FA Cup 2018-19

[Patrick Thistle]

Prize in the pub quiz, EIM? Put it down as a business expense.

[Sits]

I reckon Mou will try and grind out a 1-0. Never underestimate the opposition.

[delicatemoth]

It's been six or seven years since I've been to a game, but on seeing 'Wrexham or Newport vs Leicester City' I still had a split-second thought of "Yes! New trip!" I wonder if it ever goes away.

[Gangster Octopus]

I may have to go to Manchester's Commonwealth Games' Stadium. When do they decide which Manchester club is playing when?

[longeared]

City are at home to Liverpool in the league on the Thursday night, so your game won't be until Sunday at least.

[ingoldale]

Lincoln get a good draw again. The media love in with them continues apace.

[Satchmo Distel]

Burnley v Barnsley...

Where would Solihull v Arsenal be played? St Andrews? Villa Park? Or just switch it?

[Gangster Octopus]

Thanks le. Do I make a weekend of it then? Hmmm...

[wittoner]

Burnley v Barnsley...

Where would Solihull v Arsenal be played? St Andrews? Villa Park? Or just switch it?

it will be played at Solihull unless there are compelling safety concerns/fears. Which there shouldn't be as Solihull's ground meets National League requirements.

The FA clamped down on smaller clubs switching for a big pay day a few years ago.

[N est à?]

Sutton hosted arsenal a couple of years back.

Newcastle made themselves pretty unpopular by somewhat highhandedly assuming Stevenage would switch an fa cup tie back in the 90s, and getting the hump when they wouldn't. Worked out alright tho as newcastle got their home game against stevenage ten days later lol

[Satchmo Distel]

Thanks. I'm behind the times on this one; thought switching was still the norm.

[RobW]

Lincoln get a good draw again. The media love in with them continues apace.

Almost as obsessed as Grimsby fans are.

[Ray de Galles]

it will be played at Solihull unless there are compelling safety concerns/fears. Which there shouldn't be as Solihull's ground meets National League requirements.

The FA clamped down on smaller clubs switching for a big pay day a few years ago.

Yes, and I think odious scumbag Graham Westley switching Farnborough's tie versus Arsenal to Highbury when he was chairman (and then leaving the club soon after with the takings and a lot of players) was a main reason for the tightening of the rules.

[N est à?]

My mum grew up the other side of elmdon park fron Solihull's ground, my grandad worked at the jaguar-land rover plant next door to it, so i suppose i should be excited about this (although neither ground nor club existed back then)

[N est à?]

They'll get beat by blackpool anyway.

[ingoldale]

Almost as obsessed as Grimsby fans are.

Worrying times for us really. I saw a few pictures of the new training ground a few days ago - it looks amazing. Lincoln are in danger of leaving us behind in terms of facilities and they already have a better location for attracting players. We could lose a generation of fans if they go up a division or two - especially in areas around Skegness, Horncastle and Louth where there have traditionally been good numbers of Town fans compared to Lincoln.

[Simon G]

3rd round TV games (copied from elsewhere, so I haven't verified them)

Tranmere or Southport v Spurs, bt2 Fri 7.45pm
Man U v Reading , bt2 Sat 12.30pm
Solihull or Blackpool v Arsenal, Sat 5.30pm bt2
Woking v Watford, Sun 2pm bt2
Wrexham or Newport v Leicester. Sun 4.30pm bbc1
Wolves v Liverpool, Mon 7.45pm bbc1

Can't wait to see Man Utd at home to Reading for the second time in 3 seasons. BT Sport pulling out the game all football fans want to see there...

[Ray de Galles]

Oooh, I might try and get to that Woking v Watford game as it's on the Sunday.

[longeared]

So, the FA's latest great idea to spice up the Cup is to shift a load of games off the Saturday 3pm slot for the benefit of "overseas TV coverage". There's now a further six fixtures at 12.30pm Saturday, four at 5.30pm Saturday and six at 2pm Sunday. Including such potential ratings winners as Sheffield Wednesday - Luton, Crystal Palace - Grimsby, Millwall - Hull and Preston - TheLikesOfDoncaster. I mean, fuck those dwindling numbers of us who actually might bother to go to these games eh?

Also notice they announced it at 5pm Friday, the scheduling equivalent of "send the awkward email immediately before you go for lunch".

[Ray de Galles]

That is a fucking weird, and very stupid, idea. Have they actually specifically stated that it's for overseas TV coverage, there can't be any such demand for most of the games surely?

[ursus arctos]

They are on ESPN+ over here.

Not that anyone subscribes just for those.

[longeared]

That is a fucking weird, and very stupid, idea. Have they actually specifically stated that it's for overseas TV coverage, there can't be any such demand for most of the games surely?

Yes.

https://twitter.com/drfc_official/status/1071086938591911936

https://twitter.com/officialpompey/status/1071088324364918784

https://twitter.com/stokecity/status/1071087379048488961

[Ray de Galles]

Utterly mental.

A point of order though, surely announcing it at 5pm Friday is the scheduling equivalent of sending the awkward email at 5pm Friday?

[Billy Casper]

Burnley v Barnsley also gets the 12:30 on Saturday treatment.

[Satchmo Distel]

As I noted on another thread, Cup winners from 2021 going into Europa League 2 instead of EL1 so that plus these kick-offs makes another bad week for the competition.