Next season's FA Cup starts on...

[Rother]

Ah, so when the draw is made, is there a chance that our teams will be drawn against a club from another league who have already had their 1st league game because the start of their season was brought forward?

 

Is that the point I am missing? Because that would indeed be ridiculous.

[Jeff Hamnett AKA TSF]

A few mentions of Camberley losing 5-0 at home first game , and how that would have been bad if it was an FA cup game and may have changed their season.

 

I was surprised to see they lost in the FA Cup EP anyway. 

Had they beaten Horley FC first game they would have been promoted. ( assuming everything else being equal).

 

 

So be ready for the first game of the season league or cup. 

 

FA cup 6th August, chance to play a league game week before.

 

It's two months away, not two weeks...

[Chris Clapham]

We have asked the league for a midweek league game ahead of the FA Cup on 6th August.

[Beano_ATMFC]

Ah, so when the draw is made, is there a chance that our teams will be drawn against a club from another league who have already had their 1st league game because the start of their season was brought forward?

 

Is that the point I am missing? Because that would indeed be ridiculous.

 

Yes; according to the NLP, some leagues will now start on 30th July, allowing their clubs two matches before their FA Cup ties. That's a significant advantage over an opponent that has only had friendlies. It's all very well saying "So be ready for the first game of the season league or cup.", (and that is a valid point) but it is a fact that - as useful as friendlies are -  competitive games ARE different, whether you are a player, official or supporter. The atmosphere changes, the intensity is different. Sometimes, it's hard to make the transition (Camberley at Horley being a case in point). And even really good sides sometimes need a few matches to hit their stride. Anyone remember what happened the season Manchester United lost their first League game at Aston Villa and Alan Hansen said "you can't win anything with kids"?

 

Devalued by the bigger clubs or not, The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world and 736 clubs from The Premier League down to Step 6 participate in it each season (this number could and would be greater if the format were tweaked). Of those, all bar 92 are non-league sides, yet only 32 clubs from outside that elite 92 can reach the First Round Proper. Some 368 clubs play in the Extra-Preliminary Round; virtually none would want their FA Cup tie to be the first match of their season with "something on it".

 

That's the point here. I don't think the earlier date would even be a problem had the Leagues known about it in advance and been able to plan accordingly. It's the sudden change, with all the implications it has for fixture scheduling, pitch renovations and everything else, which has caused the problem.

[Rother]

Thanks.

[E&E Rich]

Totally agree Beano.

 

We are also requesting an early August League match and if rumours turn out to be true, we may see a full set of fixtures on 2nd August, which is an indication that:

a ) Clubs DO want a proper match before entering the potentially lucrative FA Cup,

and

b ) The CCL are prepared to accommodate their clubs as a good league should,

and

c ) there will be one less match to play later in the season and every little helps when the pitches get a little muddy, as we all know now that this appears to be a good enough reason for postponement!

 

The only reason I can think of for bringing it forward is due to the trouble the FA had with fitting in the replays in the latter part of the season. Having said that, if the Third Round is still the First week in January, that theory doesn't work.

 

My real issue is the lack of consultation. You can almost imagine the conversation in the offices at Wembley: "Oh they're only Step Five and Six clubs, they can't win it anyway, so it doesn't really matter when they play and no one will complain loudly enough. They are only making up the numbers".

Edited June 6, 2016 by E&E Rich

[HTFCSUPPORTER]

A few mentions of Camberley losing 5-0 at home first game , and how that would have been bad if it was an FA cup game and may have changed their season.

 

I was surprised to see they lost in the FA Cup EP anyway.

Had they beaten Horley FC first game they would have been promoted. ( assuming everything else being equal).

 

NO one was beating us that day we were unbelievable!!

It's all ifs and buts.

We personally won't be trailing loads of players so the friendlies we have will be good enough ready for the FA cup/league.

If not it's our own fault for not preparing correctly or picking the right starting 11.

 

So be ready for the first game of the season league or cup.

 

FA cup 6th August, chance to play a league game week before.

 

It's two months away, not two weeks...

[Chris Clapham]

We were most fortunate last season to have finished our home league programme on 2nd April allowing us a good head start on many clubs re pitch renovations which have gone splendidly well thanks to our weather.

This will be less likely I would have thought this season with Balham FC as our very welcome tenants and the extra fixture dates required.

Pre season friendlies are what they are and bring in little revenue except that this season, we have arranged to play Tooting & Mitcham United on 9th August where a 3 figure gate would be most likely.

If we draw in the FA Cup then that game would be cancelled.

In future, we will pencil in our pre season schedule and announce after the FA Cup date is announced. 

I have added our schedule on another thread.

[Big J R]

The F.A's. statement can be read here on the CCL website.....

 

http://combinedcounties.pitchero.com/explanation-from-the-fa-31325