At home to BLACKPOOL

[theyin]

when did the term "rather concentrate on the league" come into being. I suspect it's mostly people, and I in no way am talking down to them, that have grown up in the era of the PL. I think Man Utd and specifically SAF, or was it AW at Arsenal who first mooted the idea that the FA Cup was some kind of distraction.

I can't think of a single time prior to the PL that, say a manager or player being interviewed about an upcoming cup tie mentioned anything other than their utter excitement and commitment to the game ahead.

It's a sad indictment on our times that the foremost club competition in the world is considered such a burden. I could give an ounce of credence to a top four PL team vying for the title and European crown considering it a bit of an pain if their 25 man squad was somewhat depleted already, but the FA Cup remains special to those in the know simply because it is what football is all about. The game that can be played anywhere and between anyone, as typified by the odd decent cup run by teams from the lower leagues reaching far enough to pit themselves against the big guns.

I was 13-15 when we had our runs to the semis in the early-mid 80's. The excitement and anticipation going to those games was something I'll always remember.

No matter we're in the third div now (sorry still that way to me), I hope our lads give it everything. They'll come at us hammer and tongs, if RL has his day, a couple balls over the top to him might just see us through ....and kick start his season.

Ok that last bit may be a bit hopeful but you never know

[suewhistle]

I doubt if it's Blackpool in themselves that are creating apathy, it's what they represent, a side who were in the same league as us not 2 full seasons ago,probably considered as inferior to us at that time because many thought we'd finish above them.We look at where we are and where they are

and it brings about a certain train of thought at least if not self pity.

 

Good point..

[Turkish]

Good point..

 

Hi Sue.

[doddisalegend]

when did the term "rather concentrate on the league" come into being. I suspect it's mostly people, and I in no way am talking down to them, that have grown up in the era of the PL. I think Man Utd and specifically SAF, or was it AW at Arsenal who first mooted the idea that the FA Cup was some kind of distraction.

I can't think of a single time prior to the PL that, say a manager or player being interviewed about an upcoming cup tie mentioned anything other than their utter excitement and commitment to the game ahead.

It's a sad indictment on our times that the foremost club competition in the world is considered such a burden. I could give an ounce of credence to a top four PL team vying for the title and European crown considering it a bit of an pain if their 25 man squad was somewhat depleted already, but the FA Cup remains special to those in the know simply because it is what football is all about. The game that can be played anywhere and between anyone, as typified by the odd decent cup run by teams from the lower leagues reaching far enough to pit themselves against the big guns.

I was 13-15 when we had our runs to the semis in the early-mid 80's. The excitement and anticipation going to those games was something I'll always remember.

No matter we're in the third div now (sorry still that way to me), I hope our lads give it everything. They'll come at us hammer and tongs, if RL has his day, a couple balls over the top to him might just see us through ....and kick start his season.

Ok that last bit may be a bit hopeful but you never know

 

This^^^^^

[Thedelldays]

promotion is what this season is all about

 

i would be seriously ****ed off if lallana broke his leg in the blackpool game...

[Andy_Porter]

promotion is what this season is all about

 

i would be seriously ****ed off if lallana broke his leg in the blackpool game...

 

If it happens, it happens. I see the point you're making but on the other side of the coin we could play a full strength team Lambert could get a hat-trick which kicks him back into the form we know he's capable of.

 

If someone is carrying a knock leave them out, otherwise it should be our best eleven. I doubt Lallana would be happy to sit in the stands rather than get a chance to test himself against PL opposition.

[Window Cleaner]

promotion is what this season is all about

 

i would be seriously ****ed off if lallana broke his leg in the blackpool game...

 

probably won't even play, might not even still be here.

[Saintmike666]

Not sure if its been mentioned, but Lambert started at Blackpool and was released. So I'm sure he will be up for it and if he gets a goal or two will boost his confidence which by then hopefully he will have back anyway.

[doddisalegend]

promotion is what this season is all about

 

i would be seriously ****ed off if lallana broke his leg in the blackpool game...

 

That could happen in any game though. I don't get the one or the other attitude clubs should be able to do both I'll take the FA cup and promotion please.

