Pulis: It's going to be an extremely difficult tie for us, it's their cup final

[sir albion]

Which just goes to show you how good Hartlepool are. (At home).

I doubt there will be 3 goals in the game, that's not how we play. I hope all Stoke fans are shortsighted to the extent they underestimate us so easily. We'll keep the ball for far longer than they'll be expecting, and we'll do far more with it than they expect a team at our level is capable of. All the arrogant and aloof predictions of a comfortable 3-0 win are wide of the mark, and they'll spot that. I honestly think we could go there and keep a clean sheet. If Big Brez in goal (The only one of our players tall enough to be considered good enough to play for Stoke) plays well, and commands his area well, we could keep a clean sheet, and with Murray, Barnes and Wood all up front, with Bennett in behind.. I think we'll score.

In all seriousness, I wonder when the last time a team went to Stoke and played with 3 strikers? I can't see why we wouldn't.

Yeah but we did have 10 men for a while at hartlepool

 

[Mackenzie]

despite it being the 5th round of the club , THIS SEASON I wouldn't even class it as a big game personally

the league is far more important

Can't see many disagreeing with the league being everything this season. I think we'll play with a fair degree of freedom at Stoke, its a break from the league and we're not expected to win. Pulis will play a weakened team given the fixtures he's got coming up (so might we, I hasten to add).......7/2 looks like a reasonable bet.

 

[stokefan]

fixture change for the match!!!

Oatcake Fanzine - Stoke City V Brighton and Hove Albion

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Yeah but we did have 10 men for a while at hartlepool

And Ankergren made some good saves. On the day, Hartlepool caused us problems, that's football. Stoke will cause us many problems. I agree with you though, I doubt we'll let in 3.

 

[Smithy]

I think if Stoke take us seriously and go for it then we will lose, but if they underestimate us and think they just need to turn up then we will have a decent chance.

 

[clippedgull]

fixture change for the match!!!

Oatcake Fanzine - Stoke City V Brighton and Hove Albion

Are you on dope?

 

[GT49er]

I think if Stoke take us seriously and go for it then we will lose, but if they underestimate us and think they just need to turn up then we will have a decent chance.

I'm sure Stoke WILL be taking it seriously. They are more or less nailed on to a mid-table league position - a Cup run (or a final) could be the making of their season (and their best chance of Europe next season). I still hope we take our strongest team and go for it - would be fantastic if we did win (and would give us even more of a boost for the remaining 18 league matches), but sadly, I don't think we will. They are very good at set pieces for a start, and defending set-pieces?.....our strongest point?.......hmmm....

 

[shaun_rc]

It has the potential for being a big game, but unfortunately this is their reserves against our reserves.

We certainly know Gus is only bothering to put 11 men on the pitch because of the Albion fans who've bought tickets. I bet he wishes we'd lost to Woking first time round those months ago, and it is a terrible thing for a 3rd division team to feel like that, but this season, just this season, I agree with him.

No disrespect to Stoke though. Passionate team (yes they are bigger than us historically), but I can't get very enthusiastic about this fixture.

 

[larus]

It has the potential for being a big game, but unfortunately this is their reserves against our reserves.

We certainly know Gus is only bothering to put 11 men on the pitch because of the Albion fans who've bought tickets. I bet he wishes we'd lost to Woking first time round those months ago, and it is a terrible thing for a 3rd division team to feel like that, but this season, just this season, I agree with him.

No disrespect to Stoke though. Passionate team (yes they are bigger than us historically), but I can't get very enthusiastic about this fixture.

That's how I feel; never want to lose a game but we know it's so unlikely we're going to get any further that it's a distraction from the big prize (for us this season), of promotion and Championship football next year at Falmer.

 

[Spanish Seagulls]

More a siren call to get Stoke bums on seats is how I read it.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think Pulis IS being patronising here. Yeah, we have had a few proper "It's their cup final" matches in recent years, notably away to Spurs and Villa who are both proper big clubs.

White Hart Lane and Villa Park are historic veneues where fans will rightly remember their day out, win, lose or draw. Stoke and their Britannia Stadium generic box of a ground are not in the same echelon and this is a pretty ordinary draw if truth be told. Pulis is kidding himself. Pin the article up on the dressing room wall Gus, and highlight the words "It's their cup final". 7-2 are pretty good odds against a side not renowned for their ability to play the Beautiful Game.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Wow, our first Cup Final since 1983, I can't tell you how excited and honoured I feel to be playing against Stoke City.

