Watford FC 3-3 Tranmere Rovers - 04/01/2020 & 1-2 AET 23/01/2020

It happens more than you think. That said, fairer distribution could be a better long term solution.

 

I agree with you, but I’m afraid it’s going to happen soon. There’s been an inexorable erosion of this tournament since the advent of the Premier League: unlimited replays, the Final replay, then the semis, the quarter final a couple of years ago and now the 5th round. It’s only a matter of time, what with all the current talk about the Christmas programme and the token winter break. It happened with the League Cup and I predict, in time, the FA Cup might well become a mid-week tournament. We’ll all hate it but we won’t be able to do anything about it.

 

I agree with you. It will happen.

But...How the league cup still has two legs for the semi finals is an absolute mystery!?! Even 20 years ago I thought it was strange , and now it is just ludicrous.

 

It is ridiculous. I would suggest NP ringfences 15 first team squad member who have no involvement at all in the cup. He then allows Mullins to pick the cup team, tactics etc and travel to Tranmere whilst he and CS focus 100% on the 2 prem games with the 15 without any distractions.

 

An idea could be seeding the teams. Still have the draw out the hat but the team drawn that’s higher in league at time of draw plays away.


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How often do I think it happens?

 

Every day?

 

Actually the only workable option really would be to send e-tickets that can be printed at home. That would limit the number of people needing to queue for collection (to those who aren't tech savvy or don't have access to a printer). Whether or not the ticket office system has this capability is another issue.

 

That doesn't sound right, but I'll let you know once I make my mind up.

 

Yep.i agree. That is the best approach.and probably the best chance of winning the game too.

 

Or rather, best chance of winning the game without risking staying in the top flight,

 

Don't even need to do that.

Scannable QR code tickets are a thing and have been for quite a while: bring the code up on your phone (they can email it to you), scan code, in you go. That would cover the vast majority of people quickly and easily.

Small businesses have worked this out successfully, and are using it near us. It should be small potatoes for a business with Premier League resources. Heck, my own business has a more sophisticated e-ticketing system than the club's, and we currently employ 15 people!

 

I think there’s a resistance in this country to a team having home advantage in a semi-final and it’s probably been seen as a hassle to arrange a neutral venue, particularly in January when the League Cup semi-finals have traditionally been held.

 

e-tickets are issued particularly by agencies who also sell our tickets. But not as a matter of course. I somehow doubt that there'll be a system in place to do that wholesale starting on the Friday morning. Wasn't what happened when I was involved anyway.

 

Probably about 15 people employed at the WFC ticket office too! Definitely one for the future but there won't be anybody getting in with their phones if we beat Tranmere. I'm not sure if any PL stadia turnstiles yet have that level of sophistication.

 

I’ve heard this mooted before and I like it as an idea that might encourage more upsets, but it’s actually the opposite of what many of the smallest clubs want. A raucous cup tie at a tight, packed ground against a big team is great fun but both the players and owners of small clubs want to play away at the likes of Anfield or Old Trafford.

 

I thought that too, and in theory it's a good idea, but I'm not sure the scanners on the turnstiles are big enough for all phones to fit in!

 

They should make the game unreserved seats, like the Vicarage Road stand was when it first opened, then watch the chaos ensue.

 

As the turnstiles scan tickets/season cards, surely they should be able to send barcodes for phones?

Edit : missed Arakel's post

 

15 people in the ticket office alone makes WFC bigger than us, which was the point I was making. And I assure you WFC earns a fair bit more than we do!

You don't need a particularly sophisticated scanner to read these codes, although it is only fair to note that having to prevent pissed up footie fans from destroying them makes the task a bit more difficult than in some industries.

But you're quite correct, of course: it's useless for away games if they don't also have the ability to read the codes.

 

I can't speak to that, unfortunately; been a while since I've been back in the UK so I haven't seen the Vic turnstiles lately. I'll take your word for it!

 

Part of my question answered by the Athletic!

Watford’s team coach had left the London Colney training ground around 10am, the players and management staff filled with hope rather than expectation that the game would actually be played.

They’d been informed that there was a chance that the game was in danger of being called off because of the bad weather and state of the Prenton Park pitch. But on the off chance that the predicted heavy downpours sidestepped Birkenhead, they had to begin the 200-mile trip regardless and be ready to play.

It wasn’t until around 2pm. when they’d travelled nearly the full distance, that the call came and news circulated around the bus. Headphones were slipped off as players heard of the postponement, music tracks, games on consoles, laptops and games of Uno were paused momentarily.

For the squad, which included many of the young players who’d been given an opportunity to impress in the original tie, there was a feeling of disappointment. New Brazilian signing Joao Pedro — who made his debut in the first meeting — was due to start the game and had asked for prayers from his legion of social media followers prior to the news. Divine intervention couldn’t help. For others on the periphery of the first team, like Isaac Success and Andre Gray, linked with moves away during this transfer window, a chance to impress onlooking managers and scouts was missed, for the time being at least.

 

Easy done, give the lower seed the choice. As I’m sure your right as it’s been done before with small clubs moving the game to old Trafford and the likes. But if we were drawn with say Newcastle and we’re below them in the league I’m pretty sure we’d take the home tie.


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What's ludicrous is that we have two domestic cup competitions.

I suggest the the EFL Cup is killed off, it was only added in 1961 but not taken seriously until the 70s and since the Premier League era it has become less important.

I also think that the FA Cup needs a shake up, i.e. only open to clubs in the top 6 tiers. By doing so the qualifying rounds can be shortened and the first round proper can be played earlier than mid-November as it is now.

 

The FA Cup has always been about romance. But in the face of commercialisation and 'money talks' it has become tarnished and of increasing irrelevance. So there is now a choice.

If things remain as they are then the competition will further diminish given ridiculous situations like us now potentially having to play four matches in nine days whilst regularly going whole fortnights without any matches at all. The bigger clubs will obviously continue to offer seriously depleted teams if that continues and there will be resentment leading to the competition being further diminished.

The simplest solution is to preclude the possibility of replays certainly from the 3rd rd proper. Whilst those replays might offer a 'big day out' and be a potential money-spinner for smaller clubs they won't if the competition is further marginalised or ceases to exist.

 

Last time I was at the Vic which is a few years my ticket was emailed.
I printed it, fold at the lines which brought down to ticket size and scan at gate.

 

So if we got to the league cup final you wouldnt go? If we got to the final and won it, it wouldnt be the greatest day of every watford fan's football life?

We've won precisely **** all in well over a 100 years. And you want to reduce the chances of us winning anything even more?

 

Have you seen our record in this competition? We've lost 10 matches in the last 10 years.

 

One day when we are properly established in the P.L. maybe we will take it seriously one season, we did reach the semi's a couple of times V Notts Forest and V Liverpool!

 

So Watford are going to sell tickets for the potential 4th round match from tomorrow, and issue refunds if we get knocked out.

Sensible I guess!

 

They should also knock a couple of quid off per ticket for printing costs. Printer ink is more expensive than unicorn tears per ml!

 

I think that's the most sensible thing to do, however will be interesting to see if its a sell out, seeing as its on BT Sport and the actual match not known if its actually on until 2/3 days before will put some fans off I expect!

 

Not true - we were League One champions in 1998, that's pretty much as prestigious as winning the Kakapo Cup or whatever.