FA Semis to be played at Wembley from next year, good or bad?

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

Purely a financial decision. All the FA are interested in is money as anybody who remembers our troubles in 95/96 especially will tell you. They set up the Premier League for money alone and the England team have steadily declined since 1990.

Change "1990" to "1966" and you're spot on.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Hold both semis in Cardiff, it's a cracking stadium and right in the heart of the city so everyone has a good time. That way the semis are special and so is the final for different reasons.

Money will win though

What he said - Cardiff is a fantastic day out and has more than proved itself as a great venue.

But here we are, the first stupid effect of the out of control overspending on that stadium: semis at Wembley are, I imagine, something that very few football fans would back, as this poll shows. And it won't be the last effect either.

 

[Storer68]

We've had this debate 361 times before though. Great stadium the MillStad, but its just in the wrong place. Pick just about any two random clubs from the top two divisions for your theortical semi-final, and Cardiff is a stupid place for them to all travel to.

Newcastle v Liverpool on the Saturday.
Ipswich v Bolton on the Sunday

Huge amounts of travelling, changing of trains, enforced overnight stays, etc.

At least if its in London, most towns have a direct rail link.
Most years at least 2 semi-finalists would be London clubs anyway, so cuts the travelling down altogether. [Maybe they're just thinking of the carbon footprint!]

So to save the planet

newcastle v liverpool (Old Trafford - capacity 76,000 so only 4,000 less able to go than Wembley and closer so less travelling

Ipswich v bolton at Villa Park


blimey, its hardly rocket science.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Good.

5 games at Wembley for the Albion!

 

[Simster]

But here we are, the first stupid effect of the out of control overspending on that stadium: semis at Wembley are, I imagine, something that very few football fans would back, as this poll shows. And it won't be the last effect either.

Correct. It should have been built in the midlands somewhere, for quite literally, half the price. Instead, it's a f*** up and everyone is being fleeced in order to pay for it. Apparantly it's about seven quid for a burger and chips at Wembley.

Actually, I really don't care that semis are going to be played there. The whole Wembley experience has been cheapened because of the number of non-cup finals being played there already, and FA Cup has already been cheapened for the many reasons we all know about. The FA Cup will never return to it's former glory until a) a champions league place is offered to the winner and b) ticket prices are lowered to something a bit more sensible.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Why cant every every FA cup game be played there in that case?

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Absolute joke, yes I know the FA need to make money from the new wembley. But the tradition of the Semi Finals being played at netrual grounds was always a joy to behold.

 

[Buzzer]

For an organisation that harks on about the romance and tradition of the cup, it's just hypocrisy to then change things for purely financial reasons.

 

[surrey jim]

in a word Bad

 

[Billy the Fish]

Correct. It should have been built in the midlands somewhere, for quite literally, half the price. Instead, it's a f*** up and everyone is being fleeced in order to pay for it. Apparantly it's about seven quid for a burger and chips at Wembley.

Actually, I really don't care that semis are going to be played there. The whole Wembley experience has been cheapened because of the number of non-cup finals being played there already, and FA Cup has already been cheapened for the many reasons we all know about. The FA Cup will never return to it's former glory until a) a champions league place is offered to the winner and b) ticket prices are lowered to something a bit more sensible.

A national stadium in the midlands would be shit. It would've been just another out of town stadium in the middle of nowhere. Wherever it was built the FA would be playing the same amount of games there, they are a profit making organisation after all. The food prices would've been the same as well, and anyway, who actually like eating food inside grounds, it's generally crap

 

[Storer68]

A national stadium in the midlands would be shit. It would've been just another out of town stadium in the middle of nowhere. Wherever it was built the FA would be playing the same amount of games there, they are a profit making organisation after all. The food prices would've been the same as well, and anyway, who actually like eating food inside grounds, it's generally crap

yes, but a re-built national stadium in north west london in just about the most inaccessible part of the capital IS shit!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

A cunning way to claw back some of that overspend on the stadium

 

[BensGrandad]

If its not broken why try to mend it. IMHO the FA should earmark grounds for the semis and then decide on the venue after the draw has been made.

One London ground
One Midlands
One North West
One North East.

if its 2 london clubs play on another ground in London they have a choice of Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs grounds.


Villa Park

Old Trafford or Anfield or if Liverpool v Man U at Reebok

St James Park or Stadium of Light.

 

[Robot Chicken]

So to save the planet

newcastle v liverpool (Old Trafford - capacity 76,000 so only 4,000 less able to go than Wembley and closer so less travelling

14,000 less able. Wembley is 90,000.

 

[Simster]

or if Liverpool v Man U at Reebok

or if Spurs v Arsenal, then Brisbane Road.

 

[Kenhead]

Rather see the semi's played at netural grounds but doesn't effect me either way really as we haven't got to the 4th round for about 15 years now

 

[Simster]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/6551233.stm

So only one of the 4 teams have sold their semi final allocation. Says it all really.

Really looking forward to next season with 45,000 rattling around inside Wembley for a semi final.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Exactly. And while we're at it, let's really slag off Blackburn. We took 29,000 to a League One play-off final in bloody Cardiff.

They can't sell that much for an FA Cup semi against Chelsea down the road at Old Trafford.

Absolutely pathetic.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Amazing that Blackburn fans can't be arsed to travel 37 miles to see their team in an FA Cup final. I travelled about 10 times that to see a meaningless 0-0 draw at Carlisle. Chelsea fans have always been a bunch of very fickle tossers - they always got tiny attendances when they've been relegated or for testimonials, for example.

 

[Storer68]

Lets not be too harsh here........

They have sold out their £25 and £35 tickets.

which means that they only ones available are £45 and £55. and each application that isnn't a persnal application at the ticket office, attracts a £4 admininstraton charge (which is a total disgrace!!!)

For remember a match that is live on the telly and only thirty miles away............. on a weekend which is supposedly going to be FANTASTIC weather.

Tickets have only been on sale since Monday