Has FA Cup become a farce?

premiership sides away to EFL opposition keep sending B teams.....making the matches far more even than they appear on paper although the betting seems to be set as if it was a full strength squad.....so for that fact alone i would agree....its a competition that has lost its appeal...

premiership sides away to EFL opposition keep sending B teams

The EFL teams are often playing their reserves too.

Leeds did but they are a premiership team in the making.....most others need the cash cow it brings if they can get a televised game......not an expert on every EFL team but i would be very surprised if that was the case.....

It's less of a farce for most PL sides since they introduced the EL place for winning it. But no CL club or club with its eyes on top 5 should be prioritising it and they generally play second string until the SF. If they took 30m from the PL pool and gave it as a prize it would be different. A drop in the ocean.

Since 1996 only 3 teams have won the FA Cup, who were not one of the following

Liverpool
Manchester United
Manchester City
Chelsea
Arsenal

The reality is for the top clubs and fans of the top clubs, is that the growth of the Champions League, i.e, more teams being allowed in, has simply diluted the mystique and magic of the cup, that along with the saturation of football coverage and content in general available on a multitude of differing platforms thanks to the exponential technological advancements over the years in regards to the internet, streaming and on demand services, people can now watch what they want, when they want, how they want, years ago the FA Cup final could be the only live football match most people would see on terrestrial tv in a whole season so it stands to reason that by nature and over time, it will have lost a lost of it's appeal, grandeur and prestige in the hearts and minds of the average supporter of a super club, especially the younger generation who are no longer even old enough to remember CD's and DVD's.

It's also no where near important or relevant to the owners because of money, even since Sky came on the scene 30 odds years ago drowning the league in cash with their huge broadcasting deals and the league being sold around the world, millionaire owners became billionaire owners, billionaire owned sides morphed into state run clubs and with it they  all have bare minimal interest in a little cup that gives them very little monetary rewards let alone credibility amongst their wealthy playmates, and no manager is judged by it in turn. Brentford being the Premier League pauper as the only club not owned by someone worth at least 10 figures but it's only a matter of time before that changes being a London club.

Fans of clubs not traditionally in Europe or in the lowers leagues will still love a cup run, but the days of it being the pinnacle of English football for all fans alike have long since gone and wont be coming back, 17th in the league is worth more than an FA Cup economically and for attracting players thanks to the wages a Premier League side could offer them. Wenger was right when he said top 4 was a trophy, because being in the Champions League means more to modern day fans, modern day players and modern day owners than the a domestic cup competition does. The dwindling interest is reflected by the TV coverage, no longer has it's own day, no longer has several hours worth of build up and in some years has even been sandwiched in between Premier League matches which tells you where television's priorities lie. It was great whilst it lasted but we've outgrown it as a nation, bit like Soap Operas, used to be 20 million watching per episode, an era where Soap stars where Rock stars, now less than 2 million and you wouldn't recognise any of them if they walked past you in the street.

Kind Regards.

It's sad that the youth of today will never begin to realise JUST HOW BIG the FA Cup used to be

grayhawk10 Feb 25 02:32Joined: 05 Oct 06 | Topic/replies: 30,172 | Blogger: grayhawk's blog
It's sad that the youth of today will never begin to realise JUST HOW BIG the FA Cup used to be

Top post, and may I add in home internationals possibly ?

Last team to win it outside the top tier was West Ham from the Second Division 45 years ago in 1980. So total nonsense being talked here as usual about whether top sides care about winning it.

let the  franchises in the prem league go to their European super league and let the normal clubs get on with reclaiming our  great domestic heritage.

the top sides can field a 2nd 11 and usually still win ( not Liverpool yesterday but that's an exception )  Doesn't mean they care like they did years ago.  Of course Man U care because the can't win anything else.

Great post mes

Who remembers the days of 6th round, 4th replay

I've found this weeks FA Cup a nightmare to bet on.

SirNorbertClarke Joined: 11 Aug 21
Replies: 1277610 Feb 25 15:00 
Who remembers the days of 6th round, 4th replay


Never mind four replays but remember 1979 Arsenal v Sheffield Wednesday.

Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal – this Third Round FA Cup clash at a snowy Hillsborough in January 1979 was the first of a series of five games between Division Three side Wednesday and First Division Arsenal. At the time, Cup ties were played to the death, without penalty shoot-outs. It took nine hours of football and four replays, three of them going to extra time, to separate the two teams. The last three fixtures were played at Leicester’s Filbert Street, with all the ties being played within a 16-day period.



The five ties:

1. Sheffield Wednesday – Arsenal; Hillsborough, FA Cup Third Round, Saturday 6 January 1979: 1-1 (Jeff Johnson; Alan Sunderland). Attendance: 33,635

2.  Arsenal – Sheffield Wednesday; Highbury, FA Cup Third Round Replay, Tuesday 9 January 1979: 1-1 a.e.t. (Liam Brady; Rodger Wylde). Attendance: 37,987

3.  Arsenal – Sheffield Wednesday; Filbert Street, FA Cup Third Round Second Replay, Monday 15 January 1979: 2-2 a.e.t. (Liam Brady, Alan Sunderland; Brian Hornsby 2). Attendance: 25,011

4.  Arsenal – Sheffield Wednesday; Filbert Street, FA Cup Third Round Third Replay, Wednesday 17 January 1979: 3-3 a.e.t. (Frank Stapleton 2, Willie Young; David Rushbury, John Lowey, Brian Hornsby). Attendance: 17,008

5.  Arsenal – Sheffield Wednesday; Filbert Street, FA Cup Third Round Fourth Replay, Monday 22 January 1979: 2-0 (Steve Gatting, Frank Stapleton). Attendance: 30,275

The Filbert St pitch would have been a cabbage field after 6 hours of football in 7 days

i remember mighty leeds, with bremner, giles, lorimer etc taking 3 attempts to knock out non league wimbledon.

and liverpool drawing 2-2 at anfield with doncaster rover, keegan, heighway, hughes et al

It's mostly just fans of the so called elitist clubs who deny the overall popularity of fans for the FA Cup .


I Remember the time Man Utd actually refused to enter so as to play in something abroad called The World Club Championship and was severely criticised for it.

https://www.90min.com/posts/remembering-man-utd-s-fa-cup-withdrawal-fifa-club-world-championship-venture

Utd should have fielded a reserve side in the Cup that year though would probably have been criticised for that as well.

The FA were desperate for Utd to play in the Club World Championship with a view to their World cup bid.

Have to say there were some worrying low attendances in the FA Cup over the weekend so it's not entirely an illusion that the lustre of the comp is fading..(something I certainly take no joy in).

no problem with sides fielding weakened teams,huge problems with comms/pundits taking people for fools saying that l,pool side on Sunday was best in world,always scores blah ,blah

That was the 2000 fa cup sparrow which leads to the question who knocked Darlington out of that seasons fa cup ?

Talking about replays the 1970 semi final between Leeds and united took 3 games hillsbourgh,villa park,and finally burnden park ,I think this is where the hatred between the two clubs started.

Incidentally jack taylor referees all 3 games and went on to referee the 1974 World Cup final.

I remember at school (so it would be mid to late '70s) someone had brought a tranny radio in on the monday, so that we could hear the Cup draw at lunchtime.
A few of us had gathered around the radio to listen... and when Wolves were drawn out first, we all went beserk, cheering and making a racket... problem was, nobody had heard who we had been drawn to play.
We had to wait till the end of the draw and they went through it again to find out who we were gonna play

Happy days Mecca the Monday dinner time fa cup draw all these years later although at different times I still very much look forward to the draw.

My team was in 3 semi final draws in the 70s and whilst who we got was important where the game as played was just as important however that wouldn’t be announced until later in the day or even the next day.

Hillsborough or Villa Park pretty short prices !

It's a different world today... kids now would have no clue what a transistor radio was

I went to a Semi final replay once... Wolves v Spurs .. at Arsenals highbury!!

not very midway ... but saying that I have also been to a couple of semi finals at Villa Park which is close to us

(lost them all)

Yes Brentford it usually was those to although places like main road ,gooderson and even highfield road got games.

