2024-25 B(D)SM Trophy

[chief]

Just got to hope we can get lucky with Mitch Clarks injury but I'm not confident.

Wishing him the best, that looked really nasty. Looked in a lot of pain.

 

[loz]

Hope we haven't got another CB injury

 

[leedsvaliant]

Wrexham players and fans looked overjoyed to be winning that. Clearly didn't get the memo after being in non league. Sky would absolutely cream themselves over a Birmingham/Wrexham final.

We could have been 2 or 3 up 1st half but kind of gave up after the 2nd goal.

It sort of proves that we don't want too many of these players to contribute massively in the run in.

 

[chief]

Wrexham players and fans looked overjoyed to be winning that. Clearly didn't get the memo after being in non league. Sky would absolutely cream themselves over a Birmingham/Wrexham final.

The players are mostly 2nd string, of course they're pleased to have put a decent performance in and the fans are pleased they've played well also.

You're doing a bad job of acting like you don't care by the way, very bitter.

 

[EnglishRed]

Wrexham players and fans looked overjoyed to be winning that. Clearly didn't get the memo after being in non league. Sky would absolutely cream themselves over a Birmingham/Wrexham final.

We could have been 2 or 3 up 1st half but kind of gave up after the 2nd goal.

It sort of proves that we don't want too many of these players to contribute massively in the run in.

Yeah it's our cup final.

 

[valefan16]

Wrexham players and fans looked overjoyed to be winning that. Clearly didn't get the memo after being in non league. Sky would absolutely cream themselves over a Birmingham/Wrexham final.

We could have been 2 or 3 up 1st half but kind of gave up after the 2nd goal.

It sort of proves that we don't want too many of these players to contribute massively in the run in.

Used to be decent but the U21's killed it, suppose being non league for that time they probably don't have that disdain for it teams that opposed it do. I haven't been a single game since the U21s entered it!

Our priorities are rightly promotion, has we been in L1 on 40 points mid table not going up or down I would want us to try and get to Wembley maybe but otherwise it was a good fitness exercise, two players hadn't played a single minute this season until last night so was useful, just annoying the one key player we started who only played due to suspension in the league looks seriously injured now!

Not fussed we are out, especially with the fixtures postponed we need to fit in but I am not happy about some aspects of the performance, the defending was diabolical and lazy and that isn't great in terms of if we want any of these to step in during the league run, same rubbish that back line put in at Grimsby. I wanted some players to be knocking on the door but other than Richards (who looks injured as well!) and Curtis I don't think anyone did.

Need to stop playing Shorrock in defensive positions too, he is a winger, he can't defend.

 

[leedsvaliant]

The players are mostly 2nd string, of course they're pleased to have put a decent performance in and the fans are pleased they've played well also.

You're doing a bad job of acting like you don't care by the way, very bitter.

Not bitter. Just a weird reaction. Established league teams see this as essentially a reserve game, which it was for us. Unfortunately, your reserves are far better than ours at the moment but it won't always be like this.

 

[EnglishRed]

We also played our reserves, so how have we taken it any more seriously than you? The celebration for the second goal was what it was because it was an 18 year old scoring his first goal for his home town club.

I must have missed your fans celebrating your goal and "glad all over" being played over the tannoy. None of our fans give any more of a **** about this competition than any of yours.

 

[FiRTHYY]

Wrexham players and fans looked overjoyed to be winning that. Clearly didn't get the memo after being in non league. Sky would absolutely cream themselves over a Birmingham/Wrexham final.

Well, we’ll be doing our utmost to ensure this doesn't happen.

We got to this stage last season. Absolutely battered Wycombe at home and conceded in the last minute - completely undeserved.

There’s a possibility of Birmingham and Wrexham meeting in the next round though, right? The next round isn’t regionalised based on last year.

 

[Si Robin]

We thought this about the quarter finals because two years ago we played Salford, but this year they were regionalised again.

Smacks of trying to keep Birmingham and Wrexham apart to be honest.

 

[Agombar stool]

Celebration police out in full force again.

 

[Millerbri]

Congratulations to Bradford City on progressing through.
We should have been in front at half time but second half, possibly because og the City HT substitutions we totally lost our way and City totally deserved the win.

With no Nombe, Wilkes or JCH up front we could be playing now and still not have scored. Hugill his hopeless we might as well have me up front and I'm 71.

Well done for bringing 1123 fans too, a good effort, we certainly wouldn't have taken that many to your place.

 

[valefan16]

We also played our reserves, so how have we taken it any more seriously than you? The celebration for the second goal was what it was because it was an 18 year old scoring his first goal for his home town club.

I must have missed your fans celebrating your goal and "glad all over" being played over the tannoy. None of our fans give any more of a **** about this competition than any of yours.

To be fair i am not totally having that, didn't you have something like 8000 in the group stages against us for a dead rubber last season?!

Not that its a bad thing mind, each club to their own and I don't personally mind the celebrating, its what football is about.

