EFL Trophy rules changed again....quietly!

[PUSBCCFC]

Speechless. Will finally get to go to Wembley with my old man.

Don't care how embarrassing it is, I've wanted this all my life. I've seen nothing but shite with Coventry since the day I was born.

 

[eric read]

How many do you think Coventry will take to Wembley? I've seen some crazy figures of 50,000 mentioned, but really can't see it in this competition's current format.

We took 35,000 last season in the JPT, as it was then, but would be very surprised if we took that many this year. Anyway, got to beat Luton first.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

All the shit with the owners will be forgotten when the tickets for Wembley go on sale. I'd hope the fans of Coventry would boycott but after being so success starved they'll all flock back.

Smartest thing SISU could do is say you need to have purchase history from the next two home games to get a final ticket, would boost the coffers.

 

[joethegill]

All the shit with the owners will be forgotten when the tickets for Wembley go on sale. I'd hope the fans of Coventry would boycott but after being so success starved they'll all flock back.

Smartest thing SISU could do is say you need to have purchase history from the next two home games to get a final ticket, would boost the coffers.

Hope not, they've already had one win against us where their crowd was boosted irregularly a couple of years back which no doubt had an effect, could do without that happening again.

 

[MJA]

This is the biggest chance Coventry fans will have to show their broadest audience exactly what they think of SISU by leaving their end empty at the final. Won't happen though!

This is the biggest chance the 2 sets of fans will have to show the biggest audience what the footballing world thinks of this pathetic competition and how it has been handled by the EFL by leaving Wembley empty with the cameras there. Won't happen though!

And the reason neither of these things will happen is simply because 90% of football fans don't actually give a shit what is happening behind the scenes, they just want to see their team enjoy a bit of success on the pitch. Whilst things are shit, fans always want to find someone or something to blame - does anyone really believe that Coventry fans would be stopping matches through pitch invasions or affecting their own players by blowing whistles if they were in the top 2? Same with the competition, yes attendances have been down but people have generally stayed away from the early stages in years gone by anyway. Interest only really gathers when teams reach the area final and that is proving the case once again

 

[PUSBCCFC]

I'm so interested to see how many we will take. A year ago I'd have said we'd sell out whatever.
After lasts nights poor attendance I'm not
too sure. So many have walked away or are boycotting SISU.

Hopefully we'll sell the 40k.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

This is the biggest chance Coventry fans will have to show their broadest audience exactly what they think of SISU by leaving their end empty at the final. Won't happen though!

This is the biggest chance the 2 sets of fans will have to show the biggest audience what the footballing world thinks of this pathetic competition and how it has been handled by the EFL by leaving Wembley empty with the cameras there. Won't happen though!

And the reason neither of these things will happen is simply because 90% of football fans don't actually give a shit what is happening behind the scenes, they just want to see their team enjoy a bit of success on the pitch. Whilst things are shit, fans always want to find someone or something to blame - does anyone really believe that Coventry fans would be stopping matches through pitch invasions or affecting their own players by blowing whistles if they were in the top 2? Same with the competition, yes attendances have been down but people have generally stayed away from the early stages in years gone by anyway. Interest only really gathers when teams reach the area final and that is proving the case once again

Had we been to Wembley in my lifetime I'd have thought about protesting.

Last night was the one night I agreed to suspend the protests. We, as fans, deserve this.

 

[MJA]

Had we been to Wembley in my lifetime I'd have thought about protesting.

Last night was the one night I agreed to suspend the protests. We, as fans, deserve this.

There is still a strong chance you would have gone to Wembley even if you have seen Coventry there before.

I won't knock anyone for going as it is easy to understand why you want to go. At the end of the day, no-one picks a team to support because they want to see them become a fantastic club off the pitch. The first thing any football fan wants to see is success on the pitch and something to cheer about in the stands.

What I will knock is the fact this will make a mockery of all previous protests, be them vocal ones or stay away ones. If Coventry win this all the football world will see is the Coventry players dancing in front of 40000 delirious fans with not one mention of SISU. And on top of this the EFL bigwigs can sit in their free seats, eating their free food and drinking their free drinks knowing the footballing world is seeing a well attended final with no indication of what has gone before.

 

[DH84]

I believe the talk has been about a big protest at the game. Perhaps do some research before commenting.

 

[MJA]

I believe the talk has been about a big protest at the game. Perhaps do some research before commenting.

Who's nudged your rock again?

 

[DH84]

Who's nudged your rock again?

Rock? Been here all week little man.

DH84 doesn't disappear. He's always around even if you can't see him.

 

[joethegill]

Like chlamydia?

 

[PUSBCCFC]

There is still a strong chance you would have gone to Wembley even if you have seen Coventry there before.

I won't knock anyone for going as it is easy to understand why you want to go. At the end of the day, no-one picks a team to support because they want to see them become a fantastic club off the pitch. The first thing any football fan wants to see is success on the pitch and something to cheer about in the stands.

What I will knock is the fact this will make a mockery of all previous protests, be them vocal ones or stay away ones. If Coventry win this all the football world will see is the Coventry players dancing in front of 40000 delirious fans with not one mention of SISU. And on top of this the EFL bigwigs can sit in their free seats, eating their free food and drinking their free drinks knowing the footballing world is seeing a well attended final with no indication of what has gone before.

