Hypothetical Question Here. Please help...

[newyorkcanary 14]

I am having a debate with several of my friends over here in NY.  They all support big Premiership sides, save one (a fellow Canary), and here is our question:Would you rather have an FA Cup Final Win (the whole thing), coupled with Ipswich staying in the Colaship and our having to remain in League One for 2 years OR losing in the 3rd or 4th round of the cup (as usual), Ipswich gets relegated and we get promoted to the Colaship?I argued that however unlikely it is for us to win the FA Cup, that''s what I would take while my fellow Canary Supporter seems to think that 2 years in League One would kill us and we would never recover.  He''s a Brit and I''m not.  Is my perspective jaded by my "Yank-ness?"Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[William Darby 0]

Promotion for me

[@NYCANARIES 0]

Ipswich portion of the question is irrelevent, I''d rather win League One and get back up than the cup.

[Romantic 0]

I want out of the 3rd tier as soon as possible (although I''m enjoying it for now). Oh and for the record - I honestly couldn''t give a monkeys what Ipswich do. So I''ll swap you your FA Cup win for promotion and Ipswich can paint themselves pink and do the hokey cokey.

[Yobocop 1,099]

The question is what would winning the FA Cup mean financially and reputationally to NCFC?

TV Money and prize winnings for the FA Cup plus potentially an avenue to the Europa League where even more revenue would come in, plus the reputation for players coming to the club who would want to play European football albeit a League One fixture as well.

Whilst as the OP said this scenario is very unlikely I would take the FA Cup win because of the benefits that it would entail.

[Yobocop 1,099]

As many have already said Ipswich part of the question does nothing for me...

[Houston Canary 0]

It''s nice to win some silverware, but I''d much rather have the trophy that comes with winning Div 3 than the FA Cup this year. I''d also rather us get promoted without winning the league over winning the FA Cup and being stuck in level 3 for 2 more years. (3 4 2?) The FA Cup seems so unimportant compared to what it once was anywyas. 

[William Darby 0]

[quote user="refjezhitchin"]

The question is what would winning the FA Cup mean financially and reputationally to NCFC?

TV Money and prize winnings for the FA Cup plus potentially an avenue to the Europa League where even more revenue would come in, plus the reputation for players coming to the club who would want to play European football albeit a League One fixture as well.

Whilst as the OP said this scenario is very unlikely I would take the FA Cup win because of the benefits that it would entail.

[/quote]That''s well argued, but how far would we really get in the European Cup?  Prem teams bomb out early every year.

[The gut 0]

Promotion deffo.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,820]

[quote user="refjezhitchin"]

The question is what would winning the FA Cup mean financially and reputationally to NCFC?

TV Money and prize winnings for the FA Cup plus potentially an avenue to the Europa League where even more revenue would come in, plus the reputation for players coming to the club who would want to play European football albeit a League One fixture as well.

Whilst as the OP said this scenario is very unlikely I would take the FA Cup win because of the benefits that it would entail.

[/quote]Good points. Plus, in fifty years time, what will be remembered more? Because we will get back up eventually.

[In Dubious Battle 0]

Its got to be the FA Cup, the financial benefits, the chance to play in Europe are side benefits, having the chance to go to wembley and see city lift the FA Cup thats the stuff dreams are made of. Its days like that which make up for the years of misery we suffer as city fans.

[Shack Attack 0]

FA Cup without a doubt.

[Its only my opinion 0]

FA Cup!!!! has been a dream of mine forever winning league one is more like a nightmare!!! FA cup would be rememberd forever winning league one would be forgotten about soon as possible. All we ever go on about is winning the milk cup n beating bayern... I think the FA cup dwarves both those would be a day to remember forever

[Its only my opinion 0]

did i say, "will remember it forever"? lol

[@NYCANARIES 0]

So you''d rather stay in League One and likely lose our better players next year, and settle for us being a League One team for years, but with a cup?

[Graham Humphrey 13]

Except if we won the FA Cup, surely we wouldn''t lose our better players, because we could afford to keep them and they''d definitely want to play in Europe (even if we wouldn''t be there for long).

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

I can''t believe so many people would rather be promoted than win the FA Cup!!

1) I believe we would generate more money from winning the FA Cup than we would from promotion to the Championship, when you factor in money from the cup run, prize money, and then money from the “I can’t believe it’s not the UEFA Cup” League the following year.

2) We''ve never won the FA Cup. We''ve been promoted from the 3rd tier of English football a few times.

3) It’s the FA Cup!

I''m with you NYC! I also think that that if we somehow jagged our way into the last few games of the FA Cup draw, and you asked the same question, the poll results would be different.

[7rew 0]

[quote user="Norfolk Chance"]

I can''t believe so many people would rather be promoted than win the FA Cup!!

1) I believe we would generate more money from winning the FA Cup than we would from promotion to the Championship, when you factor in money from the cup run, prize money, and then money from the “I can’t believe it’s not the UEFA Cup” League the following year.

2) We''ve never won the FA Cup. We''ve been promoted from the 3rd tier of English football a few times.

3) It’s the FA Cup!

I''m with you NYC! I also think that that if we somehow jagged our way into the last few games of the FA Cup draw, and you asked the same question, the poll results would be different.

[/quote]I''d go so far as to say I''d take an FA cup final place over promotion for one season.How is it a question?

