But yeah nothing beats the like of Spurs moaning about fixture congestion and then flying off for an overseas friendly less than a week after the season finishes.
It’s more that it gets the ball rolling for more. All these little things- no replays, seeding (it’s not actually seeding but whatevs), U21 teams in the Pizza Cup. None of them on their own really matter but they’re just chipping away. It’ll be the Charity Shield in Miami next or something.
I don't disagree - the prestige of the competition would be less. It's what I said at the start of that quote :/
Same as I would any other season... and whether we were a European side or not. Realistically, we had 2 less guaranteed games last year so it was less of an issue - the extra games have caused this - I just don't agree with the seeding / weighted advantage of home draw. I also said that the European sides shouldn't be excluded (only argued the merits of the squibness of the final were they to be so). I think you'll find that if this seeded nonsense continues, the "lustre" of this particular competition will wane... but as a route to Europe, this cup would still be relevant, IMO. A cup final will never be "meh", IMO. Unless you get bored of getting to them. There's a fair chance that with the strength at the top half of the PL nowadays, winning this competition could become a priority more often than not for many traditional "European" clubs. Dunno what the answer is, but giving the 6 "seeded" sides a 50/50 chance at a home tie and keeping them apart isn't it.
Yeah, that bit is bollocks but I don't really see the issue with them entering in round three if it means the competition is kept valid and alive. If that hadn't happened, they'd have no doubt pulled out entirely. And then so would the TV, sponsors, supporters etc. and it would have just died a death.
16 ties and 4 home big teams v 2 big away teams so a 12 in 26 chance I believe for us pleb teams. We defied the odds.
I worded that badly... But if each of the 6 get decided to just be either home or away in a pool of only those 6 ahead of the main draw - the odds would be different than the rest of the 26 teams at the point of the draw.
I sort of looked at the seeding differently, if the six top sides are kept from playing one another (because of European fixtures) then it gives the lesser clubs better chance of a money spinning draw. I hate it in the FA Cup when all the top sides get drawn against one another in the third and fourth rounds, while little ole Gillingham will either be out or travelling to Eastleigh. As for the 50/50 bit it's the same for every club, there was no advantage gained in how that was drawn, unless we are going to start playing on mathematical odds lol.
Doubt they’d have pulled out but would just play a weakened team as most clubs do anyway in the first round at least. It’s a 92 team tournament so you can’t all start at the same point anyway.
I want to win. If we beat Barrow rather than Liverpool then great. Bit of a buzz playing/beating a big club of course but really just want to win and I’m not arsed if the big team brings their top players. I’m not there to admire Salah or Bruno Fernandes.
Yeah but when you are a Gillingham fan there are never any thoughts of winning, that's why we are in L2.
Hoping that the Brighton game has got in the heads of some Man Utd players, always difficult going there and I'm sure they will raise their game against us. Can't say I'm looking forward to it though.
Have some pride man. You’re the biggest club in Kent. You gave the world…. Tony Cascarino maybe? Andy Hessenthaler? The potential is massive if you believe.
and Steve Bruce, top drawer until he went to Newcastle and became a pie seller. Although I think one of the best players I ever saw was little known by anyone, Peter Feely. One for the Chelsea fans that one, he's even got a wiki page.
