Pre-Match Thread Miiiiiiiwall v Sufc fa cup 1st round.

[Fairport]

The Premier League clubs have been the main culprits of the demise in popularity of the FA and EFL cups. Their so called fans complain about lack of trophies won and yet their clubs field weaken teams in the two domestic cup competitions and also the Europa League, this means that they are not interested in three out of the five competitions available. How many times have we heard the plastic fans of Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester Utd etc say that they are not bothered about the Europa League. Compare that attitude with us Shrimpers, wouldn't we love to see our team play in Europe. The FA Cup is at its best in the qualifying rounds and Round 1 when the non league clubs often stage what is the biggest game in their history.

 

[southend4ever]

Millwall have been just as filthy as always on recent trips to the Hall. I know a few West Ham fans will go along for something to do this Friday but not in a nasty sort of way and will therefore add to the numbers.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Hi Wally sorry not to believe you at first but yes just seen on the official site that we have sold over 650 tickets so far for Friday.
http://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/emirates-fa-cup-round-one-draw-3368706.aspx


That's a great effort so far, maybe the Magic of the FA Cup is back:smile:
Bring your rossettes and rattles everyone:happy:

a fair few will just buy on the gate I expect so should easily be over 800

 

[RobM]

The Premier League clubs have been the main culprits of the demise in popularity of the FA and EFL cups. Their so called fans complain about lack of trophies won and yet their clubs field weaken teams in the two domestic cup competitions and also the Europa League, this means that they are not interested in three out of the five competitions available. How many times have we heard the plastic fans of Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester Utd etc say that they are not bothered about the Europa League. Compare that attitude with us Shrimpers, wouldn't we love to see our team play in Europe. The FA Cup is at its best in the qualifying rounds and Round 1 when the non league clubs often stage what is the biggest game in their history.

The cure for the F.A. cup is simple - but it won't happen...

Scrap the Europa league. It's pants. Make the Champions League for league champions and F.A.cup winners (or the relevant nation's equivalent) only.

 

[MK Shrimper]

The cure for the F.A. cup is simple - but it won't happen...

Scrap the Europa league. It's pants. Make the Champions League for league champions and F.A.cup winners (or the relevant nation's equivalent) only.

 

[DCC]

It's never lost its appeal for me. I am there with bells on.

Literally, I hope.

 

[Jai]

Millwall have been just as filthy as always on recent trips to the Hall. I know a few West Ham fans will go along for something to do this Friday but not in a nasty sort of way and will therefore add to the numbers.

I'll look out for a big group of odd-looking people fighting happily amongst themselves.

 

[Csboy]

Well its lost its appeal with some people. In 2004 we played Luton Town in the first round at home on a Friday night, the attendance was 6,683 and the game was live on SKY TV that crowd was well above average and I think Luton had about 800 fans.
Go forward a few years and our first round home crowds are down to about 3,000 (the Oxford home replay crowd was only about 2,100) and we even had two 3rd round home matches with 5,500 crowds (Brentford & Barnsley) which were well below our average league crowds. Even our away support at FA Cup games has dropped we had less than 150 at Scunthorpe last season.

Yes you still get the odd non-league team that normally gets 50 people suddenly get a 1,000+ crowd when they get through to the first round and that is great. But look at the first round fixtures for this weekend and there will be some very low crowds.

Having said that the FA Cup still offers decent prize money for winning each round and of course the real jackpot is getting a Live TV game.

Sorry to disappoint you Buffalo but if we draw against Millwall then the replay crowd would only be about 4,000 including away fans.

Spot on the FA Cup is now a hindrance to most clubs including Southend. The fans don't rate it much either from your figures above and its only a matter of time before all replays are scraped. Even if we get a big club in the 3rd round it wouldn't excite the fans like it would 10-15 years ago as we know the big clubs will just field a reserve side and even beating a big club now wouldn't have the prestige it once had.

 

[Swiss Tony]

The cure for the F.A. cup is simple - but it won't happen...

Scrap the Europa league. It's pants. Make the Champions League for league champions and F.A.cup winners (or the relevant nation's equivalent) only.

Makes sense but not money unfortunately.

 

[RobM]

Makes sense but not money unfortunately.

...and that's what is wrong with football at the top level. "it's all about the money. money. money" as the song goes.

 

[Danshrimper]

Spot on the FA Cup is now a hindrance to most clubs including Southend. The fans don't rate it much either from your figures above and its only a matter of time before all replays are scraped. Even if we get a big club in the 3rd round it wouldn't excite the fans like it would 10-15 years ago as we know the big clubs will just field a reserve side and even beating a big club now wouldn't have the prestige it once had.

Disagree with that, Roots Hall was sold out for Hull a couple of years ago so there would definitely be excitement if we actually get to the 3rd round and draw a big team.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

It is too long since we had a good FA Cup run, the dream of a 3 Rd or 4 th round tie with Arsenal ( have we ever played them?) with a home draw and away replay would make all season ticket holders in raptures.
Ron would be dancing and singing and PB would just dribble and smile inanely.
First BEAT Millwall.
Strongest team, promise them a £500 a player bonus each.

 

[AndyT]

Having lived down the Old Kent Road when I first moved to London

Wonder if the 'Dun Cow' is still there.

Great place for Soul Boys in the early Eighties! :thumbsup:

 

[MK Shrimper]

It is too long since we had a good FA Cup run, the dream of a 3 Rd or 4 th round tie with Arsenal ( have we ever played them?) with a home draw and away replay would make all season ticket holders in raptures.
Ron would be dancing and singing and PB would just dribble and smile inanely.
First BEAT Millwall.
Strongest team, promise them a £500 a player bonus each.

Only pro team we've never played in a "real" match.

 

[Bromley Blue]

Wonder if the 'Dun Cow' is still there.

Great place for Soul Boys in the early Eighties! :thumbsup:

Seem to remember the name actually. Although I haven't lived over that way for quite some time so can't speak for now.

What I will say about that area is that Only Fools and Horses were spot on with their characters. You find some people that you just wouldn't find in Essex or pretty much anywhere else in the country.

 

[DCC]

Wonder if the 'Dun Cow' is still there.

Great place for Soul Boys in the early Eighties! :thumbsup:

It is but it's a doctor's surgery now, so doubt it'd be quite as good a night out...

 

[OldBlueLady]

Sold about 800 tickets now according to Danny Macklin last night, FA Cup clearly still matters to some of us! :thumbsup:

 

[AndyT]

It is but it's a doctor's surgery now, so doubt it'd be quite as good a night out...

Is it! .. How sad! :sad:

 

[LennySUFC]

Sold about 800 tickets now according to Danny Macklin last night, FA Cup clearly still matters to some of us! :thumbsup:

That's a great turn out.. easily over 1000 with tickets on the gate!

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

The cure for the F.A. cup is simple - but it won't happen...

Scrap the Europa league. It's pants. Make the Champions League for league champions and F.A.cup winners (or the relevant nation's equivalent) only.

I would rather scrap the League Cup. I don't see the need to have two domestic cup competitions. The big clubs don't care about it and most lower league clubs get knocked out in the first or second round. It would restore some prestige to the FA Cup and it would reduce fixture congestion too which people are always using as an excuse for England's rubbish performances at tournaments. When Swansea and Bradford got to the final a few years ago it made a mockery of it really.