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Scottish Cup 4th Round 21/22 - who're you wanting?


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37 minutes ago, theoriginalhedge said:

Nah just good honest hospitality. If you have a season ticket at your place you'll get in for a fiver too. 

We thought about switching venues to get a bigger crowd but .... 😎:lol:

I'll just turn up with a pair of hedge trimmers and get in for nothing! 😆😉

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Ach, I agree with [mention=11540]virginton[/mention] that there should be a consistent approach to replays, particularly as it'd benefit smaller clubs financially if they could win a replay in the fourth round onwards, too. However, imagine the Old Firm were playing in Europe still! They'd maybe start fielding weakened sides. The FA Cup is now a joke competition as a result of that.  
I suppose I can see the justification for it.

The Old Firm have been in Europe past Christmas loads of times but have never played a noticeably weakened team in cup replays, certainly not any weaker than they'd play in league games during a period of fixture congestion.

I'm pretty sure this decision to scrap replays from R4 onwards, which I think will be permanent, sadly, is down to TV as well as fixture congestion - it's almost impossible to televise replays now because of the UEFA blackouts in most midweeks from February to May.
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It'd be good to see the Old Firm draw one another, getting rid of one of the Cheeks. Though I suspect heated balls may keep them apart. 

Partick v Clydebank would be a good tie. Morton v St. Mirren, too. Edinburgh City v Hearts/Hibs. 

Imagine Banks of Dee vs Auchinleck! Not a great tie, but one of them is guaranteed progression. 

Ayr vs Killie, Airdrieonians v Motherwell would be good, too. 

 

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4 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

I haven't a clue. Just know that small clubs want to keep them for obvious reasons, and the bigger clubs want rid to curb fixture congestion. So what's been put in place is a compromise.

 

But then keeping them before the 4th round almost seems pointless given that there are hardly going to be any 'money spinner' replays in the first 3 rounds anyway. The biggest attendance you are going to get is probably 2-3000 if you were away to a Kilmarnock, Falkirk etc, but by far the most likely outcome is you draw a side where there will be a few hundred fans at the game and by the time you subtract travel costs, appearance fees, bonuses etc you're probably barely any better off than if the initial tie had just gone to extra-time and penalties.

For example would Cove rather have been able to play the initial tie out to a close or now travel down to Dumfries midweek and take their share of half a 900 strong crowd at Palmerston? And this is for the 3rd round, for 1st and 2nd round ties you'd have to think some clubs will make a loss by going to a replay given the attendances of most of the clubs.

Not really sure whether I'd want replays or not, but either way I think I'm firmly in the camp that they should either be every round or no rounds, I don't like the change after the 4th round.

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50 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

But then keeping them before the 4th round almost seems pointless given that there are hardly going to be any 'money spinner' replays in the first 3 rounds anyway. The biggest attendance you are going to get is probably 2-3000 if you were away to a Kilmarnock, Falkirk etc, but by far the most likely outcome is you draw a side where there will be a few hundred fans at the game and by the time you subtract travel costs, appearance fees, bonuses etc you're probably barely any better off than if the initial tie had just gone to extra-time and penalties.

For example would Cove rather have been able to play the initial tie out to a close or now travel down to Dumfries midweek and take their share of half a 900 strong crowd at Palmerston? And this is for the 3rd round, for 1st and 2nd round ties you'd have to think some clubs will make a loss by going to a replay given the attendances of most of the clubs.

Not really sure whether I'd want replays or not, but either way I think I'm firmly in the camp that they should either be every round or no rounds, I don't like the change after the 4th round.

What they've done in stopping replays from Last 32 isn't much different to England where replays stop from Last 16. You're also only considering the financial aspect (although I doubt many clubs lose money on replays - especially not in Preliminary/R1/R2).

There is a competitive dimension too: if you can't win away you can at least avoid defeat and bring it back to your own place. There is also a physical dimension: if you don't have replays you have extra-time plus penalties instead, and that extra 30min hands a big advantage to full-time clubs.

There is also the matter of tradition - plenty people think it's part of what 'makes' the Scottish Cup - and it being the primary cup in the nation everybody wants to do well in it... a lot of clubs, especially smaller clubs, will feel on balance they have a better chance in trying again another day rather than extra-time and penalties.

However there is also a  practical issue.

Dozens of clubs have collectively spent several million £ installing or upgrading lights under the licence system needed to play in the cup every season. More do so each year. They were told they needed them for TV ties (which most will never host and certainly never regularly) and midweek replays (which are at least more common). Even by SFA standards it would be a slap in the face of epic proportions to turn around a year later and abolish those very same replays.

I wouldn't have scrapped them in any round - but clearly issues about OF in CL/EL knockouts etc. only affect R4/R5/R6.

EDIT: Worth adding there are also a couple of oddities in what they've done. First: replays have gone from R4 even though it's long before CL/EL resume... indeed the midweek is still there this season entirely blank. Second: replays upto R3 don't have to be midweek unless both clubs prefer it... e.g. Montrose v Kelty is this Saturday.

Edited by HibeeJibee
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11 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:


I wouldn't have scrapped them in any round - but clearly issues about OF in CL/EL knockouts etc. only affect R4/R5/R6.
 

That's easily fixed - if the whinging c***s are that desperate to get their B teams into the pyramid, they should be forced to play them if they get taken to a replay to avoid the congestion. Far too sensible an idea to ever happen, alas.

For progression purposes, Banks O'Dee at home is probably the gin draw, though either of these teams on the telly right now don't look much. I'll take a new ground, or Aberdeen away for the money/convenience. 

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1 hour ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

But then keeping them before the 4th round almost seems pointless given that there are hardly going to be any 'money spinner' replays in the first 3 rounds anyway. The biggest attendance you are going to get is probably 2-3000 if you were away to a Kilmarnock, Falkirk etc, but by far the most likely outcome is you draw a side where there will be a few hundred fans at the game and by the time you subtract travel costs, appearance fees, bonuses etc you're probably barely any better off than if the initial tie had just gone to extra-time and penalties.

Which would be a lot for the majority of sides in the competition.

Scottish Cup games usually have a higher ticket price, bring in a bigger crowd both for the gate and hospitality, and usually aren't on the season ticket. More money = more money. Not everyone is pocketing tens of thousands of pounds for simply existing in the SPFL.

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