The Timing Of The F.A. Cup Final

[First Wazzock 902]

Before you say, how is this Norwich related, this is really looking at it from the view point of anyone who calls themself a football fan.

The F.A. Cup is the greatest club cup competition in the world. Fact.

Over the years we have seen playing in the final devalued by the playing both the semi final''s at Wembley. The game itself was the last game of the season, a game that all football fans could watch, but not this year. Why is it being played a week before the Premier league ends? There are Premier League games being played on the same day, I know the Kick Off times are different from the Final. But how would you feel if you were a Woves fan faced with the trek back from Sunderland? Unless you stayed in Sunderland to watch the game you are stuffed.

Is this more erosion of the magic of the F.A. Cup and the fans having two fingers stuck up at them?

[rebeccaabbott93 0]

I think its got something to do with the champions league being at wembley this year so all the fixtures usually at the end of the season had to be moved. 1 place I wouldnt want to be tomorrow night would be manchester cause united wouldve got the point to win the title, and city would have won or blown the cup. Either way manchester will get very busy.

["""""""""Ben """"""""""" 0]

[quote user="rebeccaabbott93"]I think its got something to do with the champions league being at wembley this year so all the fixtures usually at the end of the season had to be moved. 1 place I wouldnt want to be tomorrow night would be manchester cause united wouldve got the point to win the title, and city would have won or blown the cup. Either way manchester will get very busy.
[/quote]

Yeah that''s exactly why the FA cup final is being played tomorrow. And will be on the same day as Premier League fixtures next year. But for different reasons apparently.

 

["""""""""Ben """"""""""" 0]

[quote user="First Wazzock"]

Before you say, how is this Norwich related, this is really looking at it from the view point of anyone who calls themself a football fan.

The F.A. Cup is the greatest club cup competition in the world. Fact.

Over the years we have seen playing in the final devalued by the playing both the semi final''s at Wembley. The game itself was the last game of the season, a game that all football fans could watch, but not this year. Why is it being played a week before the Premier league ends? There are Premier League games being played on the same day, I know the Kick Off times are different from the Final. But how would you feel if you were a Woves fan faced with the trek back from Sunderland? Unless you stayed in Sunderland to watch the game you are stuffed.

Is this more erosion of the magic of the F.A. Cup and the fans having two fingers stuck up at them?

[/quote]

Champions League??

[e10_yellow 0]

UEFA demand that at the stadium the CL final is being held at, the preceding TWO WEEKS must be kept completely clear.

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="Ben "][quote user="First Wazzock"]

Before you say, how is this Norwich related, this is really looking at it from the view point of anyone who calls themself a football fan.

The F.A. Cup is the greatest National club cup competition in the world. Fact.

Over the years we have seen playing in the final devalued by the playing both the semi final''s at Wembley. The game itself was the last game of the season, a game that all football fans could watch, but not this year. Why is it being played a week before the Premier league ends? There are Premier League games being played on the same day, I know the Kick Off times are different from the Final. But how would you feel if you were a Woves fan faced with the trek back from Sunderland? Unless you stayed in Sunderland to watch the game you are stuffed.

Is this more erosion of the magic of the F.A. Cup and the fans having two fingers stuck up at them?

[/quote]

Champions League??

[/quote]

Sorry I missed a word out, but even then the Champions League (the title of it''s latest reincarnation) has got some way to go to match the F.A.Cup

[Hissing Sid 154]

The FA Cup Final is tomorrow because apparently UEFA say the pitch cannot be used for 14 days before their Champions League final.

I agree that the magic of the FA Cup has been eroded. Its wrong that there are Premier League matches on the same day. How difficult would it have been to play all this weekends Prem matches on Sunday, giving the Cup Final its own day.

[Syteanric 1]

Uefa can sod right off with their mickey mouse cup final!the FA cup should always take place at the end of the season...

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]Uefa can sod right off with their mickey mouse cup final!

the FA cup should always take place at the end of the season...
[/quote]

I couldn''t have put it better...

[rebeccaabbott93 0]

So if a Premier League game and the FA Cup final were playing on the same day at exactly the same time and you could only watch one, what one would you watch?

[I am a Banana 0]

The champions league im sure its the champions, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places finished teams in the top league all over the world.

[Hissing Sid 154]

FA Cup Final for me

["""""""""Ben """"""""""" 0]

[quote user="rebeccaabbott93"]So if a Premier League game and the FA Cup final were playing on the same day at exactly the same time and you could only watch one, what one would you watch?
[/quote]

Depends what Premier League game.