[norfolkchance1 0]

Promotion has to be the objective, I''d only concentrate on winning trophies if we got into Premiership. I''m always surprised when teams like Hull and Bolton etc field weakened sides in cups- they''ve spent so many years outside top flight, when they finally get there they should grasp the chance to win something. Even so with the top four (five or six if you include Villa and Man City) its tougher than it ever was before to win.

Get promoted twice up to Premiership get settled, then as one of top 20 clubs in country we maybe would have a better chance.

[Davo 0]

Easy, win the FA Cup! It''s what dreams are made of! Imagine the publicity of becomming the 1st team from the 3rd division of english football to win the FA Cup in the modern era!

Imagine how the City would be after an event like that. It would bring a smile to everyone in the City. It would also pump some life back into the cup and everyone would know that the romance of the FA Cup is alive and well and not just the playground of the elite 4.

I would gladly swap two years of forgettable and mediocre games playing the likes of Blackpool, Cardiff, Preston and Coventry etc. for those special and unforgettable days when lowly Norwich City triumphed against all odds wo win football''s oldest trophy.

Hey this is just me I guess some people like mediocre Chimpionship football and games that will soon be forgotten in the mists of time.

Davo

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,415]

We would be forever remembered as the 3rd division team to win the FA Cup in the modern era.

L1 promotion can come next year.

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,415]

Didn''t pinch your post honestly!

[@NYCANARIES 0]

That wasn''t the offer. 2 more years at least in L1 and the cup, or promotion.

[paul moy 235]

Winning the FA Cup and remaining in the 3rd tier would result in us losing most of our better players. I remember in 2004 when Millwall were heading for promotion from the Championship, made the final and lost Tim Cahill to Everton. Millwall never made the Premiership and look where they are now. For me it has to be promotion in order to hold this promising squad together, and of course next season we will have a serious crack at promotion from the Championship.  

[newyorkcanary 14]

I hope you''re right Paul, but looking at the strength of the Championship right now, while we''re on a nice run of form in League One, I imagine most people here realize that our current squad is no better than a mid-table Championship side.  One of the reasons I felt the FA Cup was the better result, was that while I support what Delia has done for us, given the current Colaship climate, without serious investment, the Premiership seems unlikely in the near term anyways.  I wouldn''t trade an FA Cup for our returning to the Premiership, but in the grand scheme of things, considering where we were 15 years ago, the 2nd tier or 3rd tier is incremental when compared to winning an FA Cup where we would need to beat several top Premiership clubs to do so.

[@NYCANARIES 0]

Burnley, Hull etc etc. Gotta try. Bread and butter of the league is far more important. 2 seasons of dire league one games and 6 decent with the cup. Or this season, winnign league. I can''t believe people are choosing the cup. Forget money and europe, as said above, look at Millwall, thats the reality.

[mr carra 0]

Surely this would have to be the FA Cup - it would be the biggest achievement in the club''s history.  League campaigns generally aren''t memorable, whatever division you are in.  To see us actually win a major trophy (the best we have done in the past is the rather-Mickey-Mouse-really League Cup) would give you something to tell your grandkids about, and you are asking us to swap that for a place back in the Championship???  We have spent about 13 of the past 15 years in the Championship and they weren''t up to much to be honest - you''ll only be mentioning them to your grandkids to whinge about them!

Whether we are in League One or the Championship makes little difference to me - both are just slightly different levels of mediocrity in the overall scheme of things  - but winning the FA Cup would be a Big League, literally Once-In-A-Lifetime fairytale (especially as no-one from the third tier has ever won it so we would be in the history books, probably forever). Well worth a couple of extra seasons at this level.

 

If you''d said swap the FA Cup win for a long-term place in the Prem (not one token season of making up the numbers) or take it and be at this level and below forever it might well have been worth giving up the FA Cup win, but for a mere place in the Championship???  No way!!!!!!!

[Davo 0]

[quote user="Norfolk Ned"]Burnley, Hull etc etc. Gotta try. Bread and butter of the league is far more important. 2 seasons of dire league one games and 6 decent with the cup. Or this season, winnign league. I can''t believe people are choosing the cup. Forget money and europe, as said above, look at Millwall, thats the reality.[/quote]

2 Season of dire league one games Vs 2 season of dire Chimpionship games? While we were in the Chimpionship we played the likes Leeds, Charlton, Southampton, Huddersfield, Colchester, Southend, Walsall, Gillingham who we will again play this year so you can hardly say the opposition is that much better. Or do you mean those memorable trips to Plymouth, Crystal Palace and at this rate probably Portsmouth and Hull. Sorry but I''ve been to so many games over the years and watched so much rubbish league football it''s those special moments that make me a fan. Yes winning the league is good but the FA Cup is greater than the League One title and remember there''s no promise of promotion to the Promised Land afterwards.

Davo

[mickey phelans tash 0]

Ok .Its last game of the season and we need a win for automatic promotion, but we have also got a Cup Final coming up. Do we play a weakened team for the league match so we have a full strength side for the "Day Out". Promotion every time for me.

[missing in action? 0]

well. do you play man u in the final once, or get promoted and try to aim for the prem so you can play prem teams week in week out. and i agree that 2 seasons in league 1 is too many, id rather play prem football or football at the highest level possible than 1 offs like cup games.