Which would you choose?

[swaledale]

Bit daft that, AF. No need for it. We’re arguing about fantasy stuff...guaranteed football outcomes and fairy godmothers...I tend to agree with you in terms of preference, but Swale is undeniably right that, for clubs in Derby’s position...play off success is infinitely more likely than FA Cup success.

As for the lack of name calling and swearing...perhaps the absence of a certain other poster has more to do with that. The atmosphere has certainly been more ‘relaxed’ of late and I can’t think of any other factor.

Either way, and yes...I know it’s not the FA Cup, but, after tonight’s Carabao results, I bet the majority of both Southampton and Forest fans would swap potential semi final and Wembley glory for Premier League survival.

Again rA, I'm not entirely sure that they would, I recall playing Man Utd in the League Cup semis and we nearly prevailed that was memorable, because for once we stood a chance of prevailing over one of the big teams in a competition.

I would value actually winning a trophy, be that the FA or league Cup over any promotion, because its such a rare experience and your club has actually won something. My view is that the majority of fans would prefer to have experienced that at least once in their life time, than a decade knocking about the bottom half of the premier league.

Whilst the premier league has an attraction, its value as a competition is devalued in my eyes, because only a very wealthy club can win it and increasingly a small number clubs are dictating the terms.

[swaledale]

I suspect aspirations and preferences evolve over time, For example a Celtic fan, who for many successive years won domestic titles and cups, especially when Rangers were indisposed, might yearn for success in Europe above all else simply because domestic success has become the norm and so been downgraded.

Possibly the same for Citeh fans who may be getting bored with winning the PL (although sometimes there are challenges) and would rather win the Champions League in order to lay that one finally to rest.

For Stevenage, the off FA Cup giantkilling might be nice, even promotion to the 3rd divisiion, but there biggest wish might be to win the Papa John and play at Wembley

On that night at Villa Park I suspect they all wished they could be there to experience it. Those sort of occasions live long in memory and the history books. Promotions come and go, even though a pragmatic view would be that a promotion is better for a club in the long run.

[Ramshank72]

I asked my Southampton mate and he would rather they survive than won the cup, as they don't think they'll return to the Prem for many years if they drop down.
Good point though RA. I don't see us ever returning to the top sadly, though nothing is impossible, Leicester did it, and lets not forget where Man City were not so long ago. My perception may be different in that eventuality, unfortunately I doubt we'll ever know how we'd feel!

[ramAnag]

I suspect aspirations and preferences evolve over time, For example a Celtic fan, who for many successive years won domestic titles and cups, especially when Rangers were indisposed, might yearn for success in Europe above all else simply because domestic success has become the norm and so been downgraded.

Possibly the same for Citeh fans who may be getting bored with winning the PL (although sometimes there are challenges) and would rather win the Champions League in order to lay that one finally to rest.

For Stevenage, the off FA Cup giantkilling might be nice, even promotion to the 3rd divisiion, but there biggest wish might be to win the Papa John and play at Wembley

Good points there, GP.

Winning the Scottish title must have become almost routinely boring for Celtic and they must crave European success although it seems much further away than it was over half a century ago in 1967.

With City I think it’s slightly different. There’s essentially an elite band of three clubs - Liverpool, Chelsea and United - who have had repeated European success along with Forest and Villa who’s achievements should never be underestimated. I think, to take the next step, City and - to perhaps a lesser extent - Arsenal must really feel the absence of the ‘top’ trophy from their collection hence it becomes a priority.

Not sure about how you’d feel as a Stevenage fan. For me the Papa John trophy is nothing but a nuisance. I didn’t go to any of the matches and I wouldn’t have bothered to go to Wembley if we’d got there. I appreciate clubs the size of Stevenage have a different perspective, but I don’t imagine attendance at a third full Wembley for the final of the ‘also rans reserves’ competition that no one really cares about would have begun to compare - in the ‘I was there’ category - with those final five minutes at Villa Park last weekend.

[Andy_Faber]

To quote your good self, AF, ‘you really aren’t worth the effort’. If you really can’t recognise the contradiction in what your suggest, how you behave and your clear failure to fulfil your role as ‘moderator’ then I won’t waste my time trying to explain.

Thank God for that. Please TRY to stick to that

[Andy_Faber]

I asked my Southampton mate and he would rather they survive than won the cup, as they don't think they'll return to the Prem for many years if they drop down.
Good point though RA. I don't see us ever returning to the top sadly, though nothing is impossible, Leicester did it, and lets not forget where Man City were not so long ago. My perception may be different in that eventuality, unfortunately I doubt we'll ever know how we'd feel!

My Leicester relative and his mates all agree they’d swap ten FA Cups for prem survival, if nothing else for the financial benefits and therefore (in theory) quality players it accrues

[ramAnag]

Thank God for that. Please TRY to stick to that

Oops! Someone seems to be in a bit of grump.

I’ll stick to it easily, AF...trying to explain anything to you over recent months has been a complete waste of my time so probably best we just ignore each other.

You might want to look back at this thread and consider where the only hint of confrontation and sh1t stirring has originated though.
I actually agreed with you through much of the earlier comments and disagreed, perfectly healthily, with Swale. Rather ridiculously, that seems to have escaped you. Bye.

[swaledale]

Thank God for that. Please TRY to stick to that

Touch of arrogance here, par for the course when you've been found to be inaccurate in your posts. Seems to me you could do with looking at your own attitude before making comments about others which aren't true.

rA is right you aren't really worth the effort, but when its so easy to point where your wrong, well its no effort at all really and quite funny really!

[swaledale]

Oops! Someone seems to be in a bit of grump.

I’ll stick to it easily, AF...trying to explain anything to you over recent months has been a complete waste of my time so probably best we just ignore each other.

You might want to look back at this thread and consider where the only hint of confrontation and sh1t stirring has originated though.
I actually agreed with you through much of the earlier comments and disagreed, perfectly healthily, with Swale. Rather ridiculously, that seems to have escaped you. Bye.

rA he knows perfectly well, has just demonstrated what has been obvious for a while, he posts then feels foolish! I wasn't even having a go, just having a discussion on the premise of the thread and pointing out his particular argument didn't hold up to scrutiny. As you say. you have a different point of view to mine and have managed to back up your views without rancour or issue.

[ramAnag]

rA he knows perfectly well, has just demonstrated what has been obvious for a while, he posts then feels foolish! I wasn't even having a go, just having a discussion on the premise of the thread and pointing out his particular argument didn't hold up to scrutiny. As you say. you have a different point of view to mine and have managed to back up your views without rancour or issue.

I know...but it isn’t worth the bother or spoiling a perfectly good thread over.
Like you, I find it interesting where people’s priorities lie.
I do take your point that promotions are more common place, for the likes of us (DCFC), than Cup wins and, in that sense, less memorable.
For me though...success or survival in the League takes priority and some of my best Derby memories include those semi final wins over Millwall, Southampton, Brighton and Leeds...even though 3/4 of them ultimately ended in disappointment.