[Andy_Porter]

That could happen in any game though. I don't get the one or the other attitude clubs should be able to do both I'll take the FA cup and promotion please.

 

Especially considering we could get United, Arsenal etc away in the next round and probably make the best part of 1.5m from a game.

[VectisSaint]

This is just it. Frankly it's embarassing to be playing a home game against Blackpool with us as the underdogs and potential giant killers. If we win it wouldn't be something to sing about, if we lose it'd just depress me thinking we lost to a noddy club like Blackpool.

But this sums up some folks attititude in a nutshell. Probably only aware of football since the Premier League existed (or is it the EPL?) and think that Blackpool are a noddy club. They are frankly as big as us, have a similar record and before the world as some know it post Sky were for a while a massive club. No sense of history or of the magic of the FA Cup. Just because it was before you (and me for that matter) were born that Blackpool were one of the biggest clubs in the country, does not make them noddy, only that they have had a lean spell, much like we are experiencing at the moment. We need a few more seasons in the top flight to match their record, so who is the big club? In my view, we are actually very similar in terms of our historical success, and as things stand right now, they are 2 divisions above us.

[Thedelldays]

That could happen in any game though. I don't get the one or the other attitude clubs should be able to do both I'll take the FA cup and promotion please.

 

it could....but for it to happen in a game that means nothing in our aims this season would be harder to take...

[aintforever]

I think the cup can be a distraction, if we were a Prem or Championship team with a chance of going far it's worth bothering about but for us the only important thing is promotion.

 

We already have a nice rearranged midweek trek up to Oldham thanks to the FA Cup, we need any extra injuries/suspensions like a hole in the head.

[Chez]

or "Armstrong,Moran, yessss" 1984

"Stokes,he's onside..1-0" okay its more than three words but who cares.

 

FA ****ing cup

brilliant.

[Chez]

promotion is what this season is all about

 

i would be seriously ****ed off if lallana broke his leg in the blackpool game...

 

last years cup run paid for Barney

[Big John]

last years cup run paid for Barney

 

and some of the policing bill.

 

Anyone not up for a decent cup run imo is missing the whole point of going to watch their team play; 11 men versus 11 men and anything can happen, some of these norherners can't handle our south coast climate you know.

 

Anyway, I expect many 'pool fans are saying the same ie 'cup is a distrraction that we do not need' and for that reason they deserve to be walloped by a minnow like us.

 

What is Ian H's record at SMS, does anyone know? I only remember the visit with Leicester a couple of years back when on a cold miserable evening.

[John B]

Most of my best memories of SFC are associated with Cups

 

Beating Man Gity and Ipswich in the early 1960s

 

The Cup Run in 1963

 

The European Nights at the Dell

 

1976

 

The Trip to Anderlecht in 1977

 

The Semi final and Final in 1978/9

 

The Semi Finals in the 1980s

 

The XDS Final

 

The Final in 2003

 

The JPT in 2010

 

So I will be looking forward to beating Blackpool in January as well

[Big John]

/\

exactly

 

 

playing in the first round for the first time in donkeys ears, although a stark reminder that we are not the force that we once were is still a very unique feeling.

 

I bet not one of the Dover squad have taken their eye off of beating last seasons play-off finale but i bet they would not swap you the away win against Andy Hessenthaller's Gillingham right now. They wrote a little bit of club history on that day.

 

i heard yesterday that the FA are gonna award a new 'minnow' award for each round, awarded to the player who emulates the feat of Ray Crawford's (iirc) winner against table topping Leeds back in the seventies. I can see a few saints players looking to get their hands on that with a hat-trick perhaps or penalty save in the dying minutes.

[Chez]

can and will ex prem sides, even in div 3 ever be regarded as minows?

[docker-p]

when did the term "rather concentrate on the league" come into being. I suspect it's mostly people, and I in no way am talking down to them, that have grown up in the era of the PL. I think Man Utd and specifically SAF, or was it AW at Arsenal who first mooted the idea that the FA Cup was some kind of distraction.

I can't think of a single time prior to the PL that, say a manager or player being interviewed about an upcoming cup tie mentioned anything other than their utter excitement and commitment to the game ahead.

