Unimportant Cup draw

We have Portsmouth at home.

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That’s the end of that then…:grinning:

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Pity was hoping we might play Clarke’s former club Bristol rovers at home just to give the game a little more significance…

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Can’t complain with a home draw, last season’s finalists and a proper football club. Just go for it, nowt to lose, If we go 2-0 down I’m putting £20 on.

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Crap draw, let’s hope they play their kids.

Another club that didn’t pay their debts and got away with it.

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Hope I manage to get a ticket.

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Think we will be up for this one having not attended an EFL cup game so far.
But only if the club can guarantee they will have at least 20 balti pies to fight over amongst a crowd of maybe 1200.

This still only 3rd round? Pretty sure in 14/15 it was already quarter final up at Tranmere and then the semi final was in early Jan.

Edit: Pompey are the holders of this so assume they’ll put a decent team out.

It’s strictly first come first served…:grinning:

I shall be attending. Does that make me more of a fan than all of yow? :joy:

It means you’re a Walsall fan, but not a football fan. I think. I need to re-read the other thread.

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Had an interesting conversation (at least I thought so) with another Saddler about this recently.

I haven’t attended a EFL Trophy game since they introduced U21’s and I wouldn’t go to Wembley if we reached the final because I feel the competition in it’s current form devalues my club and the integrity of the pyramid system.

It’s always nice to hear the reserves or youth sides are doing well, but I support Walsall FC’s senior team first and foremost, so I hate to see us placed in a competition with the development teams of fellow professional clubs (especially local ones).

However, as my friend pointed out, we ourselves have been fielding reserve/youth teams in various regional cup competitions for donkey’s years, so where is the distinction? If local non-league clubs are happy to go toe-to-toe with young professionals and fringe players, why can’t I cope with Walsall facing Premiership academy sides?

Either way, the money generated from the competition so far will hopefully help us to avoid slipping to a league level where we don’t even qualify for it.

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This is correct. Like when we played at Rushall t’other night

To be fair, I don’t go to those games or really care about them either.

Also, I don’t think there is any chance L1/2 sides start entering youth sides into the league pyramid, which in my opinion is exactly what is being trialed with the Johnsons Leasing Tin Pot Cup.

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Agree. Even if you can cope with the current format you have to wonder how long they will wait before trying to introduce it to the league structure. That said, having gauged reaction to the existing format surely even the EFL will realise that would be a bad idea.

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It has been a miss with fans but the fans themselves don’t get to vote, rather it is their clubs.

And their clubs are enjoying the financial benefits of the competition. In PL terms these benefits are mere crumbs but for a club like us, since the format was changed it has been a far more lucrative competition than the league cup.

You do worry that it is a dystopian vision of the future. Participation fees and game by game prize money compensating for the lack of supporters. Throw in the money saved by only needing to open a fifth of your ground then if money rather than sport is king, then it works.

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All games played at the training ground but screened on Amazon, with crowd noise pumped in based on the volume of Facebook likes received.

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Virtual commentary a la FIFA. Martin Tyler and Alan Smith having recorded 10,000 variations.

Bescot looks full but on closer inspection every tenth person is exactly the same.

The attendance published in the papers is actually viewers. Manchester United get 3.4m through the virtual gate every week. Walsall get 10,000 (5,500 Away fans).

Oh god. This will happen won’t it?

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At least we’ll be able to get a drink at half time.

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