fa ruining football

[Beefymcfc]

It's a piss-take really, we (fans) pay all that money and show our loyalty through the rounds only to be stung when we get the chance to see a Cup Final. We went to the semi's (yippee-i-yeh) but missed out on the final because our lads didn't have enough loyalty points for the final whereas if we'd had a split share we'd all have been able to attend.

It's a kick in the teeth for those fans who actually want to be there and as for the FA family, well, you'll find that most of them sold the tickets to get new nets.

[Nickyboy]

Stadiums are half empty for rounds 4 & 5 then 40,000 fans come out of the woodwork when teams reach the final.

[Beefymcfc]

Stadiums are half empty for rounds 4 & 5 then 40,000 fans come out of the woodwork when teams reach the final.

You could be right but what about those who turned up to every match, year on year?

[Nickyboy]

Don't get me wrong, didn't mean to sound so cynical and I know there are plenty that go to all the games and they deserve the chance to watch their team in the final. But I've been sat in half empty COMS for plenty of cup games last few seasons so there are just as many who don't put the effort into the early rounds, but still they'll be complaining if they couldn't get a seat at the final

[Beefymcfc]

Don't get me wrong, didn't mean to sound so cynical and I know there are plenty that go to all the games and they deserve the chance to watch their team in the final. But I've been sat in half empty COMS for plenty of cup games last few seasons so there are just as many who don't put the effort into the early rounds, but still they'll be complaining if they couldn't get a seat at the final

I don't really care about that mate, we've fans who have to pick and choose matches (money, work, family commitments etc) but should still have the right to have that choice. We have a usual crowd of approx 45,000 without the away support. Wembley holds 90, so it's fair to say that they would be able to cover our allocation if they didn't give so many of the tickets elsewhere.

[Nickyboy]

All of any clubs season ticket holders should be guaranteed the opportunity to attend a domestic final if their club make it

[Im_Spartacus]

All of any clubs season ticket holders should be guaranteed the opportunity to attend a domestic final if their club make it

how would that work for united and arsenal?

Do we need to make wembley bigger, is that the problem? United do a ballot which seems entirely unfair.....but its skewed so their corporate season tickets get the lions share anyway. The fans who should be allowed to go are in the following order

1. Attended all home and away
2. Attended all but 1 home or away
3. Attended all but 2 home or away
And so on..........then those who make the effort get the tickets.

There will be enough people who miss the odd game to male sure that everyone who is entitled gets their fair shout. In fact, were it not for the sponsors/other tickets which get sold on the secondary market, half the people off here who went last year wouldnt have got a ticket which is quite right. Loyalty should give entitlement......if you have missed a few, couldnt be arsed, or dont have a season ticket, you take your chances.

There will always be games where demand outstrips supply, and in that scenario you pays your money and takes your choice.

[Im_Spartacus]

I don't really care about that mate, we've fans who have to pick and choose matches (money, work, family commitments etc) but should still have the right to have that choice. We have a usual crowd of approx 45,000 without the away support. Wembley holds 90, so it's fair to say that they would be able to cover our allocation if they didn't give so many of the tickets elsewhere.

But this is the thing mate, some people sacrifice everything to watch city.......they have a right to a final ticket if they have made the effort, found the money, and made sacrifices. I know that for many attending the cup games is a money issue, but with that being the case, how can they suddenly find money for a dayout down london.

We had less than 40000 for the fa cup quarter final last year, and similar for the league cup SEMI. Yet 100000 all of a sudden want the wembley tickets, sorry mate, but theose who couldnt go can kiss my arse and get in the queue.

People suddenly assuming a right is not on....and like i said, tickets are then usually available for the final via secondary markets.

What you said above is half the problem with the country today, people expecting something for nothing or expecting to have someing as a right when they have done fuck all to earn that right ahead of those who have genuinely spent a fortune and made the sacrifices to watch every other game that year

[mr_nool]

I had one of the best days of my life last year (massive tanks to Spiv!), but felt a pang of bad conscience all day for all the much more deserving fans out there who missed out. I wasn't gonna give up my golden ticket, though...
I think I got it of someone who had earned it on his own merits and was supposed to go, but who had to call it off last minute (my ticket wasn't sorted until I was on my way from Stanstead a few hours prior to kick-off).