It's a sad indictment on our times that the foremost club competition in the world is considered such a burden. I could give an ounce of credence to a top four PL team vying for the title and European crown considering it a bit of an pain if their 25 man squad was somewhat depleted already, but the FA Cup remains special to those in the know simply because it is what football is all about. The game that can be played anywhere and between anyone, as typified by the odd decent cup run by teams from the lower leagues reaching far enough to pit themselves against the big guns.

I was 13-15 when we had our runs to the semis in the early-mid 80's. The excitement and anticipation going to those games was something I'll always remember.

No matter we're in the third div now (sorry still that way to me), I hope our lads give it everything. They'll come at us hammer and tongs, if RL has his day, a couple balls over the top to him might just see us through ....and kick start his season.

Ok that last bit may be a bit hopeful but you never know

Some good points.

The demise of the FA Cup can certainly be traced to the foundation of the Premier league, (or Year Zero, before which no football statistic was relevant). When I was first watching cup football in the 70's crowds would increase for cup games rather than diminish.

One way or rectifying that situation is giving a champions league place to the winner, something that the FA could do if they so wished, but don't hold your breath waiting for the Premier League to agree to that.

[Big John]

can and will ex prem sides, even in div 3 ever be regarded as minows?

 

perhaps not to many within their own fanbase but would we consider Leeds last season as giant killers, personally i think it was.

 

minnows, perhaps not but deffo punching above our weight against Blackpool.

[Charlie Wayman]

They've got Brett Ormerod! Sh*t!

[Charlie Wayman]

Some good points.

The demise of the FA Cup can certainly be traced to the foundation of the Premier league, (or Year Zero, before which no football statistic was relevant). When I was first watching cup football in the 70's crowds would increase for cup games rather than diminish.

One way or rectifying that situation is giving a champions league place to the winner, something that the FA could do if they so wished, but don't hold your breath waiting for the Premier League to agree to that.

 

The only way to square the pitch and make it interesting for the rest of us is for premier league and championship sides to be restricted to British born players

[Window Cleaner]

The only way to square the pitch and make it interesting for the rest of us is for premier league and championship sides to be restricted to British born players

 

but that would be restriction of trade, you know you can't do that.

[spyinthesky]

I can remember a Cup Tie as a youngster v Blackpool when I think Stanley Matthews (the Beckham of his day) played against Tommy Traynor.

 

Think we lost 2-1

 

They had a mascot (old chap with a brolly) who had a pet duck that waggled around in the goal mouth.

 

We had Bill Bray with his rattle. Any one remember him?

 

2-4-6-8 who you you appreciate.

 

Oh the memories!!

[krissyboy31]

If I remember correctly it absolutely teamed with rain before and during the 1976 game. I remember standing directly behind the goal, near the wall in the Milton, standing water coming over my adidas trainers and being completely soaked to the skin (Ah, the magic of the cup!!). We won 3-1 but I don't really remember much about the actual game.

[Smirking_Saint]

Should be a good test but in all honesty we should be quite easily dealt with.

 

2-0 Blackpool.

 

Would have loved it away though.

[Saints67]

Should be a good test but in all honesty we should be quite easily dealt with.

 

2-0 Blackpool.

 

Would have loved it away though.

 

I disagree. last nights Carling Cup match between the Hammers and Man U showed that a motivated side can out-play a side that has had wholesale changes thrust upon it. we have home advantage, we're (currently) reasonably well placed in league 1 and we should play with our first team. I feel Blackpool will be looking to stay in the Prem and the FA Cup will be a side issue they'd rather not have. I'm not saying it'll be easy as Holloway seems to get something extra out of his players but we have nothing to fear from Blackpool.

[Lets B Avenue]

If I remember correctly it absolutely teamed with rain before and during the 1976 game. I remember standing directly behind the goal, near the wall in the Milton, standing water coming over my adidas trainers and being completely soaked to the skin (Ah, the magic of the cup!!). We won 3-1 but I don't really remember much about the actual game.

 

We also played them in 74, whilst we were still a 1st div side, again in the 3rd round. I think that game was played in rain as I was on the Milton. saints won 2-1 and Paul Bennett scored from 30 yds.

