League Cup 2nd Round - Wigan Athletic (H)

[PeterWithesShin]

As it's a midweek competition i'd go with regionalisation for the first 2 rounds. Better for a lot of the clubs and fans as no stupid journeys. Then go national from the 3rd round onwards. As for no need, there is, we just won't tend to think so as we have no stupid journeys like the north and south clubs do.

[cdbearsfan]

Pretty much anywhere outside the Midlands is a "stupid journey" if you're reliant on public transport for a midweek game. It's why I hate the oft-mooted idea of switching the FA Cup to midweeks (indeed, such is my dislike of midweek cup ties that I'd get rid of replays). But, anyway, I digress.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Pretty much anywhere outside the Midlands is a "stupid journey" if you're reliant on public transport for a midweek game. It's why I hate the oft-mooted idea of switching the FA Cup to midweeks (indeed, such is my dislike of midweek cup ties that I'd get rid of replays). But, anyway, I digress.

I say get rid of penalty shoot outs and bring back unlimited replays in both cup competitions.
Penalty shoot outs in 1977 would have meant no Brian Little masterclass and hat trick at Highbury against QPR, no Chris Nicholl  40 yarder and two more Brian Little goals against Everton in one of our most exciting games ever.

[cdbearsfan]

You can find an exception to the rule such as that, but I generally find replays a bit dull. The smaller club can raise their game once but tend to get battered in the replay. More chance of an upset with extra time and penalties. Plus, even with the example you gave, many people who had work or school wouldn't have been able to attend. Part of the fun of cup games is bigger clubs going to grounds they'd never normally visit, and small clubs getting a dream visit to an Old Trafford, Annfield or Villa Park. Which is why I'd get rid of midweek cup games, including replays.

[PeterWithesShin]

And with replays both your "part of the fun" things can be done in one round. You may as well say there should be no football midweek of any kind, which is impossible as there aren't enough weekends to do a full season.

[PeterWithesShin]

Oxford City v Alvechurch in the last qualifying round back in the day of proper football, which had 5 replays.

We played each other six times in less than three weeks - Saturday, Tuesday, Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday - and four of those games went to extra time. Plus we had a league game in between, and we all had full-time jobs as well. Then we had to play Aldershot in the first round proper on the Wednesday, two days after we finally beat Oxford, by which time we were on our knees.

In those days after the first replay any others had to be held on neutral ground. We won the toss for where the third game would be, so we played it at St Andrews. The fourth was at Oxford United, then they won the toss to decide where the fifth would be so we played at the Manor Ground again, and the sixth game was at Villa Park. I remember that it was freezing cold. Today it probably wouldn't have been played because of the frozen pitch.

After the game we went into the home dressing-room and Doug Ellis came down and started pouring out the champagne for us. We were exhausted, and there was the Aston Villa chairman pouring champagne into paper cups. We were too knackered to go out afterwards. I think we shared the champagne with the Oxford lads, but we all had work the next day, they had to get down to Oxford and we were playing Aldershot two nights later. It was quite a parting, though. We'd got to know them so well and we shared this great saga.

[cdbearsfan]

And with replays both your "part of the fun" things can be done in one round. You may as well say there should be no football midweek of any kind, which is impossible as there aren't enough weekends to do a full season.

Cup ties are more special. Halifax can't play Man United in the league. You can get once in a lifetime trips and it's better if everyone can attend. Also, I get bored seeing teams celebrate a draw. Much better if teams are trying to get a result which will be remembered for all time.

[PeterWithesShin]

A few years ago you'd have said Bournemouth can't play Man Utd in the league. Or that Burton can't play Villa in the league and so on.

Seems a bit contradictory that you want as many fans as possible being able to go to games but don't want regionalised draws which would help with that. Replays have worked for well over a century, and they still do.

[AV5nobs]

I get bored too of seeing a league 2 clubs celebration of drawing a Premiership team and the revenue help keep people in employment.

[Pete3206]

The problem is that the Cups are dying on their arse up until the latter stages and it's not very cost effective or profitable for instance, for Carlisle to travel to Plymouth in a cup replay. I'd bin replays in the FA Cup as well.

I'd also ban John Salako from all media platforms.

[PeterWithesShin]

If it was regionalised in the first couple of rounds then that wouldn't happen until the cup was getting more interesting

[AV5nobs]

Agreed about the Salako comment, but Part of the magic is "smaller" clubs having another chance of an upset, bringing in more revenue and having a 7 year old Accrington fan see the stars at their place!

Why won't anyone pleae think of the children!!

[The Moose]

The 7 year old will have to wait until the 3rd round to see any stars.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The problem is that the Cups are dying on their arse up until the latter stages and it's not very cost effective or profitable for instance, for Carlisle to travel to Plymouth in a cup replay. I'd bin replays in the FA Cup as well.

The National League seems to survive and there are plenty of long distance games to cope with where attendances can sometimes dip below 1,000. This season includes such "local derbies" as Barrow v Dover, Gateshead v Torquay, and Hartlepool v Eastleigh.

[UK Redsox]

Has the date for this tie been confirmed yet ?

I can't see anything on Pravda