Semi Final

[broadsword]

"The Millennium Stadium is far superior ... blah blah blah ..."

How about the Maracana? Or the Stadio delle Alpi? Or how about playing it on the fricking Moon? Be more of a spectacle, innit?

How on earth did they manage in the days before holding teh semi's at Wembley? It must've been HELL!

Kick-off time of 12-15 would not be such a problem if it was held somewhere halfway between London and Lancs. Hmmm ... let's see, how about Birmingham?!

And as for getting Newcastle and United fans to travel all teh way to Cardiff, it's just farcical. Only the FA!

[trueblue]

Police don't want 140,000 fans leaving/arriving Cardiff on Saturday night.

But they won't be- as one game is on Saturday and one is on Sunday.

So there's no-one travelling from Newcastle or Manchester who isn't staying over on the Saturday night ?? thats ###### mate and you know it ! there'll be loads of them arriving on the Saturday !

[CAPT KAYOS]

FA CUP REPLAYS PLAN IN DOUBT

Now this is interesting considering the uproar re the semis

FA Challenge Committee members .... mmm surely they could kick up a fuss re these

[stuwilky]

FA CUP REPLAYS PLAN IN DOUBT

Now this is interesting considering the uproar re the semis

FA Challenge Committee members .... mmm surely they could kick up a fuss re these

Oh look, Rob Coar is on it.......

[CAPT KAYOS]

Police don't want 140,000 fans leaving/arriving Cardiff on Saturday night.

But they won't be- as one game is on Saturday and one is on Sunday.

So there's no-one travelling from Newcastle or Manchester who isn't staying over on the Saturday night ?? thats ###### mate and you know it ! there'll be loads of them arriving on the Saturday !

Arriving maybe ( missed reading that bit ) - but not leaving

And your post just shows exactly what every fan knows - and blows holes in the lies of the bull do dah coming out the FA

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think if they want to scrap replays for certain clubs in certain rounds, they should scrap ALL replays in those rounds. Having one rule for one and another for everyone else is a recipe for disaster.

[USABlue]

I still don't understand the bearing of Newcastle and their EUFA cup involvement on all of this. Could someone please be kind enough to explain why concessions have to be made for Newcastle in this instance.

[CAPT KAYOS]

FA CUP REPLAYS PLAN IN DOUBT

Now this is interesting considering the uproar re the semis

FA Challenge Committee members .... mmm  surely they could kick up a fuss re these

Oh look, Rob Coar is on it.......

Exactly StuW and a certain Mr Gill

Now, just remind me which teams are in the Semis again?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Newcastle play the second leg of their UEFA Cup quarter final on Thursday 14th April. As of this morning we know that game will take place in Lisbon. To ask them to play an FA Cup semi final within 48 hours would not be good. Within 72 hours is bad enough.

Why they can't play our semi-final that weekend and the other one the following weekend is totally beyond me.

[Paul]

I still don't understand the bearing of Newcastle and their EUFA cup involvement on all of this. Could someone please be kind enough to explain why concessions have to be made for Newcastle in this instance.

UEFA cup games are usually played on a Thursday night. If Newcastle got through to the next round by winning this week, which they did, Newcastle would be playing a EUFA cup game on the Thursday prior to the semi-final weekend. It would be unreasonable to expect them to play on Saturday, especially if they had played an away leg in Russia or some such distant spot.

The FA had to wait and see if Newcastle won or lost their tie before final decisions could be made.

Having said all that Newcastle played on wednesday this week so surely they could play on the Wednesday prior to the semi-final weekend? Subject to the oppositions agreement, which i suppose was the potential problem.

[Paul]

FA CUP REPLAYS PLAN IN DOUBT

Now this is interesting considering the uproar re the semis

FA Challenge Committee members .... mmm surely they could kick up a fuss re these

About time Ericson got a good kicking from the FA.

[CAPT KAYOS]

I still don't understand the bearing of Newcastle and their EUFA cup involvement on all of this. Could someone please be kind enough to explain why concessions have to be made for Newcastle in this instance.

Don't know if I'm understanding you right here USABlue but this is my theory (so don't take it as patronising)

The next round of the UEFA Cup - the 2nd leg is on the Thursday before the semi's - hence the excuse from the FA re seeing the involvement of Newcastle - normally if a club is playing in Europe on the Thursday they don't play League/Cup games until the Sunday.

