Article: Has the Carling Cup 'run its course'? | Football

i like the league cup, even though we're always so **** in it

 

I suggest making it into a British Cup by inviting the Scottish Teams. The Scottish League cup is just as unnattractive to fans north of the border and it's just another one won by Celtic or Rangers 90% of the time.

I think Saints playing Rangers or even the likes of Aberdeen would generate more interest than us playing Championship or lower premiership teams attendance wise. Would also benefit the scottish teams whose crowd numbers are falling fast, meaning more income for Scottish clubs and the SFA.

Would keep the rounds regional until maybe the round before the quarter finals, then it would be english and scottish clubs mixed in. Final could rotate between Wembley & Hampden.

The european qualification spot could be tricky, although I have a feeling the Europa league may not last too long as it generates very little money for clubs and uefa. Fulham only made about £5m by getting all the way to the final. Clubs getting into the group stage of the champions league get a guaranteed £25m by comparison. So even if there was no european qualification, I doubt clubs would be that bothered. Playing europa games on Thursdays is a pain and with all the fixture changes and playing league games on Sundays etc, is it really good to get into europe for fans as well? Not exactly cheap to travel round the Euro zone these days.

So British Cup is the way forward for me.

 

Not under Adkins. I can smell those Wembley burgers already. If we go out, of course its a **** cup we never wanted to win anyway.

 

Side issue..what do you think about teams from Champions League dropping down to enter the Europa at the later stages? I suppose it increases income and the richer clubs have a safety net, but hardly seems fair does it. Like dropping the losing finalist in the FA Cup into the League Cup Final.

 

Is that a comment or a suggestion?

 

I like the idea of a British Cup, even though its not likely to happen, but based on some of the recent banter (and results) about the gulf in quality between the Scottish and English premiership, it would be a good way of giving the scottish clubs some more quality opposition.

 

The Scots could start in the JPT.

 

Typical Anglo Cockiness - is that why you're hated throughout World Football ?

 

Well, if Scumhampton can win it, I'm sure Brechin City would start as favourites.............

 

We should invite the irish as well - they seem to be having as much success in europe as the scots

 

Let's start with Berwick Rangers [who should play in the English League really, if my memory of where the border crosses is correct] and see how we go on.

 

....and Cardiff and Swansea ???

 

Indeed, fair point.

 

If you saw the excitement of Newcastle when they scored the probable winner tonight and the dismay of Scunnie you wouldn't think this cup was dead.

 

Great game of cup football. Bad luck on Scunthorpe who made a real game of it.

 

2-1 Toon. The Radio 5 commentator said brave and little, when describing S****horpe, but stopped short of saying plucky. If there's one thing I hate in football [and it probably is the only one thing] it's the overt patronising that goes on. The best thing that could happen to football is the relegation of big clubs so that small clubs could get some decent coverage.

BTW, the League Cup appears alive and well.