Mecca I still have a small one which I take with me when walking.

Would that be 81 at Highbury?

Maine Road was an obvious one I missed out (still gutted couldn't get a ticket for 85 replay) but hadn't realised how many Highbury got.. and Goodison Park and even Stamford Bridge a few having had a quick squint on wiki...

I'm not sure ... but '81 is about right.

2-2 draw at Hillsborough ... then replay at Arsenal.. Spurs won 3-0 with a wonder goal from Ricky Villa

Ricky Villa got another wonder goal in the final v Man City

Yes Brentford Southampton beat palace at Stamford bridge in 76

The spurs wolves game I remember most is the 72 uefa cup final over two legs I was always a fan of John Richard’s so wanted wolves to win

JR still known as The King around here.... he was actually awarded "The freedom of the city" just a couple of weeks ago

That’s nice

Between 3and5 in my favourite games I’ve been to was at wolves the 1976 fa cup quarter final replay a proper fa cup night.

Man Utd?

Yep 2 nil down 3 2 up now we’re gunna win the cup

yep.... I was there.. it broke my heart

I've yet to look but if you offered me a million quid I couldn't tell you a 5th Rd tie yet tro look, my worst f a cup tie was losing to wolves in quarter finaql,the break up of one ofr bhoro,sw best sides began on the way home home,long trek home that night,think we were fav to win both games,big fav,s for the home game

John Richard’s scored that night Mecca brilliant atmosphere at the old molineaux

Most of these games were covered by TV, and stick in memory
as there was so little football on tv. Sportsnight
with Coleman...motd, and odd extra highlite show
or even 2 minutes tagged on the news.

Otherwise it was snooker, darts, show jumping
and World Cup, Olympics, commonwealth games.

Commonwealth games gone down the fa cup route as
not quite so relevant to sports broadcasters.

Bbc and itv got fa cup back so it's bouncing back

Good for them.

I know it’s a cliche you have to laugh but for many the fa cup is still the best club tournament in the world and I support a club who has had lots of success at a supposedly bigger level.

I remember David Coleman asking parents to let there young lads stay up a little longer to watch George best score a very special goal.

It was the one against Chelsea when Harris tried to take him out.

The prize money in the FA Cup is small. Managers , especially ones that have come from abroad, put it lower down on their priorities. Just saw the prize money for each phase of the rounds and it will be a bounty for a lower tier side. Players don't want to risk injury to their stars and Id say the Carabao Cup has even less allure. Still, if you happen to be in the last 4 of either comp, you play your best team to win it. If your a team competing in Europe and the Premier League, Id say the FA Cup has 3rd priority and the Carabao Cup has 4th priority. 

THE EMIRATES FA CUP
SEASON 2024-25
PRIZE FUND PAYMENTS
Extra Preliminary Round winners (221) £1,125
Extra Preliminary Round losers (221) £375
Preliminary Round winners (136) £1,444
Preliminary Round losers (136) £481
First Round Qualifying winners (112) £2,250
First Round Qualifying losers (112) £750
Second Round Qualifying winners (80) £3,375
Second Round Qualifying losers (80) £1,125
Third Round Qualifying winners (40) £5,625
Third Round Qualifying losers (40) £1,875
Fourth Round Qualifying winners (32) £9,375
Fourth Round Qualifying losers (32) £3,125
First Round Proper winners (40) £45,000
First Round Proper losers (40) £15,000
Second Round Proper winners (20) £75,000
Second Round Proper losers (20) £20,000
Third Round Proper winners (32) £115,000
Third Round Proper losers (32) £25,000
Fourth Round Proper winners (16) £120,000
Fifth Round Proper winners (8) £225,000
Quarter Final winners (4) £450,000
Semi Final winners (2) £1,000,000
Semi Final losers (2) £500,000
Final winners (1) £2,000,000
Final runners-up (1) £1,000,000

The money kind of dictates the priority for alot of the overseas managers and players. But I can imagine for the domestic players that grew up in England or the UK- it would have allure.