It is different having all the fans on X commenting on our posts Sort out our Lawn! from Salt Lake City Love it and something different, certainly captured the US audience, was at Alcatraz last year in my Vale top and a local asked me about them and used Wrexham as the yard stick to understand where we sat in the pyramid and actually saw as many Wrexham shirts as anyone else.

Got to be fair regardless of if people like the Hollywood and the adjoining baggage with it they do seem genuine and have done well for you, certainly different from when we last played you in the EFL and both clubs had huge off field problems.

 

[EnglishRed]

To be fair i am not totally having that, didn't you have something like 8000 in the group stages against us for a dead rubber last season?!

Not that its a bad thing mind, each club to their own and I don't personally mind the celebrating, its what football is about.

It is different having all the fans on X commenting on our posts Sort out our Lawn! from Salt Lake City Love it and something different, certainly captured the US audience, was at Alcatraz last year in my Vale top and a local asked me about them and used Wrexham as the yard stick to understand where we sat in the pyramid and actually saw as many Wrexham shirts as anyone else.

Got to be fair regardless of if people like the Hollywood and the adjoining baggage with it they do seem genuine and have done well for you, certainly different from when we last played you in the EFL and both clubs had huge off field problems.

I think we did have a big crowd which was a bit cringe but that was more to do with home tickets being so hard to come by at that point than any love of the competition (although we hadn't played in it for 15 years so it did have the novelty factor!).

Our American friends are a little enthusiastic at times, and I don't think they understand the different competitions. You sort of have to accept it as a longstanding Wrexham fan as they are funding us in a major way! Our merchandise revenue from over there is insane for a League one club.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

I don't care about this competition in the early rounds, and I know it's the cool thing not to give a toss at all, but we are now in the semis, and the possibility of playing Birmingham at Wembley in front of 60/70k instead of Bromley away in a garden shed on a cold Tuesday night has an appeal to it.

 

[FiRTHYY]

I don't care about this competition in the early rounds, and I know it's the cool thing not to give a toss at all, but we are now in the semis, and the possibility of playing Birmingham at Wembley in front of 60/70k instead of Bromley away in a garden shed on a cold Tuesday night has an appeal to it.

Not to mention just under £150k in prize money thus far.

Always find it strange how the next round doesn’t include any prize money, but if you make it through, you’re guaranteed to make another £600K+ at Wembley.

 

[Mighty_Bantam]

I really don't like the U21 aspect, but I've always been disappointed that we've never really taken this competition seriously nor done anything of note in it until the last year or two.

It was decent when the Conference had teams participate, way better than the U21s. If I'm right I think Lee Crooks had Colin Todd held up by the throat in an away game at Kidderminster back in the early 2000s. Memories.

It's a great chance to win silverware at Wembley, why would you turn that down? We should've made the final last year. Battered Wycombe in the semis and a completely unjust result.

 

[valefan16]

I really don't like the U21 aspect, but I've always been disappointed that we've never really taken this competition seriously nor done anything of note in it until the last year or two.

It was decent when the Conference had teams participate, way better than the U21s. If I'm right I think Lee Crooks had Colin Todd held up by the throat in an away game at Kidderminster back in the early 2000s. Memories.

It's a great chance to win silverware at Wembley, why would you turn that down? We should've made the final last year. Battered Wycombe in the semis and a completely unjust result.

It used to be ok, we had two great triumphs in it in 93 and 2001, beating Stoke in the Area Semi's on both occasions as well, but it is rubbish with a group stage and the penalty farce along with the U21's usually who rarely lay a glove and is like a training game.

If it was a straight knock out and had 16 conference teams in it then I would be more up for it.

This season we had Hall crocked in the first group game, Byers last round after just returning and then last night Clark possibly out for months and maybe Richards too.

Waste of time.

Lets be honest as well, say Bradford get to the final v Birmingham, they will go full strength and you'll likely get battered anyway, where is the fun in that.

 

[FiRTHYY]

Lets be honest as well, say Bradford get to the final v Birmingham, they will go full strength and you'll likely get battered anyway, where is the fun in that.

Who gives a shit - it’s a day out at Wembley, swelling club coffers in the process.

We’ve partaken in bigger Cup Finals at Wembley in recent years, fully expecting to get tonked, but that doesn’t change anything.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

It used to be ok, we had two great triumphs in it in 93 and 2001, beating Stoke in the Area Semi's on both occasions as well, but it is rubbish with a group stage and the penalty farce along with the U21's usually who rarely lay a glove and is like a training game.

If it was a straight knock out and had 16 conference teams in it then I would be more up for it.

This season we had Hall crocked in the first group game, Byers last round after just returning and then last night Clark possibly out for months and maybe Richards too.

Waste of time.

Lets be honest as well, say Bradford get to the final v Birmingham, they will go full strength and you'll likely get battered anyway, where is the fun in that.

From what I can tell of Vale, your owners are loaded and willing to spend. I wish we were in that position, but we are a self-sustaining club with half a million a year in stadium rent alone. We need absolutely every penny we can get, if we get a battering but bring in £500k plus, then happy days. We did that exact trick in 2013 and got promoted; I'd take the same outcome again.

