Boring cup competitions

[Stringy]

Is anyone else barely bothered about these cup competitions anymore? I would struggle to name the former JPT and League Cup by their proper names now. I can't remember the last time I went to a game in these competitions.

The FA Cup is okay but then a few years ago we played at Cardiff and there were hardly any Cardiff fans there. If the other team isn't even slightly up for it then the magic is lost.

Am I alone in thinking cup competitons need a revamp? The league competition is way better in my view.

 

[GodsGift]

I don't really get the dislike of the League Cup. You can win a game and then be handed a plum tie against an Everton, a Newcastle, a West Ham etc. Or win two and get a United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. It's easy money.

EFL Trophy is obviously a waste of time, I can say that now we've won it.

 

[Conker]

We won the EFL Trophy when it was actually took serious by fans, ie a couple of decades ago.

You can get a really decent tie with the League cup but speaking for Mansfield even when we do manage to get in the second round we just end up playing a team in the division above like Rochdale and end up losing.

I still love the FA Cup though, the Cardiff game is a bit of a unfair comparison in my opinion, especially considering that was a replay, and I love it when we get something like Shaw Lane like we did the other year.

 

[BlackHaddock]

League Cup is still OK, but I have boycotted the EFL Trophy since the introduction of B Teams.

 

[Crewelad87]

I've always liked the league cup. Chance to go grounds you don't get to go often, only takes one win and you can get a decent draw. Also love football under the lights. I used to actually like the EFL trophy games, but now B teams are in there I won't even entertain it.

 

[Trapdoor]

The league cup is great for plastic fans and the coffers but as a competition it's garbage. The FA cup at least has some prestige and excitement about getting into the quarters or even just the bloody third round. The league cup has none of that excitement for some reason, it's just a nice little earner every now and again.

The EFL trophy is an abomination and should be put down.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Love the league cup, playing in it means we haven't been relegated (yet).

 

[dedwardp]

We never usually get past the first round of competitions so I tend to agree with you, but after last night I say long live the Carabao Cup.

 

[Kim Mitten]

They are both an utter waste of time. The structure and prize money of the league cup means that unless you can get a TV game or a Man Utd full house away there is no incentive to do well in it. Last night's 2500 crowd at a fully open Roots Hall just cost the club yet more funds they can't afford.

The EFL trophy! christ that is just a joke since the re-format but even before there was little point to it. I was told by an old chief exec that if he could have he would have withdrawn the club every season due to the money the club used to lose playing in it. You only get any extra funds out of it if you can make the televised final.

 

[shoddycollins]

We had a fantastic day out a few years back when we visited Anfield in the League Cup 3rd round. A home tie to Chesterfield in the first round (as we had that season) may not seem as exciting but you have to get through the former to reach the latter. It is what it is, what more do you want? A premier league team in every game?

As for the EFL trophy, it's only the stench of B teams that makes me boycott it now, before then I went to every home game in it. I've been to three cup finals in it too, many Carlisle fans have been to all six that we've been in. I've seen us win a national cup final at Wembley. It's a chance for everyone to experience that, something that fans at this level would otherwise never have experienced. If we stop wanting to win silverware then we may as well pack up and go home.

 

[darren gregory]

I noticed Burton got 1500 last night. The competition doesn't take off until maybe the last 16.
Basically all the Premier teams make X1 changes in all cup comps unless draw a local rival or it's like a Man Utd v Chelsea type game.
I'm old enough to remember round one was two legged back in late 70's .
Vale were 4-0 up v Hereford and contrived to go out. Finished 4-2, lost 2-0 at Hereford. There were no away goals then. If memory serves me right we played at a neutral ground either Shrewsbury or Walsall rings a bell and Hereford won.

Imagine the crowds these days if was two legged

 

[Posh Harry]

They are both an utter waste of time. The structure and prize money of the league cup means that unless you can get a TV game or a Man Utd full house away there is no incentive to do well in it. Last night's 2500 crowd at a fully open Roots Hall just cost the club yet more funds they can't afford.