Jim

I have no problem with that.

It was a huge part of my life, and I remember being distraught when I missed
Spurs v Coventry due to golfing engagement I couldn't get out of. First final I missed since 1966.

most of it back behind a paywall next year which feels a bit short sighted by the FA..

yeh I was  working with an old lag wolves fan in BORO about 6 months ago, we were both at that game and he remembered Richards scoring, the Saturday game at BORO was the only time I remember opposing fans taking over THE TROOPER PUB just off linthorpe Rd near the ground,I was in there about 12, 30 when they all came storming in,became a bit of legendary amongst boro fans who are 60 + today. I think TERRY COCHRANE scored our equaliser on THE SATURDAY

You have to laugh

Was that the spurs Coventry cup final ?

the auld wolves lag was a big Steve bull fan, I was at Hampden when bull scored for England

Yeah, arranged a golf match, and we couldn't rearrange it, so I
missed the final. Honestly gutted.

What was the golf match the us masters ?

No, it was an interclub match, that my partner arranged,
he wanted to watch game too, but hadn't realised. We went
back to them but they wouldn't budge... Rugby lads...

Are you a spurs or Coventry fan ?

Newcastle fan Jim.

Well that makes the golf decision moor understandable,fancy two trips to Wembley this season for your team.

can roll my  BORO,s 60yrs F A CUP history off top of my head as though it were yesterday.
1st memory queuing 14 hrs in snow for MAN U tkts at home in 70,s
beat west ham Derek downing diving header same yr I think
drew at man city LG 1 in snow  we were LG 2, joined queue at 8 when we got back to ayersome park for replay tkts on the sat night
jack charltons team lost 1 nil away to brum in quarter final  after beating them twice 3 nil in LG,44,000 there
went to Swansea and beat them  5 nil away one yr Terry Cochrane overhead kick,think that was the yr we went and lost quarter final replay against wolves
juniho scoring in quarter final at city
chesterfield comeback /non goal semi
and de Matteo scoring after 50 secs in final

I've never been to Wembley for an fa cup final.

I've never seen us win at Wembley.

2 trips in a season would be a first too

We can but dream.

My first and still my favourite was when getting beat by Southampton in 76 as it was my first ,the following year beat our biggest rivals and stopped them winning the treble but still 76 is my favourite.

I haven’t been to the new Wembley and doubt I ever will perhaps if the champions league cup final was held there and united were in it,that said a trip the the championship play offs is more likely than that.

Other than forest away in the quarter final I don’t see any danger to Newcastle getting to the cup final.

apology to RONNIE RAILS,drawing at home to DARLO in the snow  and losing replay at feethams in snow,the night all hell broke lose pre game,when they were either 4th division or maybe even non LG

That reminds anyone know the answer to my question at 1007 regarding who knocked Darlington out of the 2000 fa cup ?

Players are getting tired Jim, anything can happen in cup ties

Premier league is a proper slog. Teams that have saved themselves
can up it in cup and gain reward. Carabao cup adds to strain on players
and it's also distraction to fans, (a good one) but adds to mental pressure
on players.

Brighton are nobody's push overs.

No Europe or serious chance of winning premier league I just think them and forest will be more up for it and are both very hungry.

Your boys are still in there swinging Jim and proven winners of big games
and some might argue they are well rested having not really competed in league.

With Liverpool gone, everybody will hope for lady luck, and a kind draw.

The magic of the cup!

Not saying teams are trying to lose but have seen a few acting like over-matched boxers telegraphing a punch to invite the knockout blow that puts them out of their misery.

When Maguire scored late on Friday, I was only watching on tv, but didn't see any Leicester players claim four of Utd were offside.

Everyone appeared happy.

Not sure about swinging you only have to laugh but to be fair they got results against city Liverpool and arsenal.

