FA Cup, 2020-2021

[Hot Orange]

Four of Ipswich's last 21 FA Cup draws have been Portsmouth (H). That feels like quite a lot.

[Levin]

Going back a page but that final Lazio badge is a wind up isn't it? No way that's a real badge put on shirts in the 21st century.

[Greenlander]

Why would any Exeter fan have wanted that? The memory of The Great Game (1st anniversary today) will live on forever, or at least until the next time - which was cancelled last season, and now (almost certainly) won't happen again until there's a crowd. The roller coaster is stuck at the top, enjoy the view for as long as possible.

Well if we must. It's played four won four in the FA Cup including a 2-0 back in the early 80s, the memory of which was committed to song on a long lost C60 tape by my adolescent band and a storming 4-1 in the mid 90s when Ronnie had a gun. Live on the sky box when these things mattered.

And to go back to the thread, away to Charlton is about as uninspiring as it gets.

[Guy Profumo]

Oh well.

It was a good run

[tee rex]

Blimey, they're doing the draw on BBC2 at Victory Park. Come on then, let's have City v Gargoyle.

Why would any Exeter fan have wanted that? The memory of The Great Game (1st anniversary today) will live on forever, or at least until the next time - which was cancelled last season, and now (almost certainly) won't happen again until there's a crowd. The roller coaster is stuck at the top, enjoy the view for as long as possible.

[Ray de Galles]

Though I've only just noticed the FCUM v Doncaster Rovers and Hayes & Yeading v Carlisle ties that would have allowed home fans in under the previous FA restrictions. I can see those being more problematic, though not impossible, to administer.

[Ray de Galles]

I'm not sure it really has "got to be everyone, from now on". Under the existing restrictions set by the FA for the previous rounds the Banbury v Canvey Island and Maldon & Tiptree v Morecambe ties could have gone ahead to limited capacities, the latter with no away fans, (indeed the two teams in the former tie could still meet in the FA Trophy with a crowd allowed). Would it cause any real problem to have them do so?

Separate from any discussion on the FA Cup, if we believe that any return of crowds would need to be staggered then, at some point (and I'm not contending that point is now), limited numbers of "away followings numbering in the thousands, and occasionally potentially tens of thousands" will need to be admitted in to grounds so the problem of how to administer it will need to be addressed.

[Janik]

From Round 1 onwards you are have clubs involved with away followings numbering in the thousands, and occasionally potentially tens of thousands. Which is more than just a difference of degree. They could ban specific ties from having crowds depending on who the away side was. But I can't see how that would be workable. It's got to be everyone, from now on.

As with all the other arguments of this sort recently regarding sports crowds ('but they are allowed in Germany' etc.), or why sport can't have people in attendance whereas theaters and cinemas can, the argument is based on specious reasoning. Because x is allowed doesn't mean y should also be - the argument that x shoudn't in fact be happening because it it is too similar to y, which is correctly banned, is just as strong. No analysis is being undertaken that x being allowed is itself correct... because the conclusion it gives (x should be banned as y is rightly banned) is not the one the person arguing wants.

[Ray de Galles]

Not sure it could have been any other way, there'd have been no way of avoiding away fans travelling to ties allowing home fans only.

Matches in recent rounds have been home fans only with no problems occurring.

[Patrick Thistle]

Salop get Cambridge away. Shite draw (for both sides I guess) and probably the end of their cup run this season.

[Satchmo Distel]

Will all the clubs be able to stream their games, and will they charge?

[Artificial Hipster]

Not sure it could have been any other way, there'd have been no way of avoiding away fans travelling to ties allowing home fans only.

[Ray de Galles]

Sadly the FA have apparently confirmed that all ties from the next round (and subsequent rounds for the foreseeable future, one assumes) will be behind closed doors.

[Simon G]

Don't rule out Salford. They're effectively Man Utd 'B' when it comes to TV execs.

[Artificial Hipster]

Rubbish draw for Skem.

FCUM nailed on for TV surely. Eastbourne v Blackpool as well perhaps?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Ipswich v Portsmouth will probably be on the telly...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Wigan v Chorley. Blimey that would have been huge if fans were allowed in.

[Capybara]

Lynsey Hipgrave's accent hasn't half changed.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Blimey, they're doing the draw on BBC2 at Victory Park. Come on then, let's have City v Gargoyle.

[JVL]

Stones lose pathetically at home. Still, JVL will be happy...

Oh yes - paid my 8 quid and got the live stream working via VPN to watch the match yesterday. Wasn't expecting that but a great result for us! And it made me think of OTF, and realise that I hadn't visited or posted in months...

[Guy Profumo]

Guy Profumo and Merlin the happy pig should be happy too.

Yes indeed.

"cup run" second season in a row

[Merlin the happy pig]

Monday 7pm, on BBC2 apparently. Pleased for Banbury, used to go there occasionally. Do they still play by the railway station, Merlin?

Yeah, still there.

[cantagalo]

More than Marine at Chester?

Yes - only two tiers difference here. Chester (Tier 6) v Marine (Tier 8).

[Artificial Hipster]

FCUM qualify for the first round proper, where Wigan would seem the highest-profile derby possible.

Rochdale would love the opportunity to get revenge for televised humiliation ten years ago.

[3 Colours Red]

Four fucking nil. I can feel this season going to shit again; it's in me bones.