That said, I would also advocate a fairer system where the loyal fans are "guaranteed" tickets and where less tickets are corporate. How to do it, though, I just don't know.

[Im_Spartacus]

I had one of the best days of my life last year (massive tanks to Spiv!), but felt a pang of bad conscience all day for all the much more deserving fans out there who missed out. I wasn't gonna give up my golden ticket, though...
I think I got it of someone who had earned it on his own merits and was supposed to go, but who had to call it off last minute (my ticket wasn't sorted until I was on my way from Stanstead a few hours prior to kick-off).

That said, I would also advocate a fairer system where the loyal fans are "guaranteed" tickets and where less tickets are corporate. How to do it, though, I just don't know.

There are plenty for the city fans who have made the sacrifices to watch their club. They should now, and always should be first in line, and the only fair way of doing it is by seniority of attendance.

I didnt have any issue wi the likes of you going last year. those who qualify legitimately deserve their ticket. Those who dont have "other means" of getting tickets, and thus it becoms a case of how resourceful you can be and how much you are prepared to sacrifice - which for many wont be much, because they didnt sacrifice much during the season to get to the other games

An issue that is going to be difficult to reconcile for us for a number of years now is the situation with the kids.

My mate takes hist two nephews, and whilst we qualify for the tickets, his nephews dont. And until they start going to away games probably never will. But again, watching city in a final is not a right, and is something special, something to be earned by years of loyal support and eventually it will be their turn to get tickets as of right if they choose to carry on the support we tried to instill into them.

[Nickyboy]

Thanks Spartacus, that's what I was getting at originally, but couldn't get it across so clearly

[Dazzacity]

The season ticket thing isnt fair imo. I do a 300 mile round trip to watch city and simply cant go to as many games as I would like but I still go to a good number. Iv stood next to people that are clearly season ticket holders and you can see that some just go as its so conveniant and just something to do as its right on their doorstep. I went up against West Brom and the two lads next to me spent the whole of the first half stood facing eachother talking and looking on their phones. They slagged the first half deiplay and didnt return for the second !! Id feel a bit pissed off if these guys got ahead of me grabbing a final ticket when I go to all that trouble getting to games and spending money on travel. Iv had many a time where I ent got home till the early hours,had a couple of hours sleep and then got up for work at 5am. Im not trying to say Im better than locals because I have to travel further, but there are some that I feel get season tickets because its on therir doorstep and its just something to do..

[dazby]

So a fit and proper persons test it is then!!

[Im_Spartacus]

The season ticket thing isnt fair imo. I do a 300 mile round trip to watch city and simply cant go to as many games as I would like but I still go to a good number. Iv stood next to people that are clearly season ticket holders and you can see that some just go as its so conveniant and just something to do as its right on their doorstep. I went up against West Brom and the two lads next to me spent the whole of the first half stood facing eachother talking and looking on their phones. They slagged the first half deiplay and didnt return for the second !! Id feel a bit pissed off if these guys got ahead of me grabbing a final ticket when I go to all that trouble getting to games and spending money on travel. Iv had many a time where I ent got home till the early hours,had a couple of hours sleep and then got up for work at 5am. Im not trying to say Im better than locals because I have to travel further, but there are some that I feel get season tickets because its on therir doorstep and its just something to do..

With all due respect, we cant have a system whereby you get points for distance travelled or difficulty of your journey. Ye there are cunts who have season tickets, but so what. The wankers you will find in my experience tend to be the ones who cant be arsed going the cup games so wont build any loyalty points and will always be last in the pecking order.

Just having a season ticket is not evidence of your support, but having a season card stacked up with points for attendance at cup games and away games is. If there was an allocation of 26k, all those deserving would get their ticket im sure of it, and the "wankers" would be left to fight it out for the tickets on the secondary markets.

I appreciatethe time that fans take to travel large distances to support city for the of game here and there, with the financial cost and organisation that is required, and whilst doing that a few times a year, to that individual may involve sacrifices whether it be financial or family related, you miss the point that season ticket holders go week in week out and pay handsomely for the privilege - but it doesnt necessarily give them an automatic right to a final ticket.

