The magic of the FA Cup (or otherwise)

[Teammoo]

I see that ITV and BTSport have entered into the spirit of the FA Cup. The third round games to be shown live include those minnows Man U, Man C, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

What happened to the idea that this round was about the small clubs and their moment of fame and maybe glory.

Good Luck to all the smaller clubs this weekend, especially Macc.

[somersetcrewe]

I think I can just about forgive the North London derby. Even I am quite keen to see how that one pans out - but the others?? Who really cares!?

Rochdale/Leeds, Southend/Millwall - even Aston Villa/Sheff Utd, especially after Lambert's comments! They will capture the "magic" much more.

Personally I'd like to have seen Yeovil/Leyton Orient - a struggling Champs club (albeit in only in my opinion) against a high-flying Lge 1 outfit - with the added spice of Gary Johnson vs. Russell Slade. The former left Yeovil to try his luck at Bristol City, (Peterboro & Northampton after that), before returning while the latter was the guy who replaced him at Huish Park, did well, then got sacked - by the CURRENT chairman, allegedly for indiscretions OFF the pitch. Many rumours about what they were but probably best not to speculate on here! ;D

Would be a very tasty one!
But maybe I'm a bit biased!! ;D

[AlexLeicester]

For me it's almost totally 'otherwise'.

Possible exception would be Macclesfield's draw against Wednesday, but having been at Macclesfield when the Alex fans outnumbered the Macc's one Boxing Day, and watching them beat us, I have little love for that ramshackle collection of huts.

Bring on the New York Stadium on Saturday.

COYRs

[jamesdad]

I went and watched Macc V Sheffield and it is a ramshackled ground but at least it was full and had atmosphere.

[Teammoo]

Will the replay be shown live (as it should) or will the powers that be decide that the country hasn't seen enough of Man City?

[PAULCAFC]

Macc put us to shame in the FA Cup in recent years showing passion, commitment, spirit etc, and Vale have a great chance of being in round 5 now.

[somersetcrewe]

Macc put us to shame in the FA Cup in recent years


Maybe - but would you swap with them? No - thought not!

The magic has definitely dissipated for me - Lambert and Allardyce the latest to insult the once-great competition. It's now on a par with the League Cup, and who would have thought that a few years ago?!!

On Allardyce, apparently he had 14 fit players to choose from yesterday. I guess that must have included the kids. I don't buy it personally. You just watch those mysterious injuries clear up in time for Man City and Cardiff.

Players were once built of stern stuff. No more it seems!

[somersetcrewe]

I've had a change of heart over breakfast.

I was going to say let FA Cup and League Cup winners earn Champs League places and give 3rd and 4th Europa League places. We'd soon see a shift in focus on the cups then - and we'd also have more chance of seeing more Champions qualifying for a competition befitting of its.

But in so doing, would that spell the end for the likes of Swansea and Wigan winning "major" trophies?

I'm now thinking let's leave the likes of Lambert and Allardyce to spin their yarns, leaving their clubs to make fools of themselves, far more enjoyable.
No, for me the magic of the cup *IS* still there, just not for the greedy few at the top!

A redistribution of wealth - that's what we really need to level the playing field. How about a reduction in player salaries and ticket prices, returning league football to Saturdays at 3pm (with just the occasional live game on terrestrial TV). and renaming the divisions to something more meaningful ... ... like 1, 2, 3 & 4

[AlexLeicester]

The death of the excitement of the FA Cup is not just down to Murdoch and his money-grabbing, narrow-mindedness. Times change and it will not be long before the FA Cup goes the way of double de-clutching and leather caseys.
Time was when we could, as a family plus a few friends, gather round the box in the living room and, from 8am or thereabouts watch and listen as the excitement slowly built up during the day. The players leaving their hotel, then arriving at the ground; the be-suited teams wandering onto the hallowed turf and savouring the atmosphere; the Royals (no, not Joe) taking their seats and then meeting the teams; and the long, long, parade round the ground for the victorious side.
Now it is a bunch of prima donnas, most of whoses I cannot spell, and a manager whose first language is Italian, French, Russian, Dutch, Spanish or German. The hoardings round the ground distractedly revolve and flash bright advertising; the *****ly important time between leaving the tunnel a

[crewebacca]

Here's a non magical FAKUP moment for me. Blackburn v's Man City on Fox. Colour commentator (our very own) Dean Ashton no less, failed to correct the main mouth when once again we were referred to as Crewe Alexan-DER. In reference to B'Burn's Ben Marshall once being on the same books as Dean.:/:-/

[crewedaft]

Was the 'magic' of the FA Cup a myth or reality?

I looked back at the competition of 1974-75 and some of the statistics were staggering.

Stafford Rangers got to the 4th round and switched their tie with Peterborough to Stoke's ground. A crowd of 31,160 turned up!

Likewise Wimbledon (then non-league) drew at Leeds and for the replay, (played at Crystal Palace) they got a crowd of 45,071.

The 5th round game between Birmingham and Walsall attracted 45,881, and the four matches between Ipswich and Leeds in the 6th round drew a combined attendance of 142,819.

Even our first round replay at non-league Gateshead, played on a Monday afternoon due to lack of floodlights, attracted a crowd of 6,000!

It is impossible to imagine the FA Cup ever having such a hold on the imagination again!