Now as well all know - Newcastle had a comfortable 2 goal away lead. However Football being Football nothing can be taken for granted even though we all knew they where more than likely to progress.

Now this is where the big ? comes in - which I am hoping is what you are asking - Why must they wait to see what happens with Newcastle - why couldn't they just have called the games as what they are now anyway.

My answer as I keep on saying - is because they wanted to show MU on Prime Time TV on the Saturday, of which IMO if Newcastle had been knocked out we would have been seeing at the initial publicised kick off time.

[Ozz]

Does anyone really think we will sell all 30,000 tickets for the semi?

Cos I don`t think we will.

[Jan]

Don't think so, but that said, the vast majority of my friends are going and would have gone whenever they'd been played. Other things would have been sacrificed. Work/wives/husbands/girlfriends will always be there (if not one would question how much worth they were)- this is a one off in most people's lifetime.

[promoted2001]

Does anyone really think we will sell all 30,000 tickets for the semi?

Cos I don`t think we will.

Did you go to Cardiff last time? Despite the stupid time, i think we will

[cn_barlow]

i think we will just about sell them all......but i also think that if you want a ticket then you'll get one (one of the few good things about playing in Cardiff!!)

[Ozz]

Yes I went. And I am going this time too. I would pull out all the stops to watch Rovers in an FA cup semi-final, in fact barring death I would prioritise this above all other things in my life.

30 years I have been waiting for this and I aint gonna miss it despite what the FA have put in front of me.

But I doubt there are another 30,000 Rovers fans who feel the same.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I doubt we will sell that many but just to reiterate the thoughts of many, it will take something VERY major in my life to make me miss this game!

The 12:15 kickoff is quite frankly ridiculous but hey hoo thats life.

[Hughesy]

Just thought id let you know that i emailed the club to see if it would be possible to get an extra ticket with my season ticket. They said if i apply by writing then it will be sorted

[Lee]

All details will be published online at 3pm tomorrow afternoon.

[mhead]

45 years is too long a wait to be grumpy about the time and to some extent the ticket prices are reasonable.A chance for extra fans to get more locked in to the Club.

AND after all we will only get 20,000 Cup Final tickets.Less 13000 season ticket holders and Comps for sponsors etc. there will be no more than 5000 tickets for regular non-s/t attenders.

SO this is your big chance.WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED......

[1864roverite]

on a personal basis its a load of tripe.

I blame my wife for having been born on 14th April and its clearly her fault that I am having to arrange a surprise 40th birthday party for her

Otherwise I would probably have been enjoying a scoop or ten with Den and the rest of the blue army on Friday night.

So, a bit of afdvice for anyone considering marriage. Ensure your good ladies birthday is outside the dates of the football season, ditto with anniversary and holdiays !

Looks like an early start in Cardiff

[Ozz]

Horden Arms are doing two coaches to the semi....apply within.

Evening post doing a coach/hotel offer...

How about hitch-hiking from the M65 at Hoghton Arms on Friday morning with a piece of cardboard with the word CARDIFF written on with a bingo dobber?

With a two man tent and a blow-up doll for company.

And a tray of stella?

Bet loads of people would stop...

[cn_barlow]

is anyone staying over in Bristol on the friday night? Just wondering what transport would be like from there to Cardiff?

If not where would be the best place to stay?

Edited March 18, 2005 by cn_barlow

[whittle blue]

I'm sure there are flights from Blackpool and Manchester. Not sure if they are with ryanair or bmibaby. I'm sure people on here have flown before.

Skyscanner is an excellent website

Man to Bristol dep. 09.55- arr 10.55

Man to Belfast dep .0700 arr 07.55

or

L/Pool to Belfast dep.07.00 arr 07.50

Belfast to Cardiff dep 08.50 arr Cardiff 10.10

You can not fly back after the game

That's it. No other combinations as far as I can see & I've spent a lot of time looking.

Too late in Bristol & the early start via Belfast defeats the object of flying. (they've also hiked up the price in the last 24 hrs to £113).

HOW MUCH TO CHARTER OUR OWN, I WONDER?