the FA cup is an exciting away day for bottom half and lower league clubs like Everton. Even Wigan bloody won it . The CL is where it's at, in prestige and in funds.
It's only been won by sides outside of the top 4 twice in 20 years. Only an armchair Sky generation fan would describe the FA Cup like that, a trip to Wembley for a final or a SF are memories that live with you forever, and it's what the game's all about. Not about revenue figures and entry into a competition where success is viewed in £'s.
I can't help being born when I was. It is what it is, the FA cup is a relic to me. Of course it's a trophy we're in, so i want to win it, but it is well down the pecking order. As for Wembley, it's a soulless stadium where half the fans on cup final day are bloody prawn munching corporates.
Have you ever been to Wembley for a LIverpool game like? Not being funny when I ask that either, I just don't know how anyone could describe the place like that who's been to support their club in a big game there. It's an awesome stadium imo, love the place, the old one was a **** tip, but I've got some fantastic memories from there too.
Top 4 > FA Cup. Reason being consistent CL qualification leads to more money. This should then lead to increased investment in the squad. This should then lead to more success on the pitch which then should translate into trophies. So finishing Top 4 is far more important for the long term success of a club than winning FA Cup in 1 season.
Surely if Wembley is the reason then you must be a fan of the league cup too? It's been devalued so much now, especially with clubs having to trek there for the semi-finals too. And any one team gets just 20,000 fans, it's pathetic. 40k go to the clubs, the remaining 40k to the FA to slice up. I've been to Wembley before, unfortunately never to see LFC, I was more impressed with Craven Cottage tbh
What about non-armchair fans who prefer to travel around Europe than spend yet another day in the ****hole of London?
I'd love to see us at a LC final, but it's nowhere near the level of the FA Cup for me. The FA Cup is a special competition. You younger lads have all grown up with wall to wall televised live games and the CL being the be all and end all. Fellas of my generation grew up with little live TV on the box and the FA Cup final day was a special occassion, starting with live broadcasts from 9 a.m. So when we got to go to the place, it was a momentous occassion. My first visit was actually the LC final of 1984 - the first merseyside derby final. A truly dreaful game that finished 0-0 but the hairs still stand up on the back of my neck when I remember the chorus of "Merseyside, Merseyside" roaring out of the place from 80,000 scousers at the end. Great times. The games about memories mate, not spreadsheets (rich coming from me I know, lol)
You're drawing upon memories from the 80s though, the FA cup is failing to make new memories for younger fans. - poor allocation to the clubs (impossible to get a ticket unless you're a lifelong season ticket holder...) - Crap prize money means teams no longer take it seriously - there are now five games at Wembley a year, not exactly magical - It no longer gets its own day in the calendar, it's squashed amongst the other PL fixtures, which frankly most people pay more attention to unless your team has made the final - Winner gets an EL spot, they should make it CL, that would put a poker up clubs arses to go for it. I would bite off an arm to see us play in the champions league final, I wouldn't go that far with the FA cup. If the FA cup is to become relevant again and appeal to new generations the FA need to address some of the above points.
Yep all of those points are valid barring the prize money aspect, as that isn't a factor imo, a view borne out by the list of top 4 winners for the last generation. But the FA have definitely played a part in devaluing their own prestige competition and they need to address the issues they've created before it completely loses it's magic to the younger audience.
Unfortunately you support one of the smaller clubs that the FA Cup appeals to so you wouldn't understand. Us clubs with real ambition see the cups as a hindrance
Interesting debate this. So, let's say you finish top 4 this season then next season you are in for 4 trophies. CL Premier League FA CUP League Cup You are not interested in the 2 cups and you will not win the the other 2 competitions so what will your season be about? Try telling Stevie G the FA Cup is worthless.
A sad indictment of modern football (and the modern world in general) that people put the pursuit of money above all else. "A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." Oscar Wilde: Lady Windermere's Fan.
