F A Cup 4Th Round

[Blue in Munich]

Yes your fans traveled the shortish journey well but in general the crowds have been falling for a few years now for this cup that hasn't the stature it once had.

We are in a recession; are we in danger of confusing fans losing interest with fans can't afford it? Both Mrs BiM and I go to the home matches, haven't done away for a while. Just done a quick mental tot-up, we probably spent £3,000 last year in tickets alone; no food, no beer, no travel costs just tickets. Granted that included 2 cup finals, but that's a lot of money. Add the rest in and I dread to think. In times when people are losing jobs or facing cuts in pay, something's got to give and at £50 a pop, I can see that being near the top of the list.

 

[Dodger]

We are in a recession; are we in danger of confusing fans losing interest with fans can't afford it? Both Mrs BiM and I go to the home matches, haven't done away for a while. Just done a quick mental tot-up, we probably spent £3,000 last year in tickets alone; no food, no beer, no travel costs just tickets. Granted that included 2 cup finals, but that's a lot of money. Add the rest in and I dread to think. In times when people are losing jobs or facing cuts in pay, something's got to give and at £50 a pop, I can see that being near the top of the list.

Yes it appears you are.

Crowds for the cup didn't take such a serious hit during the recessions of the 80's or 90's when the cup was still a great competition.

League crowds have held well and indeed have improved in many instances compared to then so my point stands that fans are voting with their feet as the cup has not got the pull it once held.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Just out of interest, how often do you go & which club?

 

[Dodger]

Just out of interest, how often do you go & which club?

Celtic & Scotland maybe 6 times a year,Newcastle and Leeds a couple each and various others maybe up to ten times ranging from non league foreign stuff.

 

[Piece]

I understand the point you're making, but I'd stick by my point. Whilst teams may blood youngsters or choose squad players to try and rest some senior players, they still put out a team that they think will still get them through. It's a calculated risk. Look at who got to the semi finals of the other cup and you see that it is that competition where the real stiffs come out. As for Man USA's pull out, I personally think that says more about the arrogance of that club than the standing in which other clubs hold it.

I'd also add to my point above, which I stupidly forgot, is that the cash sloshing around in the Premier league dictates that clubs will prioritise the league over the FA Cup. This applies mainly to the top 5 and those sides at the bottom. Those in mid table without fear of relegation can stick out a full side without repercussions. It's great that most fans still uphold the cup traditions; unfortunately for me, it's not the same anymore.

Since we are discussing football, is Gianfranco doing a good job at Watford?

Yes, excellent. Stitched together a mix of loanees, foreigners and sprinkling of tactical nous. Playing lovely footy, best suited to counter-attacking football. The main downer is that because these are talented loanees, it highly likely that half will leave soon for greater challenges and we'll have to start again.

 

[stevie_r]

Are you sure about that?

It was my understanding that the FA forced Man Utd to play as Champions of the PL and representatives of the UK.

A case of you're damned if you do and damned if you don't!

That was my understanding too, in order to curry favour for yet another failed World Cup hosting application

 

[stevie_r]

Celtic & Scotland maybe 6 times a year,Newcastle and Leeds a couple each and various others maybe up to ten times ranging from non league foreign stuff.

Cappielow today, freezing and a rubbish game; probably go there about 5 times a year and today ended a 3 year jinx of watching them lose at home

 

[Blue in Munich]

Then you probably get a very different perspective on it from fans who go to the one club for every game, or certainly as many as they can afford. League attendances hold up well because the hard-core support have bought and paid for the following season in the form of their season ticket by May the previous year, and in most cases the cups are add-ons, hence the first thing to go in hard times. I've had to change jobs this year and taken a big hit financially, people we sit with have lost jobs and struggled to find new ones, and we have all agreed that we have given cup games a miss because we can't afford it. I also don't remember those other recessions hitting as hard as this one, but I'm not an economist and I accept that might be down to my personal circumstances, but the relative cost of tickets in the 80's and 90's was a pittance compared with todays prices, which have been forced up out of all proportion, partially due to all seater stadia.

So no, I'm not in danger of confusing fans losing interest with fans can't afford it, hence I offered it as an alternative option for discussion.

 

[Liverbirdie]

When I was a lad....

Tha FA cup away games were all sell outs, no matter who we played. LFC would take thousands wherever we played, 13k at Man city, 14K at Villa. This was probably the same for most of the well supported clubs at the time, even in the early /mid 80's when money was tight.Away games we're very dodgy, it seemed the whole town was against you for an FA cup game., especially at places like Carlisle, Barnsley etc.

