"That's the Magic of the FA Cup"
Just how many times did we hear the BBC commentators, programme hosts and pundits say that whilst banging on about this dead competition that real football fans now care so little about in a vain attempt to big it up?
The "Magic" is how the FA Cup has made so many hard core supporters disappear from matches over recent years!
Half of the games played on Saturday 7th January 2016 were in front of just 50% - 70% of the usual normal average attendance for a home league game.
The live game yesterday between Tottenham and Aston Villa had just one 'attempt' on goal in 45 minutes and that was by the side that had just 28% of the possession in those 45 minutes - Aston Villa.
It was so bad I turned it off!
Most of this stems from managers fielding weaker teams.
Top prize for this lunacy goes to Bournemouth's Eddie Howe.
The Bournemouth boss, changed his entire team for the 3-0 defeat at League One side Millwall.
One for stat fans and quizmasters - Bournemouth are the first Premier League team to lose an away FA Cup match by three goals to a side from the third tier or below.
A Bournemouth fan tweeted:
"Wish he had told me before I wasted my money coming up here, but there again they obviously don't give a toss about the fans."
If the FA Cup wants to be taken seriously by real football fans the prize needs to be such that the big clubs field their strongest teams. If a Champions League space was available to the FA Cup winners, then it would be treated more seriously.
But I am not sure how Man City, Arsenal, Spurs and Man Utd would react to losing their "Get out of jail free card" even with a potential back-up plan. If the team that won the Cup had already qualified for the Champions League by finishing 3rd or higher, then the Cup place could revert to the 4th placed team.
Cardiff Manager Neil Warnock agrees with me. At least he had the decency to tell fans he was playing a weak team before the match!
My own team QPR had an attendance of just 7,292 some 49% down on the average home attendance this season and 5,918 fewer than the corresponding league match in September 2016. Which is not unsurprising as Rangers have failed to get past the 3rd round of the FA cup (without a reply) for 20 years!
