Now Rovers are reporting Bristol to Cardiff train line closed. Yet, national rail enquiries know nothing about it..... Nor do Arrive Trains Wales......

The words through, the and roof spring to mind.

Did some further digging last night, the line is closed every saturday and sunday between now and the weekend prior to the cup game. There is a possibility it will be closed on the sunday of the cup semis weekend, but highly unlikely.

One person was talking about THOMPSON, now its turned into Todd, without anyone noticeing!!!

That's just not even funny Stu!!! Especially given that I have just booked two nights in a hotel in Bristol! Cancelled my Newport one. Nothing on the nationalrail website. And as MB says, it looks like there is enough of us to get a minibus anyways.

arsenal.com are reporting that the train line between Bristol and Cardiff is closed for Engineering work that day. cant find anything to support that but is a lttle concerning.

Good view from your armchair?

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

It was never "scheduled" for a 5.15ko. That information might have been on the Millennium Stadium website prematurely, and just assumed by some owing to the Live BBC game kick off times this season. -- Spence Hmmm, who do I believe? Random bloke on website or a combination of FA publications, the Millenium Stadium website and the the FA's newsletter to associations of February 2005?

Why dont you email the club with your idea and see what they say? Its worth a try 1864 Roverite /Uddersfelt Inc I mailed StuW on this before he sent his mails Stu - did you manage to include or get a response? Not had anything back yet.

Jesus Christ What planet are you on? MU have got one of the biggest hooligan followings going -and there is no love lost between them and the Geordies - throw Arsenal into the pot and the Soul Crew (they where even knocking about when we played there) for whenever UTD go to Cardiff and you have one mighty boiling pot with us lot probably getting the steam from it. I still cant get over the fact that South Wales Police didnt realise this months and months and months ago.

I get that many, but for most of us it isnt SOLELY the leave. Thats what you are missing. Most members on here have one OR MORE of the following concerns.... 1) Work 2) Partner 3) Kids 4) Public Transport (or rather lack of) 5) Cost 6) Hotel 7) Where to park? 8) Physical time to get there, park, get into the cenrte of Cardiff.........All by bloody lunchtime? The FA fans charter makes interesting reading. 1) Work – If possible take leave – If not look at taking unpaid leave as this is a one off occasion. 2) Partner – Tell her to come. The more people in our end, the better. 3) Kids – Problem il agree. This one Is hard work for most. If possible though, take them to the game. 4) Public Transport (or rather lack of) – The words in the bracket say it all. However there will be coaches going from the ground, pubs, supporters clubs and also planes going to Cardiff airport surely? 5) Cost – Hotel (£45 per room – half if you share with someone), Ticket £25, Car with 4 people (£15 each for petrol) – So really before you have any drinks or food or wotever you want to buy. It could cost you as little as £65 6) Hotel – There are places available, the effort and time just has to be put in. Cancellations will come available now the dates have been confirmed. 7) Where to park? – Lots of car parks around the ground. May cost you a fiver or so. 8) Physical time to get there, park, get into the cenrte of Cardiff.........All by bloody lunchtime? – I agree time is a pain, but I don’t think its too bad. Like iv said before, at least you will get home at a sensible hour, rather than 1 or 2 in the morning. I am only trying to drum up support. Just trying to push a few fans into maybe going that are thinking of not bothering. Hughesy, can I come and live in your land? Unpaid leave? When did that become an entitlement? Bring my kids? Yeah smashing idea a 16 month old running around Cardiff. double the journey length and remove any element of enjoyment for me and mrs stuwilky (shell be coming anyway). Like I say Im going, wouldnt miss it for the world. But if you want to come and make my arrangements for me that would be great. You appear to be right royally missing the point. Half those problems would disappear with just a sensible kick off time in CArdiff. Most would disappear with a sensible kick off time in a sensible venue. Thats the point.