Home games in the main would also be a sell out, unless it was a 3rd/4th division side, which would be up on league game attendances.

I think man u going to the world club was one of the big turning points (although I don't think they had much option, as much as I'd like to blame them). Ticket prices, live telly, silly kick off times and the rise of the Champions league has been some of the other reasons.

 

[bozza]

Celtic & Scotland maybe 6 times a year,Newcastle and Leeds a couple each and various others maybe up to ten times ranging from non league foreign stuff.

So which team do you actually support? or class as your home team?

 

[stevie_r]

So which team do you actually support? or class as your home team?

He's a tim

 

[Liverbirdie]

So which team do you actually support? or class as your home team?

Windupmerchants united.

 

[Fish]

I'll be cheering Dirty Leeds on today for the first time ever.

Don't you just love MK Dons beating QP Ha ha and well done the Hatters.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I'd also add to my point above, which I stupidly forgot, is that the cash sloshing around in the Premier league dictates that clubs will prioritise the league over the FA Cup. This applies mainly to the top 5 and those sides at the bottom. Those in mid table without fear of relegation can stick out a full side without repercussions. It's great that most fans still uphold the cup traditions; unfortunately for me, it's not the same anymore.



Yes, excellent. Stitched together a mix of loanees, foreigners and sprinkling of tactical nous. Playing lovely footy, best suited to counter-attacking football. The main downer is that because these are talented loanees, it highly likely that half will leave soon for greater challenges and we'll have to start again.

Take your point about clubs prioritising the Premiership and also the Champions League, but I think they genuinely feel that their slightly weakened team is still a good strength team, and I think that those fans are also pragmatic about football at that level being a squad game rather than a team game so accept it more willingly, but I understand where you're coming from in that it devalues it for you.

Glad to hear the little magician is still weaving his spells. Do us both a favour and sign him up long term before Roman comes along and drags him back to our circus, only to sully his reputation. And how is young Chalobah doing; little thread in your chat room about putting in a cheeky bid for him........

 

[Blue in Munich]

That was my understanding too, in order to curry favour for yet another failed World Cup hosting application

Apparently because of the various tie-ups between the FA, UEFA & FIFA, it comes under the heading of a "contractual obligation" so the clubs have no choice unless they are prepared to risk the wrath of the FA.

 

[Piece]

Apparently because of the various tie-ups between the FA, UEFA & FIFA, it comes under the heading of a "contractual obligation" so the clubs have no choice unless they are prepared to risk the wrath of the FA.

Ok fair enough, that's sounds accurate. No harm in blaming Man U though! . On the serious side, the FA then effectively devalued their own cup.

Glad to hear the little magician is still weaving his spells. Do us both a favour and sign him up long term before Roman comes along and drags him back to our circus, only to sully his reputation. And how is young Chalobah doing; little thread in your chat room about putting in a cheeky bid for him........

Zola is signed up, however you never know about the lure and size of the Russian brown envelope! I'd like to think that one of our managers would stay for more that six months...Rogers to Reading, then Swansea, then 'Pool; MacKay to Cardiff.

Chalobah: superb player and great talent for 18. Cool head, comfortable on the ball, plays it short and long, plus can shoot. A better version of Obe Mikel?! We have him on loan until end of season. Would be good for us to sign him but should be playing at higher level...but...would get lost at Chelsea at moment!

 

[Blue in Munich]

Ok fair enough, that's sounds accurate. No harm in blaming Man U though! . On the serious side, the FA then effectively devalued their own cup.

No let's blame Man USA! Seriously I think that they thought with their board influence within the FA they thought they could wriggle out of going so made the threat and then had to follow it through to save face.


Chalobah: superb player and great talent for 18. Cool head, comfortable on the ball, plays it short and long, plus can shoot. A better version of Obe Mikel?!

Some at the Bridge would hardly call that a ringing endorsement of his talent, but I'm not one of them.


Would be good for us to sign him but should be playing at higher level...but...would get lost at Chelsea at moment!

He'd be in good company at the moment, everyone appears completely lost under the guidance and tactical genius of the Fat Spanish Waiter
Yet apparently Real Madrid want him for next season Real, please have him now, I'll drive him myself AND I'll take your Portuguese reject back to London with me!!

 

[Essex_Stu]

We are a joke at the moment, could be going out to a League one club in 10mins.

 

[Dodger]

Now that was a proper game of football.

Brentford's ground looks a great old style place to watch football too,great atmosphere.:thup:

 

[Blue in Munich]

And a pub at each corner, what a great piece of design!