Congratulations to the FA

[P.W.]

When I was a kid, all those years ago, one day stood out for me as a football fan - Cup Final day. It was, rightly, the finale of the football season - the League had finished (indeed the season had finished for all but the two teams of warriors that had reached THE FINAL). In those days there was only BBC & ITV on the telly, and they both covered not only the match, but the build up to it - starting with breakfast with the teams, later showing how they reached the final - the quirks of The Cup were shown ... the giantkillers from Non League ... the early round ties that went to three or four (or more) replays ... then there were the fans stories live from Wembley Way ... TV cameras outside the teams hotel before the match and on the Team coach en-route to the stadium. I'm sure those who experienced the era I'm talking about will recall watching the build-up to the game from as early as 8am and channel hopping between BBC & ITV to catch the best bits.

You'll notice in the first paragraph that I didn't name the Cup Final .. in those days it didn't matter, you could say the Cup Final and everyone would know what you meant except those Brits who originated from north of the border who would argue that it was Scottish Cup Final day too (as if anyone cared).

Since those days football has changed, it's become a multi-million pound enterprise where every game in the season is someones cup final. Today there's the Premier League / the £1m a game Champions League - exclusive TV deals that mean some people have to go to a pub to watch certain games (because you can't afford to subscribe to the channel that has the rights to the match you want to watch).

Today is Cup Final day (for younger readers FA Cup Final day) it's not the climax to the season , on the same day there are four Premier League games (one could see the Premier League Champions be crowned). It's not the climax to the season - most teams still have 2 Premier League games to play. The new last game of the season is the Champions League Final in a fortnight's time.

So between them the FA, the Premier League, Sky TV and EUFA have emasculated the greatest competition in club football.

[AncientBlue]

I used to order the Cup Final programme from the newsagents earlier in the week, go and pick it up on Saturday morning after breakfast and settle in for the day.

 

So looked forward to it every year . . . Magic!

[SteveB]

I agree with absolutely all of the above and have been bitching about it all week.

Cup Final programme from the newsagent (didnt even have to order it - they just had them), 9am saw ITV follow one team and BBC the other and it was a whole days entertainment.

Now for a few quid from UEFA it has been completely devalued.

[Blue Banshee]

I suppose it helps if you dont support one of the premier division type teams as for me the football season ended 30th April. I have no particular ties to either club playing right now so I'm going to enjoy a bloody good game of footie on the tv, soak up as much atmosphere as I can to tide me over and then try not to go more loopy for the next few months!

Good job my lad has a tournament next week

[Jeff Trice]

First ever FA Cup Final programme I ever bought was 1981 - Spurs v Man City. Read it from cover to cover on the day of the game and as it was the centenary final there was a feature on previous famous finals. Main picture on the article was of a Charlton Athletic player shaking King George's hand before the 1946 final. I later found out that the Charlton player was Les Fell, previously of Margate and 20-odd years later I ended up getting to know Les. He died last year but still features in ESPN's FA Cup coverage this season as one of the players they show before and after advert breaks. Nostalgia's certainly more interesting than the final itself so far.

[Coffin Ender]

Champions League killed the cup for the big clubs and play-offs killed it for those in lower divisions. Just as people no longer stand to attention for the national anthem in cinemas, most people no longer take the FA Cup seriously.

[Guernsey Tom]

Agree with all the above, it used to be a very special day, but afraid saturated fotball driven by the greed of clubs and players has ruined it all. Long live non league football still in my eyes the purest there is.

[michael]

I understand all the views on the FA Cup and concur-albeit ,i avoided watching it - and i have more interest in the Johnstones paint trophy these days ,where i can relate to the football and players much easier.

 

That given-i care even less that some manchester team won the premiership today-the proper premiership is the Ryman Premiership.

 

I do have an awful confession to make though (you can sense i need to erase the guilt by confessing on here ) insofar as i did raise a flicker of an eyelid as to happenings at the foot of the prima` donns table and found that of mild interest.

 

Just can't wait for the day when the Sky money evaporates ,a few clubs go under and the prima donna's league crashes like a pack of cards;and people realise that real football is served up at non league

[Eastside Urchin]

Football fans are to blame as well,especially those who support clubs at the upper levels of our pyramid system.

If we really cared about the FA cup the same as many non league fans still do then we would all do something about it.

As a whole,the football fans of the Uk are a massive group who could quite easily voice their frustrations to our countries governing body but we don't,we just moan singularly on forums or to radio chat shows which never make any difference.If we wanted a return to the FA cups former glory days we could as a collective group of football fans do something

The league cup could be scrapped,a champions league place could be made available to the winners or runners up in the FA cup(depending on who wins the cup) ,we could bring back neutral venues for semi finals,it could all be done very very easily

[missunderstood]

Football fans are to blame as well,especially those who support clubs at the upper levels of our pyramid system.

If we really cared about the FA cup the same as many non league fans still do then we would all do something about it.

As a whole,the football fans of the Uk are a massive group who could quite easily voice their frustrations to our countries governing body but we don't,we just moan singularly on forums or to radio chat shows which never make any difference.If we wanted a return to the FA cups former glory days we could as a collective group of football fans do something

The league cup could be scrapped,a champions league place could be made available to the winners or runners up in the FA cup(depending on who wins the cup) ,we could bring back neutral venues for semi finals,it could all be done very very easily

While we all quite rightly condemn the greedy premiersh1t clubs for ruining the FA Cup, are our non league clubs that much better. We all enter the competition knowing full well we haven't a hope in hells chance of winning it, and every one of us dreams of being drawn against one of the clubs we all say we despise so we can make lots of money, and perhaps one day be like them.

 

Why would any club want to scrap the league cup when it provides revenue, and allows the clubs that don't attach much importance to it to blood young players.

[Eastside Urchin]

Because it's sh1t

[Andy .]

1976 : Southampton vs Man utd , 9am telly on agenda : 9am Saturday Morning FA Cup swap shop for two hrs then 1hr of Cup final Its a Knockout with fans of each side then 12.00 Grandstand and a full 3hrs of cup run downs on how the two clubs got to final then 3pm the big kick off national antherm . Thats a cup final day and one i will never forget .

A wonderful Bobby Stokes goal to win a fantastic game then i was outside kicking a ball around after as i was only 8 . Great days .