Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
[Albion] Which FA Cup fourth round ties would YOU televise live?
- Thread starter Bozza
- Start date
Palaace vs Hartlepool for Hartlepool reasons
Huddersfield vs Barnsley - I've seen quite a bit of Barnsley since their Swedish manager took over and they are hilariously bad
Cambridge vs Luton - the real deal
Kidderminster vs West Ham - for Kidderminster reasons
Brighton vs Spurs - obviously
Stoke vs Wigan - want to see that Sima winner
Huddersfield vs Barnsley - I've seen quite a bit of Barnsley since their Swedish manager took over and they are hilariously bad
Cambridge vs Luton - the real deal
Kidderminster vs West Ham - for Kidderminster reasons
Brighton vs Spurs - obviously
Stoke vs Wigan - want to see that Sima winner
I wouldn't televise ours so that we can have 3pm Saturday but it will be televised for sure.
The six I think will be picked are:
Us
Bournemouth
Chelsea
Kidderminster
Liverpool
Forest
I'd swap City v Fulham for us if I ruled the airwaves for the above reason.
The six I think will be picked are:
Us
Bournemouth
Chelsea
Kidderminster
Liverpool
Forest
I'd swap City v Fulham for us if I ruled the airwaves for the above reason.
Stumpy Tim
Well-known member
This. If it's Sunday I'm going to be annoyed as we have plans. My boy is desperate to go to the new stadium and it's a perfect opportunity.
Does anyone have an idea when they'll announce the TV games?
Really?? Massive sense of anti-climax round here when that one came out the hat - and a similar feeling in Luton too, I should imagine. Lower Championship side vs Lower League One side. I'm sure both clubs were hoping for a PL team either home or away. Still, it gives both sides a decent chance of progressing to 5th Round.
Greg Bobkin
Silver Seagull
- May 22, 2012
- 16,033
With Brighton now in the PL, the idea of an all-PL FA Cup tie leaves me a bit cold, if I'm honest. I get the whole 'magic of the cup' thing, but where's the appeal of Brighton playing Spuds in the cup? Especially as the corresponding league fixture follows afterwards.
Therefore, I'm adopting Boreham Wood for my cup team. I heard Chappers on the radio chatting with the manager – who sounds like an all-round good guy – and watching the highlights, I think they play some lovely football.
Plus, getting one over on PLB – if they ARE still Plucky – would be the cherry on the icing on the cake.
#UpTheWood!
Therefore, I'm adopting Boreham Wood for my cup team. I heard Chappers on the radio chatting with the manager – who sounds like an all-round good guy – and watching the highlights, I think they play some lovely football.
Plus, getting one over on PLB – if they ARE still Plucky – would be the cherry on the icing on the cake.
#UpTheWood!
Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
Oh l don't know, the East Midlands "derby", (excuse the pun), could be pretty spicy, Notts Forest v. Leicester.
Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
I would have thought all at Cambridge United would be delighted with it, so ok, Luton Town aren't in the Premier League or a household name, but the tie should still sell out the Abbey Stadium, and it is, as you say, a winnable game for both sides.
Neville's Breakfast
Well-known member
Yeah, I can understand Cambridge fans feeling like that. From a neutral’s point of view though aren’t the towns only an hour apart ? Should be a sell out and won’t be a one sided bore fest like Chelsea v Chesterfield.
Agreed. If you threw all those names back into the velvet bag and started again, it would be almost impossible to pick out a duller draw.
Borehamwood's 'reward' for reaching the 4th round for the first time in their history, is a trip to the kind of stadium they play at in their National League matches.
Hartlepool get a PLUM trip to Selhurst, and Cambridge's heroics get them a chance to play the superstars of er.. Luton.
Kiddy v West Ham is about the single exciting tie, unless anyone is genuinely thrilled by an all Prem tie, in which case ours is passable.
What I would say in favour of Spurs v Brighton, is that its likely to be one of the best / most attractive matches in that list, even if there's no romantic STORY attached.