The fact we only had 12,000 instead of 32,000 like 3 years ago says a lot.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Sold 15000 on first day of ticket release for final. Not bad

 

[DH84]

7k at Luton tonight with 742 Oxford fans

So just like our supporters, both teams happy to end their boycotts at a sniff of a Wembley visit

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Still plenty staying away. Including me. 700 is a disappointing but not means large away attendance for us. Certainly wouldn't compare favourably with the interest we had for Millwall last year.

 

[blademan89]

Still plenty staying away. Including me. Compare it to our semi final with Millwall last year which was a sell out with 11k.

Looks like a good game in the bag of shit trophy. I'd also of been staying away and 100% wouldn't of gone to Wembley too had we got there. It's depressing what it's become this year. Don't get me wrong it was never a trophy that got you excited but I'd still go and watch it, not a chance ever again while 'b' teams are in it though.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

My position is pretty similar to yours, Blademan. The trophy meant nothing to me and I went to games against Swindon, plus the semi finals and the day at Wembley last year. Nice enough day out with zero pressure or consequence and fans of both teams in a good mood.

Hurts a bit to have to stay away as we are obviously going to smash Coventry but the continued insistence of English fans to lie down and be taken for granted is making me fairly disillusioned.

Haven't watched tonight, won't watch the final.

 

[DH84]

Still plenty staying away. Including me. 700 is a disappointing but not means large away attendance for us. Certainly wouldn't compare favourably with the interest we had for Millwall last year.

Maybe so but both teams didn't boycott tonight because there was a chance of a Wembley trip.

I don't see why you are trying to deny it.

 

[DH84]

So the famous CCFC against Oxford in the final. Should be a good game but I will not be attending.

 

[blademan89]

Maybe so but both teams didn't boycott tonight because there was a chance of a Wembley trip.

I don't see why you are trying to deny it.

People who claimed they were boycotting in the early stages then go to Wembley are a fucking joke. Either go and watch at any stage or don't claim to be boycotting. By the way I'm not claiming you've done that but how football fans can lie down and do nothing yet again as tinpot has said is the major problem in this country.

 

[DH84]

People who claimed they were boycotting in the early stages then go to Wembley are a fucking joke. Either go and watch at any stage or don't claim to be boycotting. By the way I'm not claiming you've done that but how football fans can lie down and do nothing yet again as tinpot has said is the major problem in this country.

I haven't been to a competitive Coventry game in 3 and a half years and I won't be going to Wembley.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Maybe so but both teams didn't boycott tonight because there was a chance of a Wembley trip.

I don't see why you are trying to deny it.

I don't know what you mean by that. We played a strong team but we have done that continually through the competition.

If you're referring to the fact that fans attended then, again, you're right - but less attended, and no one ever claimed that all fans were boycotting as one (nice as that would be). Not to mention that I didn't really deny the attendance.

Feel like you've made up an argument with yourself there fella.

 

[Robie]

Cracking result and what a game to watch as a neutral I hope?

Thoroughly looking forward to a trip out to Wembley but respect those who don't want to go. Our team have been treating this competition seriously since the start of the season.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

I couldn't care less what the result is. I'm happy to get to see my team at Wembley with 40,000 Coventry fans.

 

[blademan89]

I couldn't care less what the result is. I'm happy to get to see my team at Wembley with 40,000 Coventry fans.

Problem is they aren't actually coventry fans. It's just an extra 20k plus pretend football fans who never go.

 

[The Mustard Tiger]

People who claimed they were boycotting in the early stages then go to Wembley are a fucking joke. Either go and watch at any stage or don't claim to be boycotting. By the way I'm not claiming you've done that but how football fans can lie down and do nothing yet again as tinpot has said is the major problem in this country.

Why support the team at all then? Just find a new team to support or a new sport to follow if that's the case. Personally I can't blame any Coventry fan wanting to enjoy a decent day out at all. Barring a few decent cup results and the first half of last season, I can't remember the last time Coventry had what you might deem a successful season. Perhaps 2005(ish) when the finished outside the Championship playoffs.

 

[blademan89]

Why support the team at all then? Just find a new team to support or a new sport to follow if that's the case. Personally I can't blame any Coventry fan wanting to enjoy a decent day out at all. Barring a few decent cup results and the first half of last season, I can't remember the last time Coventry had what you might deem a successful season. Perhaps 2005(ish) when the finished outside the Championship playoffs.

What are you on about why support a team at all?. I'm on about this competition not on about coventry. I'm on about people who didn't go to the early rounds claiming they were boycotting the competition then all that goes out the window and thousands suddenly go to Wembley, all clubs would do it so It's not a dig at Coventry it's a dig at football fans in this country in general, we basically just get the piss taken out of us constantly and do fuck all to change things because too many people just go with the flow. What they've done to this trophy is a complete joke but will all be forgotten when 60k turn up at wembley again.

 

[The Mustard Tiger]

I completely agree that the competition has been a joke this year. No doubt about it. My point is that for a Coventry City fan it's a good day out and they have every right to enjoy themselves considering they don't really have too much to shout about.

As for fans laying down and taking it; the majority of fans do it and always will. People will protest things that go on and then still pay a ridiculous amount of money to watch rubbish that they're not happy with. If you were to boycott all that is wrong regarding football then you probably would end up watching the rugby or cricket instead.

 

[oakroader]

well played and congratulations to oxford....at least we didn't embarrass ourselves on tv for a change...
oakey