The 2011 FA Cup final thread.

[No Fixed Abode]

So this year the FA Cup final is being held on a day where there is a full programme of Premier League fixtures. 14th May.

It just doesn't seem right, does it?

[roadrunner]

No, not at all. It should be the very last fixture on the footballing calendar in my opinion. It's a show piece event, it doesn't feel right having it before the season's end. Same goes for the League Cup. Both should be at the end of the season.

[Svlad Cjelli]

And the semi-finals shouldn't be held at Wembley!

[Svlad Cjelli]

I also think that the future of FA cup replays is in real jeopardy.

If you want to know why, see here : http://www.endtoendstuff.net

[TBM]

So this year the FA Cup final is being held on a day where there is a full programme of Premier League fixtures. 14th May.

It just doesn't seem right, does it?

Why is this?

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Football League play-off finals on weekend of 21st/22nd (or so I presume)

Champions League Final on the Saturday the 28th

[No Fixed Abode]

Yeh - The FA will say it's due to the CL final. I'm sure it will only be a one off, but still! The FA Cup Final should be a week after the last game of the season no matter what.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

The FA Cup Final should be a week after the last game of the season no matter what.

Agreed.

I can see there being uproar if one of the teams in the FA Cup final is also involved in the title / relegation scrap and therefore has to move their final league game.

[soggy biscuit]

The FA Cup Final should be a week after the last game of the season no matter what.

Agreed.

I can see there being uproar if one of the teams in the FA Cup final is also involved in the title / relegation scrap and therefore has to move their final league game.

But all final league games of the season have to be played at the same time

[T.R.O.L.I.]

The FA Cup Final should be a week after the last game of the season no matter what.

Agreed.

I can see there being uproar if one of the teams in the FA Cup final is also involved in the title / relegation scrap and therefore has to move their final league game.

But all final league games of the season have to be played at the same time

Exactly the point I was making.

[No Fixed Abode]

I think the last game of the season is on the 22nd - so any rearranged fixtures will have to be played prior to that.

Once the semi's are out of the way - then the teams involved in the final(assuming they're prem teams) will have a few weeks to sort out the fixture they should have been playing on the 14th, which will obviously have to be play midweek.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Once the semi's are out of the way - then the teams involved in the final(assuming they're prem teams) will have a few weeks to sort out the fixture they should have been playing on the 14th, which will obviously have to be play midweek.

And therefore the teams that are in the Cup final will end up playing 3 games in 7 days - cue the whinging....

[Stranded]

This has happened before, wuth PL games being played after the FA cup and will do again. Unusual cirumstances with it being due to the CL Final but it'll happen due to a World Cup or Euros again in the future.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Yeah, I'm not liking this at all

There is a precedent, though --when Arsenal won the double in (the WC year of) '02, they won the Cup on 4th May and the league on the 8th, after which the season ended on the 11th

The fact that last summer was the WC precluded any possibility of the PL and the lower divisions from starting their seasons a week earlier than normal, which at least would have made possible flipflopping the FL play-off finals and the Cup final

But even that would've had the final day of the PL season and the Cup final all being played within a 24-hour frame

It's that CL final that totally and irretrievably f*cks everything up --without it, the FL play-off finals would be over the bank holiday weekend as normal, and the Cup final on the preceding Saturday the 21st (six days after the end of the PL season)

EDIT-- No wait, the PL season ends on Sunday the 22nd :rolleyes:

LOL @ the FA, PL, FL and UEFA contriving to run out of d8s in a month of 31 days

[paultheroyal]

Dont think its been mentioned but the only reason its happening this year and its a one off is that UEFA need a full weeks preparation in getting Wembley ready for the Champion League Final, and no other reason.

[Wax Jacket]

it's been mentioned

but the facts aren't going to get in the way of a moan

[SouthDownsRoyal]

So this year the FA Cup final is being held on a day where there is a full programme of Premier League fixtures. 14th May.

It just doesn't seem right, does it?

Shouldn't bother Chelsea fans

[No Fixed Abode]

So this year the FA Cup final is being held on a day where there is a full programme of Premier League fixtures. 14th May.

It just doesn't seem right, does it?

Shouldn't bother Chelsea fans

Well we have won it back to back m8.

[frimmers3]

i think spurs cornered that market.

[Victor Meldrew]

Dont think its been mentioned but the only reason its happening this year and its a one off is that UEFA need a full weeks preparation in getting Wembley ready for the Champion League Final, and no other reason.

They probably need more than a week to get that lousy pitch up to the standard needed to host a European Cup Final.