Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

A bit late on the uptake but the 1st Round draw was done 4 weeks ago

Some decent ties have cropped up, a couple of derbys but also David v Goliath ties which may see some decent crowds.

Oldham v Middlesbrough
Shrewsbury v Blackpool
Sheffield Wednesday v Notts County
Tranmere v Nottingham Forest
Leeds v Accrington
Bolton v Bury
Rochdale v Preston
Rotherham v Fleetwood
Carlisle v Derby
Port Vale v Hartlepool
Morecambe v Bradford
Barnsley v Crewe
Chesterfield v Huddersfield
Blackburn v Scunthorpe
Burton v Wigan
York v Doncaster
Sheffield United v Mansfield
Reading v Newport
Bristol City v Oxford
Brighton v Cheltenham
Coventry v Cardiff
Luton v Swindon
Dagenham & Redbridge v Brentford
Charlton v Colchester
Crawley v Ipswich
Wolves v Northampton
Yeovil v Gillingham
MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon
Exeter v Bournemouth
Stevenage v Watford
Plymouth v Leyton Orient
Birmingham v Cambridge
Portsmouth v Peterborough
Millwall v Wycombe
Southend v Walsall

Just noticed that the donkeys are playing wimbledon. Could be feisty.

I'm not a big fan of the 1st round being played days after the season starts, it would be pushed back 2-3 weeks if I were in charge.

I hope Koeman tries to win it, I hate us playing weakened teams in the cups, its a competition we are capable of winning/challenging for.

Liked it two years ago when the League Cup started one week before the League season started, made for a good curtain raiser.

Alviro Patterson wrote:Liked it two years ago when the League Cup started one week before the League season started, made for a good curtain raiser.

I don't remember that, must of been our 1st season back in the Prem, would of remembered if Saints were involved.

I'll be honest...if they scrapped this competition tomorrow I wouldn't miss it.

I never warmed to the League Cup, always felt the FA Cup was the one to win (rightly so) and the LC was just a Mickey Mouse tournament. This was even more so when teams began fielding a bunch of reserves in the 90's.

Aidan11 wrote:I'll be honest...if they scrapped this competition tomorrow I wouldn't miss it.

I never warmed to the League Cup, always felt the FA Cup was the one to win (rightly so) and the LC was just a Mickey Mouse tournament. This was even more so when teams began fielding a bunch of reserves in the 90's.

I can see your point, but I bet the Bradford,Swansea, Sunderland and other "smaller" clubs who have all had a day at Wembley would dis-agree.

SaintPowelly wrote:

Aidan11 wrote:I'll be honest...if they scrapped this competition tomorrow I wouldn't miss it.

I never warmed to the League Cup, always felt the FA Cup was the one to win (rightly so) and the LC was just a Mickey Mouse tournament. This was even more so when teams began fielding a bunch of reserves in the 90's.

I can see your point, but I bet the Bradford,Swansea, Sunderland and other "smaller" clubs who have all had a day at Wembley would dis-agree.

I can understand that. I'd probably see it differently if Hartlepool won it (please?). That's the one difference as the FA Cup mostly gets won by the big half dozen clubs these days.

The league cup has it's place. Good for lower league teams to get some revenue, and obviously some glory, the bigger clubs to field the youngsters, and for the fans, a day out at wembley.

SaintPowelly wrote:

Alviro Patterson wrote:Liked it two years ago when the League Cup started one week before the League season started, made for a good curtain raiser.

I don't remember that, must of been our 1st season back in the Prem, would of remembered if Saints were involved.

The 2012/13 season started a fortnight later than usual due to the Olympics, eventually the Football League gave clubs a choice whether to have their 1st Round League Cup match on a weekend afternoon or a midweek evening. There was some very respectable attendances for the weekend afternoon games, Leeds v Shrewsbury attracted almost 20,000.

SaintPowelly wrote:

Aidan11 wrote:I'll be honest...if they scrapped this competition tomorrow I wouldn't miss it.

I never warmed to the League Cup, always felt the FA Cup was the one to win (rightly so) and the LC was just a Mickey Mouse tournament. This was even more so when teams began fielding a bunch of reserves in the 90's.

I can see your point, but I bet the Bradford,Swansea, Sunderland and other "smaller" clubs who have all had a day at Wembley would dis-agree.

I'd go as far as saying Bradford's League Cup run was better than the Premier League years.

An idea I had for the League Cup would be to stop clubs in either the CL or CL and Europa from participating, its probably an awful idea, but in my head it would work.

A workmanlike victory for Bradford City against Morecambe who were stubborn to break down. Bit of a smash and grab goal by Aaron McLean who apparently handled the ball into the net upon tumbling towards goal.

Even though it was 18 months Bradford were last at Morecambe as a League Two side, the quality of football was significantly different with some beautiful passing play. Makes me grateful that City are no longer in that godforsaken avoid to lose anti-football mentality League Two.

Bournemouth changed all 11 players last night from the team that beat Huddersfield on Saturday.

Mickey Mouse cup.