I get that many, but for most of us it isnt SOLELY the leave. Thats what you are missing. Most members on here have one OR MORE of the following concerns.... 1) Work 2) Partner 3) Kids 4) Public Transport (or rather lack of) 5) Cost 6) Hotel 7) Where to park? 8) Physical time to get there, park, get into the cenrte of Cardiff.........All by bloody lunchtime? The FA fans charter makes interesting reading.

Im not making any excuses. The odds are Ill get there. But trying to arrange two nights worth of babysitting (setting off at 5am requires someone to have the kids overnight) and then all day for the game and the night after (as we wont be home until about what 8/9pm? Its just added aggro and expense, would we have any of this is played at Villa Park? Or Old Trafford? No. The fans are never listened to by the FA and frankly it stinks.

We were aware of the Cardiff issue, yes. Not happy about it, but aware of it. But we dealt with it, we thought we would have plenty of time to get there, a nice trip of the train, in the car, on the bus, whatever. Now we find that we cannot go via public transport (given the unreliability of it - would you risk 2 10 minute changes and a 20 minute turnaround upon arrival? I bloody wont. It isnt just us, EVERY club involved in the semis are up in arms. Newcastle less so that the other three, but mainly because they have to travel miles everywhere, they are used to it. And your point is ..... Isnt it obvious? Thwe the semis in Cardiff is a bad idea. More importantly, that having the kick off of those semis at times which is going to cause fans chaos in getting there is even worse.

We were aware of the Cardiff issue, yes. Not happy about it, but aware of it. But we dealt with it, we thought we would have plenty of time to get there, a nice trip of the train, in the car, on the bus, whatever. Now we find that we cannot go via public transport (given the unreliability of it - would you risk 2 10 minute changes and a 20 minute turnaround upon arrival? I bloody wont. It isnt just us, EVERY club involved in the semis are up in arms. Newcastle less so that the other three, but mainly because they have to travel miles everywhere, they are used to it.

The FA Cup semi final anyone? Flopsy, you bad boy, look at your sig image!!

didn't he have a degree in french or something? Hes doing some course in Sports something or other.

Funny, these rumours about Villa park, they also 'heard a rumour' that we had already asked for only 20,000. What a load of tosh. I was under the impression that we had only asked for an initial allocation of 20,000 - if we took more we would have to pay for them apparently. Could all be total rollocks.

Talking of Stuart Ripley keep bumping into him in the library at work. Proper nice bloke.

I thought the restriction applied only to Premiership matches? No, its live football. Apparently its a UEFA regulation, but I cant verify that.

TV cant show 3pm saturday kick off.

They are playing tonight. So we will know, albeit unofficially that we are playing on the Saturday if Newcastle win tonight. Its just the time to be decided (confirmed). I dont even know if I can get to a 12noon kick off, i got a bad feeling that I cant!

I can accept the comments about the VENUE being too late to change, but at least give the fans some chance of getting to the bloody game.

Had a reply from Tom Finn regarding the above....doesnt look good folks.... Dear Stuart Thanks for sending me a copy of your letter to Steve Clark. We have registered our opposition to a 12.00/12.15 kick off but I fear the worst. You are quite right in all you say , its as if the Police/FA have only just realised that having 4 sets of fans in Cardiff in Saturday night could cause problems. I suspect Cardiff and the Police agreed to the kick off times initially as they wanted the matches at the Millenium & I think we have to accept that it is now too late for the FA to backtrack on the venues. The Police's opposition to a 5.15pm kick off will be based on the trouble at Everton and Southampton in the previous rounds and it is very difficult for clubs to publicly oppose decisions made in the interests of fan safety and security. Its really disappointing that this debate is likely to overshadow our first FA Cup semi final appearance for 45 years. We will nevertheless be encouraging all our supporters to travel, the team needs their support. I suppose we should be cheering on Olympiakos tonight as an aggregate victory for them will see our match being played on a Sunday with a later kick off time! Regards Tom Finn