[Window Cleaner]

We also played them in 74, whilst we were still a 1st div side, again in the 3rd round. I think that game was played in rain as I was on the Milton. saints won 2-1 and Paul Bennett scored from 30 yds.

 

must be old age creeping on but I just don't remember the rain in that 4th round game, I remember Saints scoring very early on though,perhaps I was at the back of the Milton that day, under the choccy boxes so didn't get wet and not remember the rain.

[Lets B Avenue]

must be old age creeping on but I just don't remember the rain in that 4th round game, I remember Saints scoring very early on though,perhaps I was at the back of the Milton that day, under the choccy boxes so didn't get wet and not remember the rain.

 

I dont think it rained that day in 76 either. But by that time I had "gravitated" to under the West Stand.

[Window Cleaner]

I dont think it rained that day in 76 either. But by that time I had "gravitated" to under the West Stand.

 

I did as well when I started getting a bit of a salary but I gravitated back again, I liked the Milton.

[WokingSaint]

Stanley Matthews was not the Beckham of his day! Matthews was a real winger - Beckham is a wide Midfield player. World of difference in my view. Can't think of anyone now I would call a real winger.

[theyin]

I can remember a Cup Tie as a youngster v Blackpool when I think Stanley Matthews (the Beckham of his day) played against Tommy Traynor.

 

Think we lost 2-1

 

They had a mascot (old chap with a brolly) who had a pet duck that waggled around in the goal mouth.

 

We had Bill Bray with his rattle. Any one remember him?

 

2-4-6-8 who you you appreciate.

 

Oh the memories!!

 

you'll like this then

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=30721

(posted already on page two)

[The9]

Stanley Matthews was not the Beckham of his day! Matthews was a real winger - Beckham is a wide Midfield player. World of difference in my view. Can't think of anyone now I would call a real winger.

 

Aaron Lennon ?

[Smirking_Saint]

Robben ?

 

Ashley Young ?

[John Boy Saint]

Well I think it's a great tie as we have friends down the road who hail from them parts, so until the game there will be a bit of friendly banter from us down to the kids in both families.

[man-of-raisin]

Hi, Blackpool fan.

 

Some interesting views on here.

 

Personally, not a bad draw for you guys at all - home and very winnable as some of you have said. Ollie is likely to make a lot of changes, like at Villa, which weakens the side from our perspective ... but they still try to play the same way so you should see a good open game.

 

General opinion on our site was a bad draw for us. Every chance of a defeat, and a long way to go as well, so don't expect a good turnout from us ... possibly less than 1,000.

 

Cheers.

[sandwichsaint]

must be old age creeping on but I just don't remember the rain in that 4th round game, I remember Saints scoring very early on though,perhaps I was at the back of the Milton that day, under the choccy boxes so didn't get wet and not remember the rain.

 

I saw this game too, can't remember if it actually rained during the game but I remember it was an absolute glue-pot of a pitch, the sort you just don't see now.

 

Me, my dad and bro had seats in the West Stand down the Archers end and I remember it cos it was one of the first games we ever had seats at and that was a very rare treat indeed to go 'in the stands', seats being both more expensive and hard to get hold of.

 

Guess those were the days when season ticket holders 'had until Wednesday' to buy their own seats - I can only apologise if we were sat in your ST seat that day....

 

 

(I'm not a ST holder, never have been, prob never likely to be ... why oh why can't Saints sell ST holders their 'own seat' for cup games? ... that can't be too hard via an electronic db surely?

They used to manage perfectly well with telephones, letters, and hard-printed tickets .. I just don't get why they continue to choose to upset a certain section of their fanbase?)

[John B]

Most of my best memories of SFC are associated with Cups

 

Beating Man Gity and Ipswich in the early 1960s

 

The Cup Run in 1963

 

The European Nights at the Dell

 

1976

 

The Trip to Anderlecht in 1977

 

The Semi final and Final in 1978/9

 

The Semi Finals in the 1980s

 

The XDS Final

 

The Final in 2003

 

The JPT in 2010

 

So I will be looking forward to beating Blackpool in January as well

 

Well Blackpool Beaten now Man U

 

As a teenager I remember Denis Law in 1963 and George Best in 1964 lets hope the youngsters of today will have great memories of Rooney and Ferdinand nearly fifty years later