[rebeccaabbott93 0]

Ben wrote:

rebeccaabbott93 wrote: So if a Premier League game and the FA Cup final were playing on the same day at exactly the same time and you could only watch one, what one would you watch? Depends what Premier League game.

Take this years fixtures PL match = Blackburn vs Man Utd, FA Cup match = Man City vs Stoke

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="rebeccaabbott93"]So if a Premier League game and the FA Cup final were playing on the same day at exactly the same time and you could only watch one, what one would you watch?
[/quote]

We shouldn''t even be considering such a question.

The F.A. Cup Final is the biggest game of the season for us.

Or perhaps not...

[Shack Attack 0]

I agree Wazzy. F.A. Cup final day used to be a really special occasion and something every football fan in the country looked forward to. Now it seems to be an inconvenience for most teams who would rather finish 17th in the Premier League than have a chance of actually winning a trophy. Most of our fans will probably be hoping we get knocked out in the third round next season so we can ''concentrate on the league'' which says it all really. It''s a shame as some of my fondest (non-NCFC) footballing memories are from F.A. Cup finals. I''d love to see Holty lifting the cup at Wembley next season regardless of what effect it had on our league form.

[Old Shuck 183]

FA Cup Final over the Champions League final for me all day long.

Sadly, the FA now have to prostitute themselves to anyone and everyone who will make some sort of contribution to their coffers, the "new" Wembley having stretched their finances to the limit.

So, if UEFA says "jump", the FA says "how high?". Its the same next season because of the European Championships and the ''need'' for their to be a suitable gap between all of the European leagues and cups finishing and the Euro''s starting.

Presumably so there is a continental-wide renewed hunger for a fix of live TV football when it kicks off, thus keeping the advertisers happy as millions will be watching, regardless of whether its Holland vs Spain or Croatia vs Belgium.

FIFA get a lot of criticism, but UEFA are hardly a shining light; the Champions League is becming so massive, it is suffocating the rest of the game, whats more, UEFA don''t give a damn that it is.

The "qualification" criteria for the Champions League was only changed because, as per usual, the top Euro clubs threatened to go it alone if it wasn''t. Tail wags dog and UEFA provide the tasty snacks with everyone else foraging in the bins.

One day someone, a very brave someone will call the bluff of these clubs and play a hand that gives them the opportunity to either stay their hand or back down. I look forward to it happening, because if they do play their hand and walk away from the table, they won''t find it the bed of roses they would initially have expected it to be.

[SwindonCanary 455]

This country used to be renowned for it''s organisational skills now it tends to be a laughing stock.

First they double book Wembley with the Champions League final on the same weekend of the Playoff Finals, then they discover the rules of playing the Champions League Final after they had booked it !

[SWP = Poor Mans Ruel Fox!! 0]

[quote user="First Wazzock"][quote user="Ben "][quote user="First Wazzock"]

Before you say, how is this Norwich related, this is really looking at it from the view point of anyone who calls themself a football fan.

The F.A. Cup is the greatest National club cup competition in the world. Fact.

Over the years we have seen playing in the final devalued by the playing both the semi final''s at Wembley. The game itself was the last game of the season, a game that all football fans could watch, but not this year. Why is it being played a week before the Premier league ends? There are Premier League games being played on the same day, I know the Kick Off times are different from the Final. But how would you feel if you were a Woves fan faced with the trek back from Sunderland? Unless you stayed in Sunderland to watch the game you are stuffed.

Is this more erosion of the magic of the F.A. Cup and the fans having two fingers stuck up at them?

[/quote]

Champions League??

[/quote]

Sorry I missed a word out, but even then the Champions League (the title of it''s latest reincarnation) has got some way to go to match the F.A.Cup

[/quote]

 

There was no need to change it, you had it right the first time, although of course the FA do everything they can do mess it up!

[SWP = Poor Mans Ruel Fox!! 0]

[quote user="I am a Banana"]The champions league im sure its the champions, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places finished teams in the top league all over the world.[/quote]

 

Sorry Banana but not quite right there lol

[scrappy33 0]

The final should be at the end of season, the semi''s should NOT be at wembly. And maybe to spice it up a bit make a champions league place for the winner instead of a 4th place in the prem.

[shefcanary 2,392]

And ensure it is on the Beeb - ITV coverage is pants!"