I forgot all about United abandoning the FA Cup in the year 2000 to go and play in some trumped up tournament in Brazil, at the time it was said and thereafter, that that was actually the death knell, it definitely lost something after that, I don't believe for a second a club like United or moreover, someone like Ferguson, a Scotsman, would ever feel pressured or even care to help support England's bid for the world cup, which is just a nonsense line they took to justify not defending their title and to help stave off the criticism that they took. When a club doesn't care about it, you can't expect the fans to care. Kind Regards.

mesmerised Joined: 10 Nov 10
Replies: 3572211 Feb 25 16:21
When a club doesn't care about it, you can't expect the fans to care.




Can't you?

could so easily have been avoided by giving chy LG spot to F A cup  winners but NO,and now we have 5th place  in EPL getting a ch LG spot this yr

Feb 11, 2025 -- 4:21PM, mesmerised wrote:

I forgot all about United abandoning the FA Cup in the year 2000 to go and play in some trumped up tournament in Brazil, at the time it was said and thereafter, that that was actually the death knell, it definitely lost something after that, I don't believe for a second a club like United or moreover, someone like Ferguson, a Scotsman, would ever feel pressured or even care to help support England's bid for the world cup, which is just a nonsense line they took to justify not defending their title and to help stave off the criticism that they took. When a club doesn't care about it, you can't expect the fans to care. Kind Regards.

I well remember that tournament and watching Romario's magic. ManchesterUnited were actually FA Cup holders and had even won the WORLD club crown in Tokyo the month before.

And there was a lot of talk at that time about Manchester United being "the biggest club in the world" and Roy Keane going on record to say how Giggs, Scholes, Beckham and Nicky Butt and Gary Neville could go on to dominate club football for "many years."

The reality-check for United came in the second leg of the CL quarter final against Real Madrid. Raulll!!!

All it would have taken was for the FA to accommodate them and allow them to rearrange FA cup games. That's what United wanted but the FA refused.

Feb 11, 2025 -- 9:10AM, sparrow wrote:

It's mostly just fans of the so called elitist clubs who deny the overall popularity of fans for the FA Cup .I Remember the time Man Utd actually refused to enter so as to play in something abroad called The World Club Championship and was severely criticised for it.https://www.90min.com/posts/remembering-man-utd-s-fa-cup-withdrawal-fifa-club-world-championship-venture

It's not just fans of top clubs that can't be bothered with the FA Cup though. Sheffield United average 27,000 in the Championship, had 6,000 for their 3rd round tie. Preston 16k in the league got 7k in the Cup and so on. It's not just 6 clubs that play their reserves in the cup, it's 30 to 40. If the clubs can't be bothered then can't blame the fans.

when forest cant beat exeter and liverpool cant beat plymouth  says it all really

bbc and itv are trying to milk it

failed effort

Sparrow's old enough to remember when Blackburn won about 5 FA Cups in the 1880's, FA Cup history, tradition and nostalgia is woven into the very fibre of his being, he has yet to reach the acceptance stage that the Cup final it no longer is a prominent landmark moment in the calendar of English sport. It's a bit like when people start to go bald, they start wearing hats, eventually they have enough and just look themselves in the mirror and say, I am a bald man, it's a liberating experience for them, and then they move on with life, the FA Cup first showed signs of Alopecia over 20 years ago Sparrow, and it aint growing back. Kind Regards.

Everyone in the PL plays right into Forest's hands. No surprise to see them struggle against a team that doesn't. Eventually the PL will cop on

News for you mesmerised I've still got my full head of hair.


You have much to learn yet and not just about football either.


Silly boy, grow up.

Been very entertaining this round

Well played Exeter,.. Practice them pelanties though.

I thought that they had put the ballboy in goal for the pens

Yes he is particularly small the Exeter goalie but he kept them in the game with some great saves.

Quite right the old nanny

News for you mesmerised I've still got my full head of hair

I'm jealous but contrary to what Mes thinks he knows about bald men, most of us accept what nature has intended and do not try to cover up. A few might, but I'd wager the majority do not.

I do agree with the Cup comments though. Losing its appeal these days, which is a shame considering how huge it once was.