[Albion] The Other FA Cup Semi Final - also against Man Utd

[sully]

The draw for the Women's FA Cup semi finals has just been made and we've got Man Utd in that one, too.

I believe these are played at the club grounds, so it'll be an away match, to be played on 16 April.


Edit:
The Vitality Women's FA Cup semi-final draw was made live on the Morning Live show on BBC One on Tuesday 21 March.

Following Sunday's quarter-final ties, the draw was made by former player Sue Smith and presenter Sam Quek and you can see the draw below...

1 Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
2 Aston Villa v Chelsea

The ties will take place on Sunday 16 April, with winning clubs collecting £50,000 from the competition prize fund and the losing teams getting £12,500.

 

[Simster]

I know it'll never happen, but that one could have been made a double header at Wembley as it turns out.

 

[Hotchilidog]

A tough task. However the team have looked a lot more solid under Amy's tutelage, let's hope they can make a game of it.

 

[fly high]

Something needs to be sorted, semi-finals should never be played at one of the teams home ground, just so wrong.

 

[A1X]

Something needs to be sorted, semi-finals should never be played at one of the teams home ground, just so wrong.

Especially when there are plenty of perfectly good other grounds knocking around for the games, no reason they couldn't be played at the likes of Villa Park etc.

 

[sully]

Especially when there are plenty of perfectly good other grounds knocking around for the games, no reason they couldn't be played at the likes of Villa Park etc.

The other semi probably will be played at Villa Park......

I know what you mean, though. It does seem like too big a game to give home advantage to one of the teams.

 

[halbpro]

Have to agree that it should be at a neutral ground really. I'd recommend any that I can easily get to without having to travel to Manchester.

 

[timbha]

Match at Old Trafford or at Salford’s U12 reserves training academy?

 

[Swansman]

Something needs to be sorted, semi-finals should never be played at one of the teams home ground, just so wrong.

Especially when there are plenty of perfectly good other grounds knocking around for the games, no reason they couldn't be played at the likes of Villa Park etc.

Have to agree that it should be at a neutral ground really. I'd recommend any that I can easily get to without having to travel to Manchester.

Last years two games in the Women's FA Cup semis had 1 565 (West Ham vs City) and 3 458 (Arsenal vs Chelsea) attending.

If people are supposed to travel from Manchester and Brighton to watch the game, how many would come?

Better with somewhat unfair conditions in front of a couple thousand people than playing at an empty 80k stadium.

 

[Jeremiah]

Man Utd get a home draw .........whatever next ?

 

[Jesus Gul]

If only Lewes would've knocked Man U out. An all Sussex FA Cup semi final!!

But alas!

 

[hart's shirt]

Last years two games in the Women's FA Cup semis had 1 565 (West Ham vs City) and 3 458 (Arsenal vs Chelsea) attending.

If people are supposed to travel from Manchester and Brighton to watch the game, how many would come?

Better with somewhat unfair conditions in front of a couple thousand people than playing at an empty 80k stadium.

Yes, it's very much 'this' when it comes to attendances.

Sunday's Quarter-Finals had the following numbers (BBC figures):
2,801 Lewes v Manchester United
1,865 Reading v Chelsea
1,702 Aston Villa v Manchester City
541 Birmingham v BHA

It's hard to imagine that tens of thousands would travel to a neutral ground SF when they don't attend a QF at home.

 

[halbpro]

Yes, it's very much 'this' when it comes to attendances.

Sunday's Quarter-Finals had the following numbers (BBC figures):
2,801 Lewes v Manchester United
1,865 Reading v Chelsea
1,702 Aston Villa v Manchester City
541 Birmingham v BHA

It's hard to imagine that tens of thousands would travel to a neutral ground SF when they don't attend a QF at home.

While some of those attendances are very disappointing, particularly Birmingham vs Brighton as that was played at St. Andrews, Lewes was full to bursting. They actually got the council to up the capacity for the game, and probably could have sold even more if they'd had space. Very well supported.

I do take the overall point though, yes.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Yes, it's very much 'this' when it comes to attendances.

Sunday's Quarter-Finals had the following numbers (BBC figures):
2,801 Lewes v Manchester United
1,865 Reading v Chelsea
1,702 Aston Villa v Manchester City
541 Birmingham v BHA

It's hard to imagine that tens of thousands would travel to a neutral ground SF when they don't attend a QF at home.

It's also shows that those expecting prize money to match the men's are wrong.

 

[hart's shirt]

While some of those attendances are very disappointing, particularly Birmingham vs Brighton as that was played at St. Andrews, Lewes was full to bursting. They actually got the council to up the capacity for the game, and probably could have sold even more if they'd had space. Very well supported.

I do take the overall point though, yes.

It's strange that the smallest stadium actually had the largest attendance, and for a game that was shown on the BBC Red Button.

I enjoyed watching the feature on Football Focus at a ground where the REMF game has been played in the past.

Clearly the marketing paid off which is a credit to Lewes. Almost a thousand more than the next highest figure at Reading.

Because of this, average attendances were up 266 per game compared with the games at the QF stage in 2021-22.
(Source: https://twitter.com/wslattendances?lang=en)

But that extra thousand at Lewes split 4 ways was roughly the whole average increase.

So no huge increase even after a home Euros win.