I loved seeing the game at a ground like Crown Pitch. I like how at the beginning of the game, the announcer said it was "not really a league ground." It was a real treat though getting to see a game at a small ground. I related it to be like the California Angels going to play the Augusta Greenjackets at their home diamond. I was pleased with the result. Here's for a good draw!
BTW - The Spurs and Leeds game was awesome. That Jermaine Beckford is special. His PK at the end of the game was pretty good. Too much I see regular penalty takers try and play the GK or try and be cute. He picked his spot and put it there regardless of the keeper. I'm really rooting for Leeds in the replay. The only perspective I have on their history is from reading "The Damned Utd"....dirty, dirty leeds....
I had to leave the house before the second half, but what I saw was textbook on why the top league teams need to change their style when they play minnows. There will be no marking space given; see ball, get ball is the tactic employed. Always.
Your going to read about players such as Allen Clarke who they poached from Fulham in the seventies, scored many good goals fr Leeds and Fulham of course, Mick Jones and the one and only Billie Bremner (RIP Billie) Scottish defender who loved to tackle HARD, Football was a better game then than it is now, and Leeds was a force, Joe Jorden now Harry Rednaps right hand man at Spurs was another, should be an interesting read, Enjoy!!
I'd like to start off and say that terracing is the way forward and it's so unfortunate that they are deemed 'unsafe' and illegal in the Premier League. 1200 FFC fans made the trip in just three days notice which was very good going considering the price of a ticket plus trains was 95 pound! It was a great experience being there as it is so rare for Fulham to play at such small and 'simple' venue...while many may call it a sh!t hole, I prefer to experience everything from the small crowds, crap pitch (that is an understatement), seeing the usual away boys in a local northern pub for a few beers, a bit of a sing song and of course standing on terracing. Another ground off the list...and all I had to do was sit in a car for the 9 hour round trip. The one thing I hated was not being able to really get excited about the game itself. Being favorites is not what being FFC is all about and it was slightly uncomfortable. At the end it was like 'that was fun but we should've won!'. Finally the most exciting part of the postmatch was the wait for the draw of the 5th round...and what a good draw we got in the form of Notts County/Wigan at home. COYWs.
Mike, Sounds like a great time was had by all the away supporters. Glad you didn't have to ride 9 hours w/a bad result. Home against Wigan or Notts?? Hell ya I'll take my chances with that draw.
That would be fun, two different league two teams in a row. The only "top 4" team still in is Chelski. I'll be a Welsh football fan for round 5. Swansea City v Chelski.
Our return to the quarterfinals is shaping up nicely. I'd say the draws have been favorable except we usually lose in the Cups to a lesser side (since I've been following), so we usually have decent draws. Even though we survived it in an ugly match, I'm beginning to think 4th division clubs aren't the best draw (on the road). While terracing is fun for Mike and the boys, having to adjust to playing on such torn up pitches makes for an ugly performance and a real threat for being upset. Fortunately this one is at the Cottage, so come on you Magpies. If not, the Latics don't exactly scare me in our place.
FA Cup - Notts County Up Next Today's replay results are what makes the FA Cup great; Notts County beats Wigan 2-0. Sven's crew will be making a trip to Craven Cottage. Crystal Palace beats Wolves 3-1. Nev and CT are happy campers.
RE: FA Cup - Notts County Up Next Wow, how about Notts? While all caveats about cup matches apply, Roy and the team must be awfully happy to have a home match against the (on paper) weakest team left in the draw (two rounds in a row, even) to get to the quarterfinal. Lots of beatable teams left in the hat, too.
Looking forward to the noise the Notts County crowd will make at The Cottage. This will be a HUGE day out for them, like it was for Swansea last season. Did anyone notice that there was a bigger crowd at Notts County for the first match than there was at Wigan for the replay? How can those people call themselves supporters? They had seriously reduced-price tickets and still couldn't be bothered.
I truly don't get Wigan. The stock answer is always, "rugby town". Seriously, they can't get behind more than one sport? They don't play a bad brand of football (usually) and they tend to overachieve. Seems like the kind of club a town would rally behind. Maybe it is the competition in that part of the country with so many football clubs or just the shadow of Manchester.
Interestingly, they were probably the best-support non-league club for over 20 years as late as the 1970s
Per the Setanta website, Sunday's match against Notts County will be televised live on Setanta Sports.
That's 10 am EST for the Setanta broadcast on Sun. Now if I can just get the pub to open an hour early I'll be in business (they usually do). Don, hope to see you but between Sunday and the most ridiculous "holiday" in creation, I'm guessing beer, breakfast and football will be a no.