To give you an example, i have two mates who have season tickets. One is an ex rag who just decided to come as you say for something to do ona saturday. He never attends cup games but expected a semi and final ticket last yr, yet couldnt be arsed wih the league cup semi....tells you exactly what sprt of fan he is - he is not deserving and we tell him that. Another mate has a season ticket, has had for years - lives in hampshire so rarely uses it, gives his ticket to all his mates for free, but is also in all the cup schemes. He knows that whilst he cant go to the majority of games, the only way to keep his place at the top of the pecking order is to have a season ticket so he keeps it for that reason.

Who is the better fan? Its irrelevant at the end of the day, because the ex rag will never have enough points just by riht of his season ticket to get to a final - he will go to the secondary markets like you.

[Beefymcfc]

I don't really care about that mate, we've fans who have to pick and choose matches (money, work, family commitments etc) but should still have the right to have that choice. We have a usual crowd of approx 45,000 without the away support. Wembley holds 90, so it's fair to say that they would be able to cover our allocation if they didn't give so many of the tickets elsewhere.

But this is the thing mate, some people sacrifice everything to watch city.......they have a right to a final ticket if they have made the effort, found the money, and made sacrifices. I know that for many attending the cup games is a money issue, but with that being the case, how can they suddenly find money for a dayout down london.

We had less than 40000 for the fa cup quarter final last year, and similar for the league cup SEMI. Yet 100000 all of a sudden want the wembley tickets, sorry mate, but theose who couldnt go can kiss my arse and get in the queue.

People suddenly assuming a right is not on....and like i said, tickets are then usually available for the final via secondary markets.

What you said above is half the problem with the country today, people expecting something for nothing or expecting to have someing as a right when they have done fuck all to earn that right ahead of those who have genuinely spent a fortune and made the sacrifices to watch every other game that year

You've read it wrong mate and I'm not advocating that just because someone's got a season ticket that they get a ticket. However, if the tickets were shared equally then at least the majority who attended games would at least have a chance rather than 40 odd thousand going to people who have no interest but to be at a party or make a few quid for themselves or their club. Now, that's the problem with this system.

On the highlighted point, are you saying that those who have spent a small fortune on a season card and attending PL games have less a right to attend a Cup Final with their team than the Rag supporter who won the club 'Lucky Dip'? That's just crazy talk that makes no sense at all. You've took this thread, and my post, out of all context to highlight a separate issue. This is one of the FA disallowing supporters the opportunity to see their club in a Cup Final in favour of putting tickets into the blackmarket and forcing those fans to pay way over the odds to attend.

Take my position. Myself and friends are long term ST holders with our lads being short term ST holders (4 years at the time with previous points on Access Cards). We attended nearly every match (work commitments) with the lads attending all. We all attend Wembley for the semi as there is enough tickets to go around due to the 'FA Family' not really being bothered about a semi from Manchester. The final comes and due to the reduced allocation the lads are short of the cut-off point whereas if there'd been a few thousand more they'd have been watching our first cup final win in years.

I sort of understand your point but wonder why you needed to make it with regard to my situation. Something for nothing, you're having fucking laugh!

[Alex Sapphire]

The season ticket thing isnt fair imo. I do a 300 mile round trip to watch city and simply cant go to as many games as I would like but I still go to a good number. Iv stood next to people that are clearly season ticket holders and you can see that some just go as its so conveniant and just something to do as its right on their doorstep. I went up against West Brom and the two lads next to me spent the whole of the first half stood facing eachother talking and looking on their phones. They slagged the first half deiplay and didnt return for the second !! Id feel a bit pissed off if these guys got ahead of me grabbing a final ticket when I go to all that trouble getting to games and spending money on travel. Iv had many a time where I ent got home till the early hours,had a couple of hours sleep and then got up for work at 5am. Im not trying to say Im better than locals because I have to travel further, but there are some that I feel get season tickets because its on therir doorstep and its just something to do..

Isn't the issue not whether there are "some" season ticket holders who are less deserving than you (like these two) but whether there are 11,000?

[Ted Hughes]

When the idea of building a new national stadium was mooted, the majority of fans wanted a huge stadium (so more genuine fans could get tickets obviously) & they wanted it built in Birmingham (obviously for travel reasons) & Birmingham were happy to accomodate it at about a quarter of the price of Wembley.

