has the FA Cup lost its appeal...

[MadAmster]

.. or is it Barnsley?

3rd round home tie, Barnsley. North and West stands shut. Tickets £11 for adults and £6 for concessions. thousands still available. So...

... is it the Cup, Barnsley or both causing the lack of interest?

[ramAnag]

It’s about as routine a tie as they come, MA. Not even a priority for either club in the current situation.
When it’s giant killers v someone of note or a club with a real chance then maybe the magic remains, but otherwise it’s only there in the later rounds imo.
Whichever club goes through...if they draw one of the big six, or Forest/Leeds, in the next round then PP/Oakwell will be buzzing but, even for most of us, Sunday’s match is the least important for the foreseeable.

[MadAmster]

1508 left.

[SithHappens]

Without a doubt it has.

There are a number of reasons, 1. The removal of the cup winners cup, this was always the '2nd' competition in europe before they merged it with the europa leage (or uefa cup as was).
2. Big teams putting out 2nd string teams (probably to do with number 1., at least in some respect and some the money introduced with the creation of the premier league, making it more important to finish 12th than have a cup run)
3. Man Utd not even bothering one year.
4. Possibly also the watering down of the value of a wembley appearance with games like play offs now played there, it doesnt have the prestige it once did. (Also semi finals played there which remains a ludicrous decision imo)

The cup was massive when i was growing up, coverage on the day flicking between itv and bbc from early morning to kick off. It was almost as big as the league in some respects as had the glamour of playing at wembley.

As it gets to the closing stages i think it comes alive some (and does certainly also for smaller teams in the initial rounds especially if a big club is coming to town), but for me id struggle to tell you who won last year yet when i was growing up in the 70's and 80's i could name every winner (and still can).

[Ramshank72]

Without a doubt it has.

There are a number of reasons, 1. The removal of the cup winners cup, this was always the '2nd' competition in europe before they merged it with the europa leage (or uefa cup as was).
2. Big teams putting out 2nd string teams (probably to do with number 1., at least in some respect and some the money introduced with the creation of the premier league, making it more important to finish 12th than have a cup run)
3. Man Utd not even bothering one year.
4. Possibly also the watering down of the value of a wembley appearance with games like play offs now played there, it doesnt have the prestige it once did. (Also semi finals played there which remains a ludicrous decision imo)

The cup was massive when i was growing up, coverage on the day flicking between itv and bbc from early morning to kick off. It was almost as big as the league in some respects as had the glamour of playing at wembley.

As it gets to the closing stages i think it comes alive some (and does certainly also for smaller teams in the initial rounds especially if a big club is coming to town), but for me id struggle to tell you who won last year yet when i was growing up in the 70's and 80's i could name every winner (and still can).

Go on then Sith, every winner from the 70s and 80s... And no googling

[SithHappens]

Ok if put my hand on my heart i cant say the early 70's ones as i was born in 71, im talking of ones i remember, or have knowledge of the results.

So the first final i recall really was Ipswich winning 1-0 in 78, but my proper 1st memory is 79 when Arsenal beat Man Utd, it was then that i (i know shame of it) got a soft spot for Man Utd, mainly because they came back to level late on to make it 2-2 only for Arsenal to win at the death (isnt it a pub question, when did Sunderland last win the cup?).

But because of the soft spot i developed i knew Utd lost to Southampton in 76 but beat Liverpool in 77.

1980 is memorable as West Ham (then of the 2nd division) won the cup.

81 and 82 were spurs years with 81 being memorable especially as the Argentinians made the headlines.

83, having a soft spot for Utd is one i remember too, 'plucky' brighton holding Utd to a draw in the first game, with Gary Bailey (who was frankly an awful keeper) making a very late stop to prevent Brighton winning, of course Utd hammered them in the replay. Replays on a thursday night, i loved them too.

Weird thing is Jimmy Melia was also known as the bald eagle and i had in my head it was actually jim smith who was their manager for a long time.

84 is a final i dont remember lots about other than Everton winning and it being the start of their purple patch in the game.

They lost to Utd the following year, mainly remembered for being the 1st cup final with a red card, Kevin Moran sent off for a foul on Peter Reid (who also begged the ref not to send him off). Then a great winner from Norman Whiteside.

Everton in the final again the following year but losing to liverpool, which at the time stood out as liverpool were dominant in the game but hadnt faired well (in my eyes) in the cup, though of course there was repeat in 89

87 and 88 stand out as they were the two big shock results at the time, Coventry and Wimbledon lifting the cup.

90 Utd won, and most people seem to think its a win that saved Fergies job. What i recall from this is Fergie dropping 'his' keeper after the first game and replacing him with Les Sealey which is a bit like Man City playing Carson in goal for the final now.

I do recall 91, who doesnt, Forest lost, but was also the game Gazza probably put himself on a downward spiral as probably was never as good after that when he got badly injured in a challenge that was his own fault (gary charles?)

[Ramshank72]

Very impressive! My lack of attention to non-Derby related football means I could only name one of those, and I think Everton won it again in 92(?).

[Geoff Parkstone]

It was 1995 when Everton won 1-0 against Manchester United. The one FA Cup final that I've been to (on corporate hospitality) and one of the worst games of football I've ever seen, although the prawn sarnies were good. Everton beat Derby 1-0 in the 3rd round.

1992 saw the Arse beat the Wendies in a replay

[MadAmster]

Still over 7200 tickets available for Wet Spam. The Cup really does seem to have lost its appeal... that or Wet Spam aren't a big draw these days.