What time does the pre-match rendition of Abide With Me start, please? I don't want to miss out on any of the great Cup Final traditions.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Cheeky sod.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I think Pulis IS being patronising here. Yeah, we have had a few proper "It's their cup final" matches in recent years, notably away to Spurs and Villa who are both proper big clubs.

White Hart Lane and Villa Park are historic veneues where fans will rightly remember their day out, win, lose or draw. Stoke and their Britannia Stadium generic box of a ground are not in the same echelon and this is a pretty ordinary draw if truth be told. Pulis is kidding himself. Pin the article up on the dressing room wall Gus, and highlight the words "It's their cup final". 7-2 are pretty good odds against a side not renowned for their ability to play the Beautiful Game.

Here's the thing: would it be our Cup Final if we were playing Wolves? West Brom? Bolton? Derby or Leicester? Clearly not, yet all these clubs are the same sort of size as Stoke. Yes, I know what Pulis is trying to do but the reaction of 95% of fans on here to the draw was "Oh for f***'S sake", rather suggesting that the vast majority of Albion fans haven't quite got that cup final feeling. I wonder if Stoke fans are at all embarrassed by this? I can't imagine even the most one eyed of them honestly think they're a big catch or an attractive draw in this competition.

 

[El Presidente]

Stoke are only 6 points above the relegation zone, they will rest some players, especially with a match against the Arse on Tuesday.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'd be surprised if Stoke don't put out their strongest side. Beat us and they're one game away from a Wembley semi.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Cup Final programme of events:

1200 Teams arrive, pre-match walkabout on pitch

1230 ITV1: Pre-Match Saint & Greavsie cup final special with guest appearances from Gordon Smith, Adrian Heath, Nick Hancock and, bringing his unique brand of Scouse wit to proceedings, Stan Boardman

1300 The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines perform a medley of rousing marching songs to enliven the occasion

1315 The FA Cup will be parachuted into the ground by two members of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, recently returned from Afghanistan. Fly-past from the Red Arrows

1330 ITV1: Meet The Teams: a light-hearted insider's guide to the two finalists with Brighton coach Charlie Oatway and Potters legend Mamady Sidibe

1345 BBC1: The Road To the Britannia: John Motson presents a look back at how our two teams started out on their FA Cup odyssey all those months ago

1420 ITV1: Andy Townsend's Cup Final Tactical Shitfest

1445 The teams emerge to a packed and excited crowd

1450 Abide With Me, accompanied by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines

1452 The teams are presented to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Phil "The Power" Taylor, and assorted FA flunkies

1455 God Save the Queen

1500 The 130th Football Association Challenge Cup Final. Extra time to be played in the event of scores being level after 90 minutes.

 

[LU7 RED]

Just make sure you do the basics well, or you'll get battered (ok beaten).

We (Bmth) played them in the 5th round in 2001 I think - went up there with high hopes, got well out muscled by Sidibe etc..

Was up there at Uni - shame the Victoria Ground isn't still there - the Boothen End was LOUD!!

 

[MrShaun15]

lol our cup final! xD could not be more far from the truth, its all about promotion this game really means nothing apart from some cash in the back pocket

 

[8ace]

Cup Final programme of events:

1200 Teams arrive, pre-match walkabout on pitch

1230 ITV1: Pre-Match Saint & Greavsie cup final special with guest appearances from Gordon Smith, Adrian Heath, Nick Hancock and, bringing his unique brand of Scouse wit to proceedings, Stan Boardman

1300 The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines perform a medley of rousing marching songs to enliven the occasion

1315 The FA Cup will be parachuted into the ground by two members of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, recently returned from Afghanistan. Fly-past from the Red Arrows

1330 ITV1: Meet The Teams: a light-hearted insider's guide to the two finalists with Brighton coach Charlie Oatway and Potters legend Mamady Sidibe

1345 BBC1: The Road To the Britannia: John Motson presents a look back at how our two teams started out on their FA Cup odyssey all those months ago

1420 ITV1: Andy Townsend's Cup Final Tactical Shitfest

1445 The teams emerge to a packed and excited crowd

1450 Abide With Me, accompanied by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines

1452 The teams are presented to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Phil "The Power" Taylor, and assorted FA flunkies

1455 God Save the Queen

1500 The 130th Football Association Challenge Cup Final. Extra time to be played in the event of scores being level after 90 minutes.

Shame I'll miss all this cos I'm going to the game, will have to make do with my £12 souvenir programme