The EFL trophy! christ that is just a joke since the re-format but even before there was little point to it. I was told by an old chief exec that if he could have he would have withdrawn the club every season due to the money the club used to lose playing in it. You only get any extra funds out of it if you can make the televised final.

From what I understand, if your club loses money from the EFL trophy games and can demonstrate both that you have lost money and it wasn’t because your club was actively encouraging small attendances, then the EFL will actually make up that cost so the club will not lose any money.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

League Cup is good once you get to the last 16 stage, early rounds are a grind but you do get some new grounds to tick off or ones you rarely get to visit.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

League Cup is good once you get to the last 16 stage, early rounds are a grind but you do get some new grounds to tick off or ones you rarely get to visit.

True, Swansea was a bit of a haul on a Tuesday night but it ticked off the Liberty.
Likewise with Newcastle a couple of season ago.

 

[Stringy]

We won the EFL Trophy when it was actually took serious by fans, ie a couple of decades ago.

You can get a really decent tie with the League cup but speaking for Mansfield even when we do manage to get in the second round we just end up playing a team in the division above like Rochdale and end up losing.

I still love the FA Cup though, the Cardiff game is a bit of a unfair comparison in my opinion, especially considering that was a replay, and I love it when we get something like Shaw Lane like we did the other year.

Apologies, I meant the first game away against Cardiff, not the replay. The attendance was something like 8k and the ground was completely empty.

 

[Stringy]

We had a fantastic day out a few years back when we visited Anfield in the League Cup 3rd round. A home tie to Chesterfield in the first round (as we had that season) may not seem as exciting but you have to get through the former to reach the latter. It is what it is, what more do you want? A premier league team in every game?

As for the EFL trophy, it's only the stench of B teams that makes me boycott it now, before then I went to every home game in it. I've been to three cup finals in it too, many Carlisle fans have been to all six that we've been in. I've seen us win a national cup final at Wembley. It's a chance for everyone to experience that, something that fans at this level would otherwise never have experienced. If we stop wanting to win silverware then we may as well pack up and go home.

I agree that sides should take it seriously. The disappointment is that they don't. Do you like the fact that the EFL trophy is played every year though? I can't be bothered with going to most of the ties, although no doubt I'll crawl out the woodwork if we progress.

I wonder if we could increase the prestige of the competition if it wasn't played every year and it mattered to do well. Turn it into more of an event as well.

 

[shoddycollins]

I wonder if we could increase the prestige of the competition if it wasn't played every year and it mattered to do well. Turn it into more of an event as well.

Maybe we could have it every four years played over June

 

[Stringy]

Maybe we could have it every four years played over June

That's a better suggestion than inviting the U23s.

 

[Chris FGR]

I like the league cup, proper competition with a decent history and a spot in Europe for the winners. You only need to win one game and you get the chance to play a PL team, plus tickets tend to be much more reasonably priced.

The EFL Trophy would be alright if it didn't include b teams or pointless group stages, as it's good to have a cup competition that lower league teams have an actual chance of winning. A big part of football is supposed to be about trying to win trophies, which seems to bypass a lot of clubs thinking these days with a lot of clubs only caring about the league, which is a shame imo.

Hopefully someone will see sense and stop with the b team in the EFL trophy bullshit soon. If they ever do I'd probably go to games in it.

 

[dedwardp]

A big part of football is supposed to be about trying to win trophies, which seems to bypass a lot of clubs thinking these days with a lot of clubs only caring about the league, which is a shame imo.

Makes me think of all of those clubs who spend all season desperately trying to qualify for Europe, only to then moan about having too many games so then resting players in Europe to focus on the league... so they can try and qualify for Europe again!

 

[Bottega Don]

The League cup is good, sadly we rarely make it past the first round. The EFL trophy is horrendous and I couldn't care less about the results. I am a hypocrite though, I would definitely go if we made it to Wembley.

The FA Cup is annoying due to our recent draws. We haven't played a team that's not from the same league since 15/16 which gets very boring.