[......and Smith must score. 1,340]

The FA Cup and Champions League have become totally devalued.....The Cup Final should be the only match played in England on Cup Final that day. Imagine how we''d feel in the unlikely event that Norwich were at Wembley today and b*oody Man Utd were also playing in a Premiership match which could decide the title alongside other matches to decide relegation issues. If there has to be League games played why not move them all to another day, such as Sunday ?As to the Semi-Finals being played at Wembley well that''s just plain wrong. A trip to Wembley for a Cup Final should be the '' holy grail '' of knockout football.Champions League ? You''re ''aving a laugh. How can it be called the Champions League when teams finishing as low as 4th - possibly lower - qualify. It''s been totally devalued from the days when it used to be two-legged home/away ties that eventually decided the two teams who would contest the European Cup Final. It''s now all just about generating cash I''m sorry to say......

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]
The FA Cup and Champions League have become totally devalued.....

The Cup Final should be the only match played in England on Cup Final that day. Imagine how we''d feel in the unlikely event that Norwich were at Wembley today and b*oody Man Utd were also playing in a Premiership match which could decide the title alongside other matches to decide relegation issues. If there has to be League games played why not move them all to another day, such as Sunday ?

[/quote]

This is exactly what has happened, resulting in Man Yoo getting nearly as much coverage as Man C, the F.A. Cup Winners, on what should have been ''their'' day.

Sorry, but it''s just not right.

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]
The FA Cup and Champions League have become totally devalued.....

The Cup Final should be the only match played in England on Cup Final that day. Imagine how we''d feel in the unlikely event that Norwich were at Wembley today and b*oody Man Utd were also playing in a Premiership match which could decide the title alongside other matches to decide relegation issues. If there has to be League games played why not move them all to another day, such as Sunday ?

[/quote]

This is exactly what has happened, resulting in Man Yoo getting nearly as much coverage as Man C, the F.A. Cup Winners, on what should have been ''their'' day.

Sorry, but it''s just not right.

[First Wazzock 902]

F.A. Chairman David Bernstein said ''I think the Premier League was diminshed somewhat by the cup final (being played on the same day), not the other way round.

Bernstein confirmed that next year''s cup final is likely to kick off at 5-15 pm

 

Just confirms what I think we all know - The F.A. are a bunch of idiots.

 

History says that the Cup Final is the last game of the season, and it kicks off at 3 pm.

If it aint broke don''t fix it.

[pete_norw 0]

Who remembers the Semi''s being played on Nuteral grounds, the FA said by playing the Semi''s at Wembley would give the fans and club a chance to experiance the big day, Cobblers, they saw it as a money spinner for the F A  and the same thing applies to the Jhonson tin pot, its all money grabbing nothing more, Yes I would be after tickets if Norwich get to a Final, but why should the FA get more seats at Wembley than the teams playing? 

[BGG&YPOS 0]

[quote user="scrappy33"]The final should be at the end of season, the semi''s should NOT be at wembly. And maybe to spice it up a bit make a champions league place for the winner instead of a 4th place in the prem.[/quote]

Fully agree with this Scrappy, was about to say that also. The FA has down graded the cup when they let Manure go and play in the World Club Championship or whatever it was called a few years back. Look how many teams now put out weakened teams and don''t take it seriously, if a bigger prize was on offer it may well change.

[Devils Advocate. 0]

 Why is the Champions League final being played on a Saturday evening this year, instead of a Wednesday evening ?

 I have heard that in order to maximise TV revenue throughout the World, the FA Cup final has to be staged in the afternoon our time, but how about switching the FA cup final to the first Sunday afternoon following the end of our domestic season ? somehow a game that starts on a Sunday afternoon feels more of an ocasion to me as more people have to work on a Saturday than a Sunday.

 I believe that the FA cup semi-finals are contracted to be staged at Wembley for the conceivable future, because the FA needs as many matches to be played at Wembley in order to pay for the thing. We all know it''s wrong and stupid but when did the customers opinion have any bearing on things?.

 Finally, give the rights back to BBC, ITV simply can''t stage any big time sporting event, not just Football.

[? 20]

In two pages of posts on this subject, the only argument i can see in favour of the FA Cup final having it''s own day is: ''that''s how it used to be''.

... Not much of an argument, really.

As for the final having to share the day with other football, so what?

Was our promotion tainted by the fact that Cardiff also played that day? Not for the thousands of us at Portsmouth, it wasn''t. And i''d bet my bottom dollar that the Mancs and Stoke fans at Wembley couldn''t care less that other games were being played that day, either.

Furthermore, if your argument is that the radio phone-ins et al have to split their time between games, so what? That''s what happens on nearly every other weekend of the season without any issue. Filling a 2 hour radio show with talk of just one game makes it a pretty damn dull radio show.

If you care for the FA Cup final then you''ll watch it, regardless of what else is on. But why not give those who don''t particularly care for it a choice of games to watch that afternoon?

Just because something was done in a particular way during you childhood doesn''t necessarily make it a good way to do things in the future.