So we paid out a fortune, got a smaller stadium, dominated by corporate tickets, in London.

[Beefymcfc]

When the idea of building a new national stadium was mooted, the majority of fans wanted a huge stadium (so more genuine fans could get tickets obviously) & they wanted it built in Birmingham (obviously for travel reasons) & Birmingham were happy to accomodate it at about a quarter of the price of Wembley.

So we paid out a fortune, got a smaller stadium, dominated by corporate tickets, in London.

It's probably well staged to be fair, for them anyway. How many people would sack the semi if they thought they were guaranteed a final ticket?

It's farcical that 2 Manchester clubs, now 2 Liverpool clubs, have had to trip all the way down there to see a semi and I'm sure there'd be many who wouldn't attend just out of principle.

[Ted Hughes]

When the idea of building a new national stadium was mooted, the majority of fans wanted a huge stadium (so more genuine fans could get tickets obviously) & they wanted it built in Birmingham (obviously for travel reasons) & Birmingham were happy to accomodate it at about a quarter of the price of Wembley.

So we paid out a fortune, got a smaller stadium, dominated by corporate tickets, in London.

It's probably well staged to be fair, for them anyway. How many people would sack the semi if they thought they were guaranteed a final ticket?

It's farcical that 2 Manchester clubs, now 2 Liverpool clubs, have had to trip all the way down there to see a semi and I'm sure there'd be many who wouldn't attend just out of principle.

The fact that they were willing to build a stadium, then sell off a load of tickets for years in advance in order to pay for it, just proves to me that they were building it purely for themselves. They have their stadium & a select number of us are allowed to use it occasionally. London has re claimed the England team as their own to coincide with it, so the majority of slimeballs in both sport & media are content.

In the years to come, we will fuck them right over as the real capitol of football though.

[Im_Spartacus]

You've read it wrong mate and I'm not advocating that just because someone's got a season ticket that they get a ticket. However, if the tickets were shared equally then at least the majority who attended games would at least have a chance rather than 40 odd thousand going to people who have no interest but to be at a party or make a few quid for themselves or their club. Now, that's the problem with this system.

On the highlighted point, are you saying that those who have spent a small fortune on a season card and attending PL games have less a right to attend a Cup Final with their team than the Rag supporter who won the club 'Lucky Dip'? That's just crazy talk that makes no sense at all. You've took this thread, and my post, out of all context to highlight a separate issue. This is one of the FA disallowing supporters the opportunity to see their club in a Cup Final in favour of putting tickets into the blackmarket and forcing those fans to pay way over the odds to attend.

Take my position. Myself and friends are long term ST holders with our lads being short term ST holders (4 years at the time with previous points on Access Cards). We attended nearly every match (work commitments) with the lads attending all. We all attend Wembley for the semi as there is enough tickets to go around due to the 'FA Family' not really being bothered about a semi from Manchester. The final comes and due to the reduced allocation the lads are short of the cut-off point whereas if there'd been a few thousand more they'd have been watching our first cup final win in years.

I sort of understand your point but wonder why you needed to make it with regard to my situation. Something for nothing, you're having fucking laugh!

I was in the same position as you last year regarding kids tickets, but the way i explained it to the kids when the ticket criteria was announced, was that in time, it will be their turn. My posts were more towards those who believe every season ticket holder has a right to a ticket.....or whether someone who travels and has a difficult journey has a right to a ticket, do they balls. Like with the kids, put in your shift withe the club and you will get your turn. If you dont live local, or you cant afford a season ticket, its unfortunate, but tough. There are plenty of tickets available on the secondary market like i said.

After all, Its not the fa's fault that city have 37000 season ticket holders is it?

As it happened last year, being resourceful, i managed to circumvent the process and get the kids their tickets with us and a couple extra too via official channels - it is that sort of thing which ACTUALLY fucks it up for the rest, but everyone will always try and look after their own wont they?

The FA family situation is wrong, but it is the same with every governing body worldwide. The FA own the stadium and sanction the competition, so if they need to raise income (for whatever reason) then they have every right to offer a sizeable number of tickets to the sponsors and wider "football family".

They know full well half of those tickets will find their way to fans of the respective clubs, and the price is a simple matter of supply and demand.