FA Cup semi final draw

[CTID Hants]

So no trains at all in/out of Euston good Friday to Easter Monday

Both clubs criticising the FA for making the games that weekend!!!

[Nick]

Joke.

Stag do just announced that weekend.. soo i have to wait until that day to book :-/

[Nick]

Of the final* sorry. And scouser on it too !

[zuricity]

I guess no one is going down by rail to webbley ? I read that both City and Scouse fan clubs want it played under a leaky roof cos of trains not running on the day of the semi final to London. Which of course would make sense ( leaky roof place ), but don't expect the FA to give up on 20000 seats , heaven forbid ! Putting the fans out again. Park those buses at Watford gap and walk .. (well you can't even get the train from WG either ).

[nottsblue]

I guess no one is going down by rail to webbley ? I read that both City and Scouse fan clubs want it played under a leaky roof cos of trains not running on the day of the semi final to London. Which of course would make sense ( leaky roof place ), but don't expect the FA to give up on 20000 seats , heaven forbid ! Putting the fans out again. Park those buses at Watford gap and walk .. (well you can't even get the train from WG either ).

The obvious decision is to play it at the swamp. But the FA are unbelievable cretins so nothing will be done. And of course it’s the fans who suffer. But since when have the fans been given any consideration into what’s best?

[PeterParker]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

[BlueinBosnia]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

Charity Shield was because of the Olympics - the FA were making money from Wembley for that one.

[harveytravis]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

Charity Shield was because of the Olympics - the FA were making money from Wembley for that one.

The semi final was at Villa Park in 1981. I was there. Paul Power scored the winner....

And then John Bond's City lost the replay on a Thursday night in London.
A home game for Spurs...
Not really still bitter...

[PeterParker]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

Charity Shield was because of the Olympics - the FA were making money from Wembley for that one.

The semi final was at Villa Park in 1981. I was there. Paul Power scored the winner....

And then John Bond's City lost the replay on a Thursday night in London.
A home game for Spurs...
Not really still bitter...

But is my memory playing with me? Didn't the semi play on Villa Park and Swamp during the 90s?
The Wembley semi became a tradition with the new stadium?

[BlueinBosnia]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

Charity Shield was because of the Olympics - the FA were making money from Wembley for that one.

The semi final was at Villa Park in 1981. I was there. Paul Power scored the winner....

And then John Bond's City lost the replay on a Thursday night in London.
A home game for Spurs...
Not really still bitter...

But is my memory playing with me? Didn't the semi play on Villa Park and Swamp during the 90s?
The Wembley semi became a tradition with the new stadium?

Yep, only with the new stadium. It's because the FA need to recoup expenses, and nothing to do with tradition. In my opinion, it's a mess for fans, and lessens the 'Wembley Experience' of the final.

[nottsblue]

But why don't they move it?
Remember Villa was one of the semi venues a while ago. We even played a Charity Shield there.

Charity Shield was because of the Olympics - the FA were making money from Wembley for that one.

The semi final was at Villa Park in 1981. I was there. Paul Power scored the winner....

And then John Bond's City lost the replay on a Thursday night in London.
A home game for Spurs...
Not really still bitter...

But is my memory playing with me? Didn't the semi play on Villa Park and Swamp during the 90s?
The Wembley semi became a tradition with the new stadium?

Yep, only with the new stadium. It's because the FA need to recoup expenses, and nothing to do with tradition. In my opinion, it's a mess for fans, and lessens the 'Wembley Experience' of the final.

Not quite correct. There were semi finals played at the old Wembley. I think it was a north London derby in 91 that was the first as it was deemed to big a fixture logistically and ticket wise to be played at the nearest neutral stadium that would be big enough which would have been Villa Park. There was a Sheffield derby played there in 93 if I recall correctly as well. But certainly since the new Wembley was built the FA needed to recoup their losses and all semi finals have been played there since.

Indeed PP you are correct that Villa Park hosted Semi Finals in the past. I fact 55 FA Cup Semi Finals have been held there which is by far and away the most

Viilla Park 55
Hillsborough 34
The Swamp 23
Maine Road 18

And since 2008 all Semi Finals have been played at the rebuilt Wembley.

[Mase]

The FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City should be moved from Wembley, say the mayors of both cities.

The game is scheduled to take place on the weekend of 16 and 17 April.

However, engineering works mean no trains are running from either city to or from London from 15 to 18 April.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram both say the game needs to be at a "more accessible stadium".

In a joint letter to the Football Association, Mr Burnham and Mr Rotheram said: "Without quick, direct trains, many people will be left with no option but to drive, fly, make overly complex rail journeys or book overnight accommodation.

"When you factor in the rising costs of fuel, it is clear that supporters of both clubs attending this game will face excessive cost and inconvenience - and that is before any environmental impact is considered.

"There are also significant logistical and safety considerations. With thousands of fans making the long journey south, there will be huge numbers converging on the M6, which is likely to be stretched to capacity by bank holiday traffic.

"A single accident would risk the entire motorway being brought to a standstill and fans missing the kick-off."

The pair said they understood the engineering works had "been scheduled since 2019 and that the FA was explicably made aware of them last autumn".

They added: "Over the last year, we have heard the slogan 'football without fans is nothing' many times. If this decision is left to stand, and people are either priced out of this game or unable to attend for other reasons, those words will be meaningless to many.

"We believe the most obvious solution is to move the game to a more accessible stadium and offer to work constructively with you to make that happen."

Prior to the letter, the FA said it was liaising with both clubs and working with Network Rail and National Express to find a solution "so that supporters of both teams are able to travel to and from the fixture with as minimal disruption as possible".

The other FA Cup semi-final is between London clubs Chelsea and Crystal Palace so there is no issue over the venue.

[Tokyo Blue]

Easter weekend original Premier League fixtures:

everton v Palace
villa v dippers
leeds v chelsea
Wolves v City

Any of those four grounds would be fine.

[stupot]

Easter weekend original Premier League fixtures:

everton v Palace
villa v dippers
leeds v chelsea
Wolves v City

Any of those four grounds would be fine.

The Swamp is the ideal ground surely, if the rags are playing Saturday we could play Sunday or vice versa.
Chelsea v Palace at Wembley the other day.
Far too logical for the FA

[zuricity]

It would make sense for the Swamp. Scouse2 fans can easily get there by road, rail or barge.

[brite blu sky]

It would make sense for the Swamp. Scouse2 fans can easily get there by road, rail or barge.

Do FA have to rent the venue ? If Villa are cheaper, Villa it will be

[stupot]

It would make sense for the Swamp. Scouse2 fans can easily get there by road, rail or barge.

Do FA have to rent the venue ? If Villa are cheaper, Villa it will be

But they'd get more money at the swamp as it holds more.

[salford city]

It would make sense for the Swamp. Scouse2 fans can easily get there by road, rail or barge.

Do FA have to rent the venue ? If Villa are cheaper, Villa it will be

But they'd get more money at the swamp as it holds more.

Its a moot point. ALL FA cup semis have to be held at wembley to pay for the fucking place. Ive not looked but daresay club wembley members are also part of the fucking deal. Sick to death of this shite having to go twice for a semi and final it takes the gloss off the final. Go back to the above neutral venues is what is needed but that will never happen again

[PeterParker]

They should move it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke.

[zuricity]

The FA must be thick ! 100 free buses for fans - all clogging the motorway down to Wibbley !

Do they know what Scouse2 fans do to buses.