Mazzy Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 One of the worst ties in this round is Man United vs Brighton and it'll still be on TV. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 Lots of heavy hitters going out this round. Win it and we’re in a good spot with some easy potential draws for another round or two. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDog Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 20 minutes ago, cubaricho said: Lots of heavy hitters going out this round. Win it and we’re in a good spot with some easy potential draws for another round or two. Yup, and you're at home so no excuse to not make it happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 (edited) Bournemouth at home in the cup was one of the worst football experiences of my childhood. My dad took me and a few of my mates (from memory they had reduced tickets that day), and we lost on pens to what seemed like the shittest team imaginable. Latter-stage Ossie NUFC really was grim. Edit: just checked because I thought it was late in Ardiles’ time, then thought I might have misremembered and it was the year before. But it was definitely 1992. Edited December 9, 2025 by TheBrownBottle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54 Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 Genuinely think thats the worst draw possible, I guess it could be away so maybe not, but its a boring tie that is also pretty difficult Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenlau88210 Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 Lol if we are not good enough to beat them at home then probably will actually be good to exit early and focus on other fronts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 5 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: Bournemouth at home in the cup was one of the worst football experiences of my childhood. My dad took me and a few of my mates (from memory they had reduced tickets that day), and we lost on pens to what seemed like the shittest team imaginable. Latter-stage Ossie NUFC really was grim. Edit: just checked because I thought it was late in Ardiles’ time, then thought I might have misremembered and it was the year before. But it was definitely 1992. Bournemouth away however (the original tie) was quite the experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 Third round should be seeded with the lower seed given the home tie. Similar to the DFB pokal in Germany and non of these boring games between teams in the same division. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 I like that it's just a pure 'no-frills' straight knockout where anything can happen. In the scenario you describe above you'd end up with just the top teams left in the comp in the 4th round, maybe one or two lower sides sneaking through. When lots of PL clubs play each other it opens the door for a smaller club to reach the semi's or even the final. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 1 minute ago, Benwell Lad said: Third round should be seeded with the lower seed given the home tie. Similar to the DFB pokal in Germany and non of these boring games between teams in the same division. Hmmmm. I would go for top 4 divisions all enter together at round 1. If teams are in different divisions then the lower team gets home advantage. Im not sure how your seeding would work, would it stop Man City V Liverpool in the first draw ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 24 minutes ago, madras said: Bournemouth away however (the original tie) was quite the experience. What happened down there? I’d only just started being taken to aways by my dad and uncle. The one that sticks in the mind is going down to Barnsley and getting thumped by them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Benwell Lad said: Third round should be seeded with the lower seed given the home tie. Similar to the DFB pokal in Germany and non of these boring games between teams in the same division. They’ve fucked around with the FA Cup enough for my liking. The only change I reckon has been for the better has been getting rid of multiple replays - but the general abolition of replays I don’t like. I don’t want to see seeding at all - it’s a competition which is a century and a half old. Just pull numbered balls out of a bag and you get who you get. I’m perfectly happy for a bunch of top flight teams knocking each other out in the third round - seeding is just additional pandering to the wealthy clubs. Edited December 9, 2025 by TheBrownBottle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejeck Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 5 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: Bournemouth at home in the cup was one of the worst football experiences of my childhood. My dad took me and a few of my mates (from memory they had reduced tickets that day), and we lost on pens to what seemed like the shittest team imaginable. Latter-stage Ossie NUFC really was grim. Edit: just checked because I thought it was late in Ardiles’ time, then thought I might have misremembered and it was the year before. But it was definitely 1992. Yep, was at that game. Agree, thoroughly grim and depressing experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 No sporting competition should be seeded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 4 minutes ago, Sima said: No sporting competition should be seeded. I can’t back the FA Cup being changed, I feel far less strongly about the League Cup though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 22 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: They’ve fucked around with the FA Cup enough for my liking. The only change I reckon has been for the better has been getting rid of multiple replays - but the general abolition of replays I don’t like. I don’t want to see