Semi Final

[Ricky]

woohoo, only 60 mins on the train for me. I won't need a hotel as I should be able to catch the last train back to Hereford after the game.

[Hasta]

[RANT]

I know it has been said before but what an absolute sham to have the semi-finals at the Millenium. If you drive there and back on the same day it's a good 8 hours minimum round trip. Alternatively you could stop over and add another £50+ to the expense of the weekend. Throw in tickets at £50 and it becomes a bloody expensive do. For the final fair enough but it's a semi FFS.

The semi is a game that should be played at either OT, COMS or VP with the teams remaining. Has the FA actually given a reason as to why the games are in Cardiff?

It's not to enable more fans to see it because you can get nearly 70,000 in Old Trafford. IMO it's for the £££££££'s to pay the wages of the tactically naive Sven.

The FA have made a good deal about moving the FA cup draw to monday lunchtime for 'tradition'. Where's the tradition here. What a joke.

[/RANT]

BTW, of course I'll be there.

Are semi-finals settled on the day now or can they go to a replay?

[Ben-2000]

They are settled on the day.

[yawnsie]

The games are settled on the day now - I remember Villa vs Bolton went to pens a few years back.

The sad thing about the cup now is that teams like us and Leicester are like little kids playing in the park - happy enough but we'll only be playing until the bigger boys come along to take our ball off us and put us out the game. Semis tend to be tight games but invariably the bigger team always scrapes through - so whoever we get I can't see more than one day out in Cardiff for us.

[stuwilky]

How can it be for the money?

They dont get all that much from the semis. Only 10% or so. Minimal difference between 10% of 70000 and 10% of 67000.

But I quite agree with you.

[Hasta]

Backhanders then.

[Paul]

We'll be on Sky (4pm) on the Sunday I think.

I can't find anything to back this up officially but on 606 it was stated both games would kick-off at 5.15pm. Now 5.15pm for the Saturday match makes sense but I'm less sure about the Sunday one being at that time.

[John]

Its a weird feeling being the semis- keep hearing our name alongside Man Utd, Arsenal and Newcastle.

Sparky will leading the lads in Cardiff is going to be special.

Quick question- I am on the clubs database, not a ST holder- how many tickets am I eligible for. Not sure the way it works.....

[den]

The Saturday game is a 5-15 K.O.

The Sunday game is a 4-15 K.O.

Millenium Stadium

[Paul]

John chances are every Rovers fan who wants to go will get at least one ticket. We won't need more than 30,000 if we take everyone who swears they bleed blue and white.

Draw Numbers

1 Newcastle United

2 Manchester United

3 Arsenal

4 Blackburn Rovers

It's being drawn by Trevor Brooking

[Gav]

I don't care who we get in the saemi final because today i've fulfilled all my dreams as a Blackburn Rovers supporter.

To win a cup

To win the league

To follow my team in europe

To see my team in a fa cup semi final.......

i'm a very happy Rover and i don't care who we get in the semis or what the result is my dreams have been fulfilled and for that i say thenks to Sir Jack Walker........i know youre watching.

[sausagemandog]

Krislu: im sure everyone who wants to go to this will get a ticket. Spoke to 2 season ticket holders today who said they wont be going as they cant afford it.

I want any1 apart from Man Utd, Arsenal are beatable they looked poor at bolton in the last round, if spit had stayed on the pitch, who knows. Newcastle you never know which Newcastle are going to turn up. Wouldnt it be nice to take the lead with a dodgy disputed goal, then shearer misses a pen in injury time. Rovers go on to Cardiff in May..........am i dreaming !

[yawnsie]

Yeah, that would be nice - hearing Souey talking about how "Lady Luck" wasn't with Newcastle on the day, making the Geordies cry again, hopefully bringing Freddie "One of the 6 biggest teams in Europe!" Shepperd a little closer to Earth.