 

[valefan16]

From what I can tell of Vale, your owners are loaded and willing to spend. I wish we were in that position, but we are a self-sustaining club with half a million a year in stadium rent alone. We need absolutely every penny we can get, if we get a battering but bring in £500k plus, then happy days. We did that exact trick in 2013 and got promoted; I'd take the same outcome again.

They have only just become "loaded" after selling shares in the company they founded last year and whilst have invested heavily (to try and undo last year!) the main outlay has been on making us sustainable longer term in terms of stadium, youth set up, business facilities etc.

They haven't come in purely to throw cash at it for a quick success, remember 2020 when they backed ending the season early on PPG because they knew some clubs couldn't afford it even though we missed out on the play offs in that scenario by a fraction of a PPG.

We've spent a lot but also made a lot, Bailee Dipepa to Southampton just under £1 Million initially in the summer, a kid to Villa for £450k last season and one to Newcastle for £200k, Tommy McDermott to Burnley would have been a decent figure, think Forrester went to Bolton for around £200k even got a few quid for Ryan Loft! which probably paid for the new toilets in the Paddock! Should get a bit if the Ndala to Forest move goes permanent in the summer as well from sell on's.

Most of our biggest spending has been off the pitch to create better facilities and revenue (The Vale Campus the next likely big thing).

Think a couple of weeks ago it worked out we had £8 million revenue our CEO was saying with total spend of £12 million but most of that £4 million difference was on pitch/stadium etc.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Celebration police out in full force again.

Perhaps I'm just a miserable old git. I often struggle to understand people's over exuberance about the most mundane of things. Something has to be really good for me to enthuse about it.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Who gives a shit - it’s a day out at Wembley, swelling club coffers in the process.

We’ve partaken in bigger Cup Finals at Wembley in recent years, fully expecting to get tonked, but that doesn’t change anything.

Great day out as you say, and good money for the club, but having been to 3 major finals with the Vale, and dominated and won each game, I'm not sure how I'd feel about my team getting battered at Wembley.

 

[Agombar stool]

Perhaps I'm just a miserable old git. I often struggle to understand people's over exuberance about the most mundane of things. Something has to be really good for me to enthuse about it.

I get that. I used to be a little bit like that myself, but then I realised it wasn't really worth it and i try and just let people get on with it. If I was to try and understand the human psyche I think my tiny little brain would explode! Each to their own of course!

 

[valefan16]

Great day out as you say, and good money for the club, but having been to 3 major finals with the Vale, and dominated and won each game, I'm not sure how I'd feel about my team getting battered at Wembley.

Didn't go the Anglo Italian Final one then!

 

[leedsvaliant]

From what I can tell of Vale, your owners are loaded and willing to spend. I wish we were in that position, but we are a self-sustaining club with half a million a year in stadium rent alone. We need absolutely every penny we can get, if we get a battering but bring in £500k plus, then happy days. We did that exact trick in 2013 and got promoted; I'd take the same outcome again.

They were very rich before but have sold most of their shares in their business for a huge amount, so now they're very loaded but certainly nowhere near billionaires and not on the level that say Birmingham, Mk dons or Wrexham level.

The intent before was to try and get us to Championship level and then pass us over to much wealthier investors. That was a bit of a pipe dream before really because they simply didn't have the funds but now they do. We just didn't have the investment to stay in league 1, but next time we will.

But at the same time, they're not like some of these other clubs that are just going to throw money at it. As much as say the actors who own Wrexham now are keen, who knows what the future brings...they might get bored, sell it to someone who doesn't know what they're doing and be bang in trouble. Whereas that's a hobby/PR stunt, the Shanahans are committed to improving everything for the long term benefit of the club and the community, so that when they leave it, it's genuinely a community asset that ensures the longevity of the place. They've also now got all their money and focus going into Vale.

I know lots of clubs say that their owners care, but Carol genuinely does. She wants the very best for the club and the community. We've struck gold with these owners.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Didn't go the Anglo Italian Final one then!

Oh yeah I did go to that! That was a joy to be fair, watching some of Italy's best footballers. From memory, it was like a friendly game really and not many fans went.

 

[leedsvaliant]

I get that. I used to be a little bit like that myself, but then I realised it wasn't really worth it and i try and just let people get on with it. If I was to try and understand the human psyche I think my tiny little brain would explode! Each to their own of course!

I totally agree. I think it's just me..my wife and kids buy me Mr Grumpy stuff a lot! If we were all the same, the world would be a dull place!

 

[FiRTHYY]

Great day out as you say, and good money for the club, but having been to 3 major finals with the Vale, and dominated and won each game, I'm not sure how I'd feel about my team getting battered at Wembley.

It’s just another game the day after, no?

We’ve been to the new Wembley three times, but I wouldn’t say no to another visit - I doubt anyone else would, either.

 

[Si Robin]

We've put our strongest 11 out as expected - Posh have apparently made a few changes but are still quite strong.