seeding at all - it’s a competition which is a century and a half old. Just pull numbered balls out of a bag and you get who you get. I’m perfectly happy for a bunch of top flight teams knocking each other out in the third round - seeding is just additional pandering to the wealthy clubs. I'd actually see it as the opposite. Smaller clubs guaranteed a home draw against a bigger club. I could only see non league clubs and lower league sides welcoming it and the wealthy clubs not. Not really pandering to them. In general I agree, don't fuck about too much. Anyway it's not going to happen The world cup, for example, is reaching farcical levels of fucking aboutery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 1 minute ago, Benwell Lad said: I'd actually see it as the opposite. Smaller clubs guaranteed a home draw against a bigger club. I could only see non league clubs and lower league sides welcoming it and the wealthy clubs not. Not really pandering to them. In general I agree, don't fuck about too much. Anyway it's not going to happen The world cup, for example, is reaching farcical levels of fucking aboutery. The WC is a joke tbf - neither nowt nor something. They might as well abolish qualifying for that parcel and just invite everyone. At least it would be less disruptive. For lower league sides, the dream draw is away and not at home to a bigger side - the players and fans get their day out, the club gets half the gate money. Seeding would 100% suit the bigger clubs as it would guarantee an easier tie and therefore they would know they could rotate. Liverpool don’t want to play Man Utd in the third round - they’re not worried about playing Barnet away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 (edited) 41 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: What happened down there? I’d only just started being taken to aways by my dad and uncle. The one that sticks in the mind is going down to Barnsley and getting thumped by them. It was a very drunken day with my boss to be pushing coppers out the way so he could take a run at a 12ft wall to try to get into the ground. We'd been out the night before and got the first train South that morning for more beers. Terrace banter with an inflatable Brown ale bottle that lead to a few injuries, Tommy Wright smiling at us mid game and shaking his head in disbelief, wandering round a sex shop just outside the ground while waiting for a taxi, Vodka and kia ora on the train back. Barnsley I remember for not having a shot let alone a shot on target and some of their fans telling us "its easy to support a big club" and my mates worst ever attempt at a Yorkshire accent to get into a bar. Edited December 9, 2025 by madras Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 2 minutes ago, madras said: It was a very drunken day with my boss to he pushing coppers out the way so he could take a run at a 12ft wall to try to get into the ground. We'd been out the night before and got the first train South that morning for more beers. Terrace banter with an inflatable Brown ale bottle that lead to a few injuries, Tommy Wright smiling at us mid game and shaking his head in disbelief, wandering round a sex shop just outside the ground while waiting for a taxi, Vodka and kia ora on the train back. Barnsley I remember for not having a shot let alone a shot on target and some of their fans telling us "its easy to support a big club" and my mates worst ever attempt at a Yorkshire accent to get into a bar. Class Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 43 minutes ago, madras said: Hmmmm. I would go for top 4 divisions all enter together at round 1. If teams are in different divisions then the lower team gets home advantage. Im not sure how your seeding would work, would it stop Man City V Liverpool in the first draw ? That's pretty much what I meant and how it works in Germany. Maybe "seeding" wasn't the right term Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 Just now, Benwell Lad said: That's pretty much what I meant and how it works in Germany. Maybe "seeding" wasn't the right term Id be open to persuasion on the lower club at home position as getting drawn away to a Premier league club could be financial lifeline for some. Definitely have all league clubs and possibly National league enter at the same stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinky Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 I feel really sorry for Weston Super Mare......drawn away to Grimsby for their first ever 3rd round appearance! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 2 minutes ago, Jinky said: I feel really sorry for Weston Super Mare......drawn away to Grimsby for their first ever 3rd round appearance! Yeah that's what started me thinking about it, and Brackley drawing Boreham Wood just before they kicked off their second round tie. Must have been a downer for them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 7 minutes ago, Jinky said: I feel really sorry for Weston Super Mare......drawn away to Grimsby for their first ever 3rd round appearance! They've had a Weston, that's for sure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted December 9, 2025 Share Posted December 9, 2025 It's a pisser that Weston Super Mare got such a shite draw but their equivalents get to host the holders. That's footy. The competition has been undermined enough without taking away the purest and simplest thing of all: the luck of the draw. Helping out the smaller teams by manufacturing a money-spinning tie is a noble endeavour but it's a bit disingenuous and overly beneficial to the top clubs too, who are being guaranteed a theoretically safer passage. There are better ways to trickle down the cash without undermining the FA Cup (again). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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