[BRFC4EVA]

I think we (the supporters) have to treat the semi like it will our last game in the cometition. We must sell out and give our team a superb backing of support, singing no matter the state of the game and really enjoying the day out. Heavens, even rover6 could enjoy a day out a cardiff couldnt he?

[Laurence]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but if we do make it to the final and play the Scum or the Gooners, then we'll be playing in Europe next season. If we play the maggots we'll have to win it.

Obviously I'd love us to actually win the Cup, but as a big bonus, if we can just get there, it could have a big impact on the sorts of players who we might be able to sign in the summer.

[Hasta]

So if the game kicks off at 5.15pm it won't finish till 7.05pm. Get back in car at 8.00pm not be home till past midnight.

Nice one FA. Let's make them play 200+ miles away at 5.15

Numpties

[yawnsie]

Wouldn't surprise me if they decide to change that rule about Cup runners-up getting into Europe, especially if someone like Spuds finish 7th. It must be embarrasing for the FA to send the likes of Southampton, Millwall, and - potentially - us into Europe.

Who wants to start a "Bring back the Cup Winner's Cup" campaign?

[glanva]

It's certainly true that all BRFC supporters are going to feel the financial strain of supporting "the Lads" for possibly two visits to Hughes' old stomping ground, the Millenium Stadium.

What about trying to get a little supporter power going and sending an E-Mail to the FA at

http://www.thefa.com/feedback

and suggesting that if three of the remaining teams are from the North, then it would make more sense to have the ties up this end of the country.

It would also make our trip to Cardiff for the final just a bit more special!!

(I hope)

[millionpints]

It's certainly true that all BRFC supporters are going to feel the financial strain of supporting "the Lads" for possibly two visits to Hughes' old stomping ground, the Millenium Stadium.

What about trying to get a little supporter power going and sending an E-Mail to the FA at

http://www.thefa.com/feedback

and suggesting that if three of the remaining teams are from the North, then it would make more sense to have the ties up this end of the country.

It would also make our trip to Cardiff for the final just a bit more special!!

(I hope)

A worthy cause, but probably far too late to change plans I'm afraid

[benhben]

Newcaste or arsenal woukd be my choice. As if you defend well against these teams you can always score. Man U are stronger than us all over the pitch and we wouldnt stand any chance against them.

[American]

I want Arsenal or ManU. Arsenal seems a little depleted and is having some chemistry issues. We seem to do pretty well against ManU, so I wouldn't mind seeing them.

I just have a funny feeling about Newcastle and silverware this season the way they have been playing lately (and if you look, it started at about the time Bellamy left).

[colin]

I've got to say that Cardiff as a venue for the semis really gets on my nipples. Nothing wrong with the place but the travelling just doesn't make sense.

For Newcastle Manchester and Rovers there are choices such as Anfield, Elland Road, COMS, & Hillsborough.

Villa Park would be OK for whoever plays Arsenal.

Whatever happened to the days when these stadia were chosen as a logical, & geographically sensible location. I know that the usual league games will be played somewhere, but surely it can't be beyond the wit of someone at the FA to come up with an alternative top sending us all down to Cardiff.

So now we'll all be burning up the petrol, clogging the motorways, and taking hours getting to and from the game.

Grump grump

[Alan75]

Well I suspect the South Wales / Cardiff Police will be happy with the FA.

Just imagine the joy of having Arsenal. United, Geordies and Rovers supporters in town for the weekend on top of their ususl Saturday night club and pub drunks.

[Will]

Just booked 8 double rooms for Saturday 16th at the travel lodge in Bristol for £12 a room !!!

Don't ask me how they where that cheap !

Also booked 17 seater mini-bus, £200 !

So it looks like a cheap do !

Bring it on.

[tcj_jones]

A return coach ticket is going to cost me £12.60

It's the tickets for the match that I'm worried about. How much am I looking at do you guys reckon?

Edited March 13, 2005 by tcj_jones