Telegram Sam
15 years ago
5 months ago
5,082
Premium
The FA Cup final has been moved back to it's traditional place at the end of the domestic season. Nice to see the FA actually listen to the fans from time to time.

The FA Cup final has been returned to its historic place at the end of the domestic season, with the Football Association acknowledging pressure from fans and the media over the timing of the showpiece.

In recent seasons, the game has lost some of its gloss. In 2011, Manchester City's match with Stoke began as Manchester United were celebrating their Premier League title win at Blackburn, and over the last two seasons the game has been forced to share the spotlight with a weekend programme of top-flight matches.

In May, the euphoria of Wigan Athletic beating Manchester City was quickly replaced by the desolation of relegation.

However, after the release of the new season's fixtures, the FA confirmed the final will be played on 17 May, a week after the Premier League season has concluded.

The FA general secretary Alex Horne said: "We're well aware that fans and media have been calling for The FA Cup final to have a day to itself and we're delighted that this is going to happen for 2014."

The FA has also been criticised for the early evening kick-offs over the past two seasons, particularly this year, when both competing clubs were from the north-west and were unable to get trains home. There has been no word whether this trend will continue.

However, with the latest instalment of the world's oldest cup competition due to begin on 17 August with the extra preliminary round, Horne feels a step in the right direction has been taken.

"It's the first time we've managed to get the FA Cup final a standalone date since Chelsea v Portsmouth in 2010," he said.

"There have been various reasons for that, not least the two Champions League finals at Wembley Stadium which have been fantastic occasions and required huge resources and a massive buildup time behind the scenes."
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
Surely the next step is returning to a reasonable kick-off time, rather than the stupidity of making it a perfect warm-up for Britain's Got Talent.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 week ago
2,496
I'd like it played at eleven in the morning, because fuck America.
Slashman X
17 years ago
4 months ago
6,000
Premium
They didn't 'listen to the fans', it's just that there's no Olympics or CL Final to worry about this year
2D Pitch FM
17 years ago
7 months ago
397
By Fantastic | Permalink | On 19 June 2013 - 14:06 PM
I'd like it played at eleven in the morning, because fuck America.



Glad they've moved it back to the end of season. Hope Wigan win it again.
BR.
17 years ago
2 years ago
1,896
By Tarrantino | Permalink | On 24 June 2013 - 16:35 PM
Glad they've moved it back to the end of season. Hope Wigan win it again.


Not United?
Dutton
17 years ago
1 month ago
1,101
Blaze
17 years ago
1 year ago
248
I'm backing Blyth Spartans to win it this year
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
The FA Cup is returning to BBC from 2014-15 season for four years.

Brilliant news.
Crane
14 years ago
3 weeks ago
2,432
Premium
Thank God, can't stand ITV's football coverage.
KEZ_7
17 years ago
13 hours ago
1,875
Yeah that's great, much prefer BBC
ianbaker
12 years ago
7 years ago
762
By KEZ_7 | Permalink | On 17 July 2013 - 12:23 PM
Yeah that's great, much prefer BBC

Big Black Cock?

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