to put any sane person off.



All very pleasant trips. [Actually, no they weren't - at Macclesfield I ended up breaking into the ground with Stringer and Sinclair hours before kick-off, at the Don Valley I was stuck in Sheffield until after midnight after my coach broke down, and at Accrington my cousin got hit in the face with a ball by Mike Stowell (broke her glasses and knocked her on her arse) and then we got soaked to the bone watching an unbelievably tedious game of football.]

But that's, what, an additional three grounds across three seasons? It's hardly worth it, is it?

Miserable moaning ****er! Why bother going in the first place?

 

[Blue Maniac]

Miserable moaning ****er! Why bother going in the first place?

It's more like a job than a hobby. A wonderful, horrible job that I don't get paid for and that I simultaneously love and hate.

 

[Boy Genius]

It's more like a job than a hobby. A wonderful, horrible job that I don't get paid for and that I simultaneously love and hate.

:icon_bigg

 

[bocadillo]

I'm not a 92 Club member, nor do I wish to be.

This is not about 92 Club membership but about the infinitely harder task of seeing City at more grounds. To be a 92 Club member, you only need money and insanity. To see City in out-of-the-way places you need to add a little bit of luck in the draws of the two (three?) knock-out competitions.

But that's, what, an additional three grounds across three seasons? It's hardly worth it, is it?

Yes. And I must say that you have gone done in my estimation. You are clearly not the maniac I thought you once to be.

 

[homer]

What a tragic question - some of you should be ashamed of yourselves

It's the FA Cup FFS, not the Johnstones Paint Trophy

A full strength squad, and go for it all guns blazing

 

[Graz]

Definetely go for it!

Hate going out the Cup, especially early on... don't like empty weekends that were reserved for cup games!

Should always go for it in the FA Cup... Millwall got to the final a few years ago... get the right draws and it's possible... or at least a chance to play some bigger clubs, maybe cause a few upsets, financial boost for the club and a feel good factor for us!

 

[Blue Maniac]

To see City in out-of-the-way places you need to add a little bit of luck in the draws of the two (three?) knock-out competitions.

Or pre-season friendlies... :icon_bigg

Yes. And I must say that you have gone done in my estimation. You are clearly not the maniac I thought you once to be.

Don't worry, I'm not about to start skipping games I don't fancy just because it's 'only' the cup. I'll still be wandering around distant towns in the dead of night if the draw requires.

 

[Hazzman]

I am off Villa on Saturday......(hide and prepare for a hiding)

 

[manxfox]

I fully expect us to win the FA cup this year. Failure to win the FA cup would be totally unacceptable.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Sadly its a more or less meaningless competition - destroyed by the disproportionate financial importance of clubs wanting to win, qualify for the European Championship, stay in or get in the Premiership.

Years ago - many supporters would prefer their team to win the FA Cup rather than the league - these days many football fans wouldn't be able to recall who beat whom in last year's final.

Man U drove one of the final nails in its coffin some seasons ago when they opted to play in some phoney international kick-a-round rather then compete.

What's even sadder is when ITV tries to pretend that there is any particular significance to the competition.

Instead of being special Saturdays in the season, it is reduced to a sideshow where most of the teams with bigger priorities will want to rest their key players.

The only way of possibly half reviving the competition would be to allocate one of the four European Championship places to the winners - and that's not going to happen.

I can't imagine that it will retain a Saturday slot for many more seasons.

 

[slyfox]

If Leicester city get to the quarter final stage..would it still be meaningless?

 

[Motown Fox]

If Leicester city get to the quarter final stage..would it still be meaningless?

no it would be a bloody miracle!!!:icon_bigg

 

[slyfox]

no it would be a bloody miracle!!!:icon_bigg

Thats the beauty of the competition just ask Wycombe

 

[bocadillo]

Sadly its a more or less meaningless competition - destroyed by the disproportionate financial importance of clubs wanting to win, qualify for the European Championship, stay in or get in the Premiership.

Years ago - many supporters would prefer their team to win the FA Cup rather than the league - these days many football fans wouldn't be able to recall who beat whom in last year's final.

Man U drove one of the final nails in its coffin some seasons ago when they opted to play in some phoney international kick-a-round rather then compete.

What's even sadder is when ITV tries to pretend that there is any particular significance to the competition.

Instead of being special Saturdays in the season, it is reduced to a sideshow where most of the teams with bigger priorities will want to rest their key players.

The only way of possibly half reviving the competition would be to allocate one of the four European Championship places to the winners - and that's not going to happen.

I can't imagine that it will retain a Saturday slot for many more seasons.

And even more Kings Lynns go to the wall, so that the can't-be-arsed-to-get-out-of-my-armchair fan can watch their ManYoo on the telly.

What have we let them do with our game?

 

[Leesoh]

I think it is a sad factor of modern day football that we even are considering a question like this. There is no such thing as 'cup fever' any more.

Back in 1969 when we got to the final, 1974 and 1981 when we got to the semi finals, each cup game was waited for with great anticipation and excitement. Crowds were good and atmospheres were fantastic. We had larger away followings to a cup match than any other game. in 1969 we were in serious relegation trouble and in fact went down, but there was never any talk about not bothering with the cup.

Everything is now geared towards being in the premier league or qualifying for europe - TV and Money drives football nowadays - not the pure excitement of a one of classic cup match and too few clubs have the monopoly on competitions.

Perhaps the question should be that after the season we are having and competing well in the top six of a competitve league, do we really want promotion just to be in a position like Burnely and be almost certainly fighting another relegation dog fight?

Get hoofed out as soon as possible. Both the cups just cost me extra money. Look at it this way: Major clubs don't take it seriously because of the Champions League. Mid-table Premier League clubs don't take it seriously because of their Europa League or top four ambitions. Lower end Premier League clubs don't take it seriously because staying in the league is more important. Because of this, the cup is just a way of the big four showing how much better their reserve sides are than the first teams of Football League clubs.

The only way the FA Cup is going to have the interest and excitement out back into it is by the FA offering a Champions League place to the winners, but even then it'll still be won by Chelsea/Man United (or some spawny cup chancers who will never ever ever win the league ever, like Liverpool) every year. A Portsmouth v Cardiff final won't happen again, and that's why it's boring. The FA Cup these days is an absolute waste of time, and that upsets me because I used to love it.

This. The magic has gone for me. :icon_sad:

Hate going out the Cup, especially early on... don't like empty weekends that were reserved for cup games!

Doncaster or Cardiff away?