[Archived] F.a. Cup Semi Finals

[Manchester Blue]

See the FA have gone for really central venues for the womens semi finals!!!

1

Bristol Academy v Arsenal

Bristol Rovers

2

Blackburn Rovers v Charlton Athletic

Accrington Stanley

[stuwilky]

A couple years ago the FA semis were real rip off prices..Any idea how much we will have to pay?

.

In 2005 they were 25/35/45/55

they were the same last year for Middlesbrough.

[Shaddy]

After viewing the draw on youtube, I can't see how it is rigged. It would seem too difficult to 1. try and fish around for a warm or cool ball 2. too obvious if the drawers hands moved onto the next ball after giving it a feel. And with regards to the number, I couldn't make out any, but I'm not sure if it is the quality of the clip on youtube. It would seem a little risky to hold up a numbered ball and fudge the number.

Also, I'm a little baffled. Surely it would make sense to see which teams won through to the semi-finals, before making the selection on venues *if* convenience to the supporters was a deciding factor. I assume that not having the venues pre-determined or announced a the draw, agrees with trying to find the most convenient location for the supporters. So, the venues should be announced sometime shortly after the replays are completed, no?

Finally, I feel some of the posts on here are being a little Rovers centric. If Middlesborough win through, surely it would be fairest for their game with Watford to be played at Old Trafford. If there is a game each at Villa Park, and OT, that means we would play at VP. And that would be logical, as VP is also a fair distance between London and Blackburn...

The only thing that upsets that plan is if Man Utd, as expected win, then they would have to play away from OT... perhaps prising VP from our fixture. It would then be a call by the FA as to whether OT is unfairly closer to Blackburn then London. If the Emirates was then used, I think the Rovers supporters would be right to be livid.

[ewoodblue]

See the FA have gone for really central venues for the womens semi finals!!!

1

Bristol Academy v Arsenal

Bristol Rovers

2

Blackburn Rovers v Charlton Athletic

Accrington Stanley

I didn't know that.

So the semi's are being played at the Crown Ground.Do you know what date that is , mate.I might pop down ,if it doesn't conflict with a first team game.

[mac]

Sunday the 18th 2pm kick off

[ewoodblue]

Sunday the 18th 2pm kick off

Thanks for that.

I've not been to Crown Ground since they got promoted from Conference,I used to like going when they had the pre-season friendlies.

So I'll go and give the Rovers lasses some support.It will be a good omen for the Rovers first team if the ladies could reach the final,as well.

It'll be nice to see if they put in the ground improvements, I know they said they were going to stop non segregation, and stop people viewing for free from the houses at the back.

It 's a nice friendly ground, and even though they knew i was a Rovers fan,nobody bothered me.

[Moppy]

If we are at OT I can see us selling out, or close to. I know of at least two people who used to go to the Rovers (10 years ago while at school before moving away) who would go if its there but wont go to the Emirates or Villa. A lot of people move from BBurn to Manchester after school for uni and stay there. Some like myself travel back for games most dont and I would expect a lot of these type of supporters to get a ticket if we do play at OT.

[gazsimm]

If we are at OT I can see us selling out, or close to. I know of at least two people who used to go to the Rovers (10 years ago while at school before moving away) who would go if its there but wont go to the Emirates or Villa. A lot of people move from BBurn to Manchester after school for uni and stay there. Some like myself travel back for games most dont and I would expect a lot of these type of supporters to get a ticket if we do play at OT.

it all depends on the price of the tickets, plus the fact the game is going to be on the box is not going to help

[ewoodblue]

Well, both replays are being played next Monday evening.So hopefully by Tuesday we should get a much clearer picture.

I'm crossing my fingers that our game will be at OT.

[cn_barlow]

OT would be a great result for us...means we still get a lie in on the day!!

I would rather go to the Emerites than to Cardiff, purely because i havent been yet

[Ronin]

If it is the Emirates, the home team hasn't lost there yet, so as we're the 'home' team in the draw that's us in the final then

[CAPT KAYOS]

Looks like the FA are in a dilemna ....