 

[Luke Imp]

I've never been a massive fan of the League Cup, but as pointed out, it does give you a chance to potentially get a big PL side in R2, unlike the FA Cup, which is R3.

The only thing I'd change about the League Cup is the timing. Do we really need it so heavily scheduled at the beginning of the season? I'm assuming the Final is in February to get it out the way before the European games kick off again.

 

[Razzmachaz]

I actually used to like the JPT or whatever it's called now because I could go and watch Orient and not stress too much about the result and just enjoy the game win lose or draw. It's the only competition I feel like that. I find league games very stressful and it ruins my weekend if we lose. In recent years I've found going to some non league games and watching local sides as a neutral a far more pleasant experience, but I am still a sucker for punishment and still go to Brisbane Road.

 

[jbet]

I love the FA Cup even more than the league and make a special effort to go to the FA Cup matches. Probably something to do with our record in the 90's in the competition (although we've not done much since) coupled with the fact that it offers a genuine 'club changing' opportunity in terms of revenue and exposure if you get lucky.

The other competitions I'm really not that bothered about. The EFL Trophy needs to be disbanded and potentially merged with the Scottish equivalent. People laugh at the Scottish Challenge Cup but I love the fact they've included a sprinkling of sides from outside Scotland which outweighs the fact they've included U21 teams. If they got rid of the SPFL U21 sides and replaced them with English L1 and L2 sides it'd be an amazing competition with decent crowds. Give me Dundee United away over Shrewsbury at home any day of the week.

The League Cup is a bit 'meh'. The Premier League teams don't bother until the semi final stage and matches are midweek. You can beat a Championship side and nobody really notices, so what's the point?

 

[LeonTheGreen]

I love the FA Cup even more than the league and make a special effort to go to the FA Cup matches. Probably something to do with our record in the 90's in the competition (although we've not done much since) coupled with the fact that it offers a genuine 'club changing' opportunity in terms of revenue and exposure if you get lucky.

The other competitions I'm really not that bothered about. The EFL Trophy needs to be disbanded and potentially merged with the Scottish equivalent. People laugh at the Scottish Challenge Cup but I love the fact they've included a sprinkling of sides from outside Scotland which outweighs the fact they've included U21 teams. If they got rid of the SPFL U21 sides and replaced them with English L1 and L2 sides it'd be an amazing competition with decent crowds. Give me Dundee United away over Shrewsbury at home any day of the week.

The League Cup is a bit 'meh'. The Premier League teams don't bother until the semi final stage and matches are midweek. You can beat a Championship side and nobody really notices, so what's the point?

Yeah, we’d love to play Inverness away on a Tuesday night. Don’t be daft.

 

[Stringy]

I love the FA Cup even more than the league and make a special effort to go to the FA Cup matches. Probably something to do with our record in the 90's in the competition (although we've not done much since) coupled with the fact that it offers a genuine 'club changing' opportunity in terms of revenue and exposure if you get lucky.

It's great when it works like this. Apparently Burton's cup ties against Man Utd helped support their rise into the Football League. I wonder how often this happens any more though, the flush ties are probably used to offset the losses that a lot of clubs run at each year.

Yeah, we’d love to play Inverness away on a Tuesday night. Don’t be daft.

I wouldn't support this idea either but I applaud anyone willing to present new ideas. There is too much traditionalism in football sometimes (admittedly, supported by some terrible reforms such as the U23s joining the cup and the bumpy introduction of VAR). I'm probably not in favour of anything that would fundamentally alter how the game is played, but if it was possible to renew interest in the cup competitions, making it more important and it led to an increase in attendances, that would be a good thing.

 

[Spanishstag]

I actually prefer the league cup to the fa cup ,nowadays the top 2 divisions just roll out their second string in the fa cup ,,also i can honestly say that i have watched almost every league cup final in recent years ,probably to do with it being the first trophy of the season in february ,whereas i have not watched the fa cup final for years and its now a 5 30 ko