The semis should definitely be at high-profile grounds other than Wembley but it should be open to application like the CL final is. It could be any of Old Trafford, Emirates, City of Manchester Stadium, St James Park, Villa Park. Having it at Wembley is just a pointless non-event. What exactly do you celebrate if you win one of these semis? "We're going to, erm, Wembley... again."
They won't move the semi-finals, they make up two of the ten events included in a Club Wembley membership.
How good the game will be depends on which Wigan turn up, the fully **** and boring one, or the one with quality and which play great football.
It's a load of **** that the semi's are played at Wembley, ruins the whole point of having Wembley for the final.
[video=youtube;29_RZ82aZ6A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_RZ82aZ6A[/video] Wagons roll, Wembley bound.
Just shows you how far the FA Cup has fallen in terms of being a top competition. Im not slating either club but that sort of crowd for a qtr final replay is just where the competition is at. It used to be a competition that everyone looked forward to, That all changed when the Premier League came into being. First the FA allowed Manure to not enter one year and then all the top clubs started playing their reserves in the early rounds (from Rd 3). Even we have fallen into the trap of using the competition for squad players to have a game. It is now nothing better that the poxxy league cup. I don't want any flak from any one from Millwall because they have done very well again to get there. It would be good for the game if they got to the final again.
Well done to Millwall - staggered though that there were only 8600 there when a Wembley appearance was at stake.. something seriously wrong at Blackburn.. Appleton hardly an inspired appointment and many must be protesting still about the way the Club's being run..
The club record attendance at the old Wembley Stadium was 47,000 and that record was held by Millwall. Ironically, they set the record against Wigan in the Football League Trophy final in 1999. And Millwall's catchment is bigger than Wigan's.
I think Hillsborough should be used for FA Cup semis, as opposed to Villa Park. I think there was once one there that didn't end well though, so I doubt it'll happen.
The semis should take place at any of: Hillsborough, Villa Park, Old Trafford, Anfield, Ricoh Arena, White Hart Lane or Goodison Park.
Surely a trip to Wembley has reduced appeal for London clubs? You can leave your 'drum' at dinner time and be back for your eel pie and mash by teatime, before your usual J Arthur to follow?
Hillsboro as a stadium for a semi? - not unless they spend a stack of cash on it - it may be an iconic ground but its a toilet these days and the Leppings Lane end has hardly changed since that fateful day in 1989..
In a couple of years from now they'll be able to use the Allam Stadium in Melton for one of the semis.
I am and its a very real possibility now ? O/T.....saw this piece on the BBC website www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22065236 dont they have access to skype in Blackburn and India FFS. makes my day trips down to London in the past feel like popping down to the corner shop.