Hope Boro win so its makes their life easier but then it would lose them their Glory Final for the cost way too much debacle 'new' Wembley

[CircoW]

Don't quote me on this but I'm sure have they have not used it since the Liverpool V Forest tragedy.

Positive they said they would not use again for FA Cup Semi but could be mistaken

They have. They used Hillsbrough in 1992 for Sunderland v Norwich.

[disgruntled]

If we are at OT I can see us selling out, or close to. I know of at least two people who used to go to the Rovers (10 years ago while at school before moving away) who would go if its there but wont go to the Emirates or Villa. A lot of people move from BBurn to Manchester after school for uni and stay there. Some like myself travel back for games most dont and I would expect a lot of these type of supporters to get a ticket if we do play at OT.

Rovers sell out an allocation at Old Trafford? They had to give 500 tickets back for the league game last season and that allocation was only about 2200! it would be in Rovers' best interests if it was at Villa Park, that way there'll be an allocation of less than 20000 and then hopefully fans will snap up tickets at ridiculously overpriced rates.

Anything else and we'll be painted as the club whose fans don't care about again like we were at Cardiff.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Like many have stated it has to be Villa park.

[stuwilky]

Like many have stated it has to be Villa park.

If for no other reason than to prevent SG194 jumping off the top of Darwen Tower

[Hughesy]

Iv already heard that the plan is our game will be at OT, aslong as united dont get knocked out by Boro.

Also our game will be on the saturday and mystic meg says it will be against Tottenham

[McClarky]

Why not use Murrayfield? It holds 67,000, its a fantastic stadium, and its really convenient for me. If anyone wants advice on pubs, B&Bs or where to get a good bacon roll then I can help out with that. Come on FA, if you can use Wales, why not Scotland?

[Hughesy]

No it belongs in England, Sorry! It should never of gone to wales, but unforntunatly we didnt have any other stadiums good enough.

[Shabani]

Iv already heard that the plan is our game will be at OT, aslong as united dont get knocked out by Boro.

Also our game will be on the saturday and mystic meg says it will be against Tottenham

If the game is at OT if we play utd, then it will be at OT for the Boro game

Those that say Elland Rd and Hillsbrough are wrong, the FA wouldnt touch these grounds with a bargepole. Neither of these grounds hosted games when England went on 'tour'

[Hughesy]

What you just said didnt make sense! In english please!?!

We are due to play Chelsea or Tottenham, not utd!

[thenodrog]

If the police want an answer the priority / preference should really be given to the two teams that are definitely through. Therefore Villa Park for Watford v whoever and OT for BRFC v whoever. I would think that there would be little objections from the other camps as at the moment I'm sure that they would all just be grateful to get through.

[Will]

Those that say Elland Rd and Hillsbrough are wrong, the FA wouldnt touch these grounds with a bargepole. Neither of these grounds hosted games when England went on 'tour'

Wrong.

England played Italy in a friendy in 2002, lost 2-1.

[Paul]

Think about it. There is no event listed for May 19th in the Millenium Stadium. Second the FA had to have a fallback position if Wembley wasn't ready in time; Cardiff will have been offered a semi as a sweetner for keeping the date free (there's no events in Cardiff on 14/15 April!).

Whatever the outcome of the Utd/Boro game we won't play at OT. If Utd win it's likely to go to Villa Park. If Boro win it's the obvious place for Boro v Watford. That leaves dear old Blackburn Rovers. The Emirates are out of the question as it's too close to home for the Londoners. The FA, having made a quiet promise to Cardiff, will announce the large number of travelling fans heading to OT from London mean it makes more sense to hold the semi in Cardiff as the road and rail links are better.

We're going to Cardiff, and I'm not happy about the idea.

[Manchester Blue]

That's a vivid imagination you've got Paul. Cardiff will have been paid good money to hold the millennium stadium for the Cup Final, that was their sweetener. We won't be going to Cardiff i'm confident of that.