The FA Cup

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Wow...just wow....you ridicule me (plus the 1,000 plus Notts fans that turned up for the Checkatrade) and tell everyone to boycott the "tinpot trophy"....."because the big clubs have devalued it by playing their reserve teams"

When I point out that Coventry and Lincoln got behind the Checkatrade and picked up circa £500,000, spent the money on better players and advanced their teams....I'm called a whore.

NOW, it's the FA Cup and the top teams are playing their "B teams" it's different?????.......according to you it's ok for Notts to take part because of "the romance"?....I really am confused as you seem to change your mind on issues depending on what side of the bed you get out of

The way I see it the FA Cup and Checkout Trade Trophy are nothing in comparison. I myself have boycotted the Check a trade and will continue to do so whilst premier league B teams are in it.

The FA Cup is the best domestic cup competition in world football in my opinion. Every year it starts off in early August with the preliminary rounds where anyone who is anyone can enter. For example this year semi professional teams from the 9th and 10th level on the ladder join. Then as the rounds go by all none league clubs want a shot at the first round proper to test themselfs against league opposition. The draw for this round is full of excitement.

The FA Cup is great. We get to play non league teams who we’ve never heard of and sometimes we get beaten. Notable ones in recent times are Southport and Salford. Then we have the excitement of trying to get to the third round when the premier league teams enter.

The third round of the FA Cup is brilliant for clubs like ours. We’ve had some excellent occasions in recent years in the third round and beyond. We beat Sunderland at the stadium of light and they were 6th in the premier league. They did not play an under 23 team. We gave Fulham a good run for their money at Craven Cottage and I’ll never forget when we played Man City at home at Meadow Lane and we drew 1-1. That was memorable. Then we went to their place and lost but what occasions they were. No Under 23 teams played in those. That’s FA Cup and that is the romance of it all.

The Check a trade is a dead duck. Whereas the FA Cup is very much alive and kicking especially when lower league clubs get to the 4th round and beyond.

I don’t agree with the semi finals being at Wembley though.

[Elite_Pie]

The way I see it the FA Cup and Checkout Trade Trophy are nothing in comparison. I myself have boycotted the Check a trade and will continue to do so whilst premier league B teams are in it.

The FA Cup is the best domestic cup competition in world football in my opinion. Every year it starts off in early August with the preliminary rounds where anyone who is anyone can enter. For example this year semi professional teams from the 9th and 10th level on the ladder join. Then as the rounds go by all none league clubs want a shot at the first round proper to test themselfs against league opposition. The draw for this round is full of excitement.

The FA Cup is great. We get to play non league teams who we’ve never heard of and sometimes we get beaten. Notable ones in recent times are Southport and Salford. Then we have the excitement of trying to get to the third round when the premier league teams enter.

The third round of the FA Cup is brilliant for clubs like ours. We’ve had some excellent occasions in recent years in the third round and beyond. We beat Sunderland at the stadium of light and they were 6th in the premier league. They did not play an under 23 team. We gave Fulham a good run for their money at Craven Cottage and I’ll never forget when we played Man City at home at Meadow Lane and we drew 1-1. That was memorable. Then we went to their place and lost but what occasions they were. No Under 23 teams played in those. That’s FA Cup and that is the romance of it all.

The Check a trade is a dead duck. Whereas the FA Cup is very much alive and kicking especially when lower league clubs get to the 4th round and beyond.

I don’t agree with the semi finals being at Wembley though.

Agree with every word.

[MagicBoots]

Agree with every word.

Me to. Completely agree with the semi-finals. To me that’s diminished the romance. It was nice that the Wembley occasion was special.

What is more disturbing is why the final and semi final is at Wembley if Tottenham get there. Surely it’s a home game for them!

I know a few Tottenham fans and their misguided view is that it gives the chance for teams like Newport and Rochdale a day out at the twin towers.

Sadly this is what football and the F A Cup has become. All the money and power is kept in the premiership and playing teams in our league is seen more as charity than a competitive match.

The top clubs were recently contemplating a European league to get better gates and competition. I wish they would do one and leave the premiership because as it stands it is a completely uneven playing field.

If they want competition why not let some of the money feed into the lower leagues and not hoard the sky money as they do paying ridiculous transfer fees and wages a team in our league could only dream of.

[Notts78]

The Premiership is a product, like many of the top leagues. So as a product they want to attract the top players,which inevitably comes at an excessive cost, which is where sponsorship helps (include TV money) and the perceived greed begins. I don’t begrudge them of that and often watch games at the top level, across the leagues and enjoy them.
Personally, as a fan and supporter of a club like Notts County I feel closer to my club, I feel it is more a community club, attracting supporters within its immediate vicinity. I feel that supporting them makes a difference too. I am proud of our history and I look forward to watching blokes play for my team that are not on obscene money, and that makes me feel more connected to them as human beings. Can fans of the the big clubs say all of the above? Not a chance.

[cocopops61]

Marine fc home or away after they have hopefully knocked Salford out on saturday!

Well after reading all of that I see that there's only one answer to my original question,thanks metrocab

[Elite_Pie]

Well after reading all of that I see that there's only one answer to my original question,thanks metrocab

Did you miss post #3?

[uysapie]

Did you miss post #3?

Number 31 in the draw.

[Woodsetts_Pie]

Given that we are already out of 2 cup competitions, it's ***** for the financial state of the club that we get somewhere in this.
We need a home draw against the lowest ranked competitor
Then in Round 2 we need another home draw against the then lowest ranked competitor
And so on.....

[Woodsetts_Pie]

Why does it star out "v i t a l"?

[Elite_Pie]

Why does it star out "v i t a l"?

Because it's the name of a rival football website.