No longer do we get to travel to Villa Park to see our team in the FA Cup semi-finals, rather make the trek down to London to watch the match at Wembley. Not only does this spoil the excitement and magic of having the final held at the same venue as the semis, but it’s a massive inconvenience having to make the extra distance.
If you booked ahead for the match, you could have found a ticket for £66, however this would have to be on a specifically timed train. Given you won’t know what time you’re getting out of the ground or how long it will take to get to Euston, you could be forking out as much as £247 for an anytime return.
Whilst it may not be the common-held belief in this ABU nation that Manchester United fans happen to reside in Manchester, there will train/coach/bus/car loads of people making the journey down to the capital for the semi-final.
So why did the FA schedule it for a fucking Sunday late kick-off?
What makes the situation all the more ridiculous is that it is not just United fans making the journey from up North, but our opponents, Everton. If the match finishes within normal time (which will make it third time lucky given the extra-time we’ve played in our last two FA Cup finals) then it means fans wouldn’t be leaving until around 5.50pm. Add to that travel time, whether it’s the congested motorways or queues for the tube and trains, we’re pushing midnight before we get home. The fans of the team that win the trophy can add another hour or two to their journey.
Given the other semi-final is between two London teams, surely any Primary school child would be able to work out the more sensible thing to do would be to play the all Northern semi on the Saturday and the Chelsea-Arsenal semi on the Sunday.
Honestly, who are these people that run football in this country? Do they have to try extra hard to appear to have shit for brains or does it just come naturally to them?
Currently, they say they won’t budge, as the arrangements have been made with Setanta and Sky Sports, although they do insist there will be a “full rail operation in place to get fans home.” Fuck off. As if it could be so difficult to organise the swap. It’s not fucking rocket science.
I think the day sort of favors us since we will be playing our second leg Ch.League tie the previous Tuesday/Wednesday.As far as the FA goes?I best not speak.Scott i want you to touch upon another subject.The Aston Villa game.Currently it’s scheduled for Sunday 5/4 at 16:00.If we play the first quarter on Tuesday 7/4 the tie moves at Saturday 4/4 at 12:45.Both dates suck!The Sunday option is too close to a Wednesday quarter final especially if our first leg is away.On the other hand,the Saturday kick off is too close to the International fixtures from the previous week.If Tevez and Anderson have World cup qualifiers,scratch them off the Villa game.Are they that dependent on Sky and Setanta’s balls?Put it Saturday afternoon for dear God!