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,952
I actually think Spurs V Brighton will be a very good tie. I think we will take it seriously - in the main - and we've seen that Spurs squad players struggled against Morecambe. I'd be surprised if Spurs rolled out a regulation victory which is probably what the majority of the armchair PL fans expected when they saw the draw. We've got a good a chance that we've ever had of getting a result there.
My other issue with the draw is that it almost gives a bye to the PL teams. If we do navigate Spurs it is highly probable that Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Man U and West Ham (or God forbid a dickheads day out to Smellhurst) at the very least will be left to navigate. If we have designs on winning it, seems like we will have to do it the hard way.
No - nobody is happy with it, other than it is (a) at home and not at Luton and (b) potentially winnable I suppose.
Typical of the responses on the CUFC forum are "Luton? Rubbish" / "That's got a real Papa John's vibe to it" / "What a let down" / "It's like a punishment from God." / "Disappointing" and (my favourite) "Not those mugs again."
The Abbey pretty much sells out for every home game at the moment anyway and the players and the bulk of the support were hoping for a big PL London club away (Chelsea, Spurs or Arsenal) or one of the big North West clubs away. Luton at home, when the league programme already includes teams like Sunderland, Bolton, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Sheff Weds) is a huge anti-climax.
I had promised my kids (both Cambridge supporters) to take them to the 4th round game, regardless of when / where. We sat and watched the draw on ITV and the sense of disappointment when Luton at home came out the hat was palpable
Last edited:
Jimmehh
Well-known member
Forest vs Leicester
Kidder vs West Ham
Plucky vs Boreham Wood
Cambs vs Hatters
Chelsea vs Plymouth
Spuds vs Seagulls
Kidder vs West Ham
Plucky vs Boreham Wood
Cambs vs Hatters
Chelsea vs Plymouth
Spuds vs Seagulls
Milano
Well-known member
Please don’t be Sunday
Do you not? I thought everyone on here did, have I joined the wrong forum?
The formula over the past decade or two for picking TV games at R3 & 4 seems to be primarily "lower division at home vs (decent) Premier League team" and "blockbuster (big 6 v big 6) all-PL tie", then see who Manchester United and Liverpool are playing, as they are really the only two teams guaranteed to bring in good viewing figures no matter who they play (Man City & Chelsea still do not command as big an audience, despite their recent trophy domination. Spurs & Arsenal are too inconsistent to guarantee TV numbers and therefore are more likely to be picked for upset chance over anything else, as yesterday proved).
- We have no examples of blockbusters in this draw, elevating Kidderminster v West Ham to one of, if not the, most desirable TV ties and 100% will be picked.
- Manchester United and Liverpool are both at home to lower Division opponents, which is disappointing for TV but still attractive given their fanbase. So it would usually be a case of looking at the rest of the draw to see if there are any ties that would be more attractive (again from TV's POV, which isn't necessarily the same as us or a neutrals POV). If there are, then at least one of MU & LIV will not be on (per 3rd round LIV v Shrewsbury). However, if there are not, and it's looking like the case in this 4th round draw, then I suspect both these games will be televised.
- Next, look at the lowest ranked sides that haven't fallen into the above categories.
Here that applies to Boreham Wood, Hartlepool, Plymouth, Wigan and Cambridge. Of those, only Cambridge are at home - and being at home is often the difference in being selected for TV because of the unusual setting, the good atmosphere, the likelihood of upset etc. Unfortunately for them, they drew Luton, which isn't a standout club and few would be surprised if they managed to win. I'd be surprised if it were picked.
The other four teams are all away, normally reducing TV chances. But given how poor the overall draw is looking, you have to consider one or two of these. Hartlepool and Plymouth are at PL clubs, making them more likely to be picked. I'd put Palace v Hartlepool as more likely to see the underdog win, but again citing the poor draw, I can see either that or Plymouth at Chelsea being on TV, maybe both if one of LIV or MANU aren't, it's a toss up.
