The FA Cup.

[garyshawsknee]

Peed me off earlier in the show when they were talking about our lack of respect for the cup. don't they realise that it was a pretty strong team, and we are just useless at home, even against a Div One side.

Was it the Drive time show?

No that bell end Saggers.

[Damo70]

Its ok. I have no doubt FatSam explained how inconvenient the FA cup is to that kid who was crying his eyes out at 3-0. And to the thousands of other away fans too.

At least our manager did have a decent stab at winning the game even if he's lost the plot as to how to go about achieving same.

That kid's week has gone from bad to worse. He has now been invited into the West Ham boardroom before the next home match.

Typical modern approach. Some kid gets upset and it's on the TV the next thing he is rewarded with a big day out by the clubs powers that be. When I was his age, I felt like crying in the Kop at St Andrew's on boxing in 1982, surrounded by the enemy. what did I get, well I got told to grow up by my old man.

As a twelve year old I got to go to a family party after going to the game on Boxing Day 1982. My family were all noses (luckily marriages and kids in the years since have balanced that out a bit). I got told a lot of things that night. It was a long night.

[andyaston]

Its ok. I have no doubt FatSam explained how inconvenient the FA cup is to that kid who was crying his eyes out at 3-0. And to the thousands of other away fans too.

At least our manager did have a decent stab at winning the game even if he's lost the plot as to how to go about achieving same.

That kid's week has gone from bad to worse. He has now been invited into the West Ham boardroom before the next home match.

Typical modern approach. Some kid gets upset and it's on the TV the next thing he is rewarded with a big day out by the clubs powers that be. When I was his age, I felt like crying in the Kop at St Andrew's on boxing in 1982, surrounded by the enemy. what did I get, well I got told to grow up by my old man.

As a twelve year old I got to go to a family party after going to the game on Boxing Day 1982. My family were all noses (luckily marriages and kids in the years since have balanced that out a bit). I got told a lot of things that night. It was a long night.

I hated that day as my dads friends were blose noses and gave it me after the game even though I was only 8. The way they celebrated at the game was crazy, it was as though everyone had won the lottery.

[DeKuip]

Well they had just beaten the Champions of Europe

[andyaston]

At a stadium named after your good self.

[DeKuip]

At a stadium named after your good self.

Yes, it translates as The Tub!

[dave.woodhall]

 Feel free to comment. http://thebirminghampress.com/2014/01/premier-league-bigger-than-jesus-claim/

[Richard E]

What would a Bluenose know about either the Premier League or the glory of winning the FA Cup?

[Clampy]

Feel free to comment. http://thebirminghampress.com/2014/01/premier-league-bigger-than-jesus-claim/

What a load of uninformed bollocks.

The fact that we didn't disrespect the F.A Cup at all by playing a near full strength side is something he failed to mention.

[Toronto Villa]

I was listening to Gabriel Marcotti this morning on my drive in and he was defending Lambert. he said nobody wants to openly admit it but Lambert was exactly right in what he said. He asked whether it is better a manager being honest or whether it is better to wax lyrical about the competition to your fans and then drop half your players? He said Lambert told the uncomfortable truth that in all leagues, not just the PL the cup competitions are regarded as a lesser event. And that of all of the games this past weekend, with the exception of Blackburn vs Man City the attendances were lower than the league average.

Fans of a certain age love the FA Cup, and the media try to tell stories to support its mystique and history, but in truth unless it is a really worthwhile tie, fans don't show up and it has little to do with price. It's just not as popular as it once was and Lambert just said what nobody else was willing to say. The frenzy over this is massively hypocritical at its most generous.

[itbrvilla]

I was listening to Gabriel Marcotti this morning on my drive in and he was defending Lambert. he said nobody wants to openly admit it but Lambert was exactly right in what he said. He asked whether it is better a manager being honest or whether it is better to wax lyrical about the competition to your fans and then drop half your players? He said Lambert told the uncomfortable truth that in all leagues, not just the PL the cup competitions are regarded as a lesser event. And that of all of the games this past weekend, with the exception of Blackburn vs Man City the attendances were lower than the league average.

Fans of a certain age love the FA Cup, and the media try to tell stories to support its mystique and history, but in truth unless it is a really worthwhile tie, fans don't show up and it has little to do with price. It's just not as popular as it once was and Lambert just said what nobody else was willing to say. The frenzy over this is massively hypocritical at its most generous.

Crowds are down beacuse usually many of the first teamers are dropped IMO.

[Ads]

Or just nobody really wants to watch the Villa first XI minus the Goose play Sheffield United. Given that around 15,000 fewer Villa fans turned up to watch that game compared to the Palace or Swansea games, suggests this is correct.

[Toronto Villa]

I was listening to Gabriel Marcotti this morning on my drive in and he was defending Lambert. he said nobody wants to openly admit it but Lambert was exactly right in what he said. He asked whether it is better a manager being honest or whether it is better to wax lyrical about the competition to your fans and then drop half your players? He said Lambert told the uncomfortable truth that in all leagues, not just the PL the cup competitions are regarded as a lesser event. And that of all of the games this past weekend, with the exception of Blackburn vs Man City the attendances were lower than the league average.

Fans of a certain age love the FA Cup, and the media try to tell stories to support its mystique and history, but in truth unless it is a really worthwhile tie, fans don't show up and it has little to do with price. It's just not as popular as it once was and Lambert just said what nobody else was willing to say. The frenzy over this is massively hypocritical at its most generous.

Crowds are down beacuse usually many of the first teamers are dropped IMO.

partly, but crowds are down because the game was just after Christmas, where fans had spent money on other games, as well as on the festive season. Do you really believe the attendance would have been much higher had Lambert not made those comments? I don't.

[Clampy]

The Stripeyfilth only managed to drag in just over 12k and their manager said bugger all about the FA Cup and there were a load of empty seats at Forest even though they were playing a Premier League side.

[dave.woodhall]

I wonder how much is down to the changing way of matchday admission? In the past you'd turn up for a league game and pay a few shillings/pounds to get in regardless of the competition. It was routine and the cost was so cheap you didn't notice it.

Now most supporters have season tickets, bought in advance at high cost and therefore part of an annual budget. Cup ties come round and an extra (say) fifteen quid plus the cost and inconvenience of getting them seems a bit steep regardless of the teams involved.