Manchester City are also at home to lower Division opposition. But going back to the earlier point, they do not command the audience near MU or LIV and consequently see fewer Cup ties on TV at this stage. Coupled with the fact that they are more likely to be straightforward wins (not guaranteed of course, as defeats to Wigan and Middlesbrough have shown). Additionally, though Fulham are only one Division below, it's not like this is a special trip for them as it would be for Hartlepool or Cambridge for example. For me, unlikely to be picked.
- Though Leicester are the holders, they aren't an established 'big' team in TV terms. But in their favour is an away tie to a team from the League below, and relatively close distance to each other. Forest are also a traditionally well known club with history and upset pedigree. That gets picked.
- So finally, you look at the best of the rest, which is where our game at Spurs comes in. It's between two PL clubs who play decent football and the result is not a foregone conclusion. The formula that was used to select West Ham v Leeds in R3. You could argue Everton v Brentford and Wolves v Norwich fit that criteria too, but with Spurs the biggest of all six clubs mentioned, I'd put our game as the 6th pick.
You can kind of rule out the likes of Southampton v Coventry, Peterborough v QPR and Huddersfield v Barnsley not fitting into any of the above criteria and a real lack of interest beyond the fans of the teams involved.
- We have no examples of blockbusters in this draw, elevating Kidderminster v West Ham to one of, if not the, most desirable TV ties and 100% will be picked.
- Manchester United and Liverpool are both at home to lower Division opponents, which is disappointing for TV but still attractive given their fanbase. So it would usually be a case of looking at the rest of the draw to see if there are any ties that would be more attractive (again from TV's POV, which isn't necessarily the same as us or a neutrals POV). If there are, then at least one of MU & LIV will not be on (per 3rd round LIV v Shrewsbury). However, if there are not, and it's looking like the case in this 4th round draw, then I suspect both these games will be televised.
- Next, look at the lowest ranked sides that haven't fallen into the above categories.
Here that applies to Boreham Wood, Hartlepool, Plymouth, Wigan and Cambridge. Of those, only Cambridge are at home - and being at home is often the difference in being selected for TV because of the unusual setting, the good atmosphere, the likelihood of upset etc. Unfortunately for them, they drew Luton, which isn't a standout club and few would be surprised if they managed to win. I'd be surprised if it were picked.
The other four teams are all away, normally reducing TV chances. But given how poor the overall draw is looking, you have to consider one or two of these. Hartlepool and Plymouth are at PL clubs, making them more likely to be picked. I'd put Palace v Hartlepool as more likely to see the underdog win, but again citing the poor draw, I can see either that or Plymouth at Chelsea being on TV, maybe both if one of LIV or MANU aren't, it's a toss up.
Manchester City are also at home to lower Division opposition. But going back to the earlier point, they do not command the audience near MU or LIV and consequently see fewer Cup ties on TV at this stage. Coupled with the fact that they are more likely to be straightforward wins (not guaranteed of course, as defeats to Wigan and Middlesbrough have shown). Additionally, though Fulham are only one Division below, it's not like this is a special trip for them as it would be for Hartlepool or Cambridge for example. For me, unlikely to be picked.
- Though Leicester are the holders, they aren't an established 'big' team in TV terms. But in their favour is an away tie to a team from the League below, and relatively close distance to each other. Forest are also a traditionally well known club with history and upset pedigree. That gets picked.
- So finally, you look at the best of the rest, which is where our game at Spurs comes in. It's between two PL clubs who play decent football and the result is not a foregone conclusion. The formula that was used to select West Ham v Leeds in R3. You could argue Everton v Brentford and Wolves v Norwich fit that criteria too, but with Spurs the biggest of all six clubs mentioned, I'd put our game as the 6th pick.
You can kind of rule out the likes of Southampton v Coventry, Peterborough v QPR and Huddersfield v Barnsley not fitting into any of the above criteria and a real lack of interest beyond the fans of the teams involved.
