[Archived] Fa Cup 2015/16

[Mattyblue]

Exactly, it's not really an attractive fixture and certainly can't be expected to draw the crowds in like the Liverpool quarter final. After all, up until our relegation, for a considerable number of years in the Premier League era we were constantly above them in the table and on a few occasions in a higher division than them.

That's the thing that people seem to be struggling with.

For a club like say, PNE, playing West Ham is a big deal, the 'glamour of the Premier League big boys' and all that. So, they will get a much bigger crowd than normal.

After 20 years in the top flight, Rovers fans just don't see West Ham as a big draw so won't make an extra effort to attend.

[garnersfags]

It's 'would have'.

This is not directed at you specifically, MCMC, but this particular offence seems to be regularly picked up, whereas whole unintelligible or misspelt or grammatically criminal posts aren't challenged at all.

It's as if the correctors are unaware of other english language norms or see 'have/of' as the capital/corporal crime, so deemed worthy of mention.

I can't imagine it's just 'look at me, I'm cleverer than you', so what's the story on why the almost unreadable Year 4 level posts escape the attention of the grammar police?

Apols for responding to off topic post....

[jim mk2]

Press Association

INJURY-JINXED WEST HAM STRIKER ANDY CARROLL TO MISS FA CUP CLASH AT BLACKBURN

Injury-jinxed West Ham striker Andy Carroll is back on the treatment table and will miss Sunday's FA Cup clash at Blackburn.

The 27-year-old forward had just returned from a month out with a hamstring problem when he suffered an adductor injury after coming on as a substitute during last weekend's 2-2 draw at Norwich.

Carroll has been beset by injury problems since joining the Hammers and has started just 31 Premier League games in two-and-a-half years.

But co-chairman David Gold hopes the latest setback will not mean another lengthy lay-off for their £15million club-record signing.

Gold wrote on Twitter: "Andy has a slight injury and will be rested for the game against Blackburn."

Boss Slaven Bilic faces a striker shortage for the trip to Ewood Park after Enner Valencia was also injured against Norwich.

The Ecuador international limped off after sustaining an ankle knock midway through the second half at Carrow Road.

With Diafra Sakho still sidelined due to a thigh injury and Nikica Jelavic completing his move to Chinese second division side Beijing Renhe earlier this week, Bilic may have to throw January signing Emmanuel Emenike in for his full debut up front.

Bilic does have some positive fitness news, however, after Manuel Lanzini returned to training this week.

The Argentinian midfielder, who has scored four goals in 14 appearances this season, is available for the fifth-round clash with Rovers after six weeks out with a thigh injury.

[tomphil]

That's the thing that people seem to be struggling with.

For a club like say, PNE, playing West Ham is a big deal, the 'glamour of the Premier League big boys' and all that. So, they will get a much bigger crowd than normal.

After 20 years in the top flight, Rovers fans just don't see West Ham as a big draw so won't make an extra effort to attend.

Fair comment and I suppose it's the same for Bolton but the longer we are out of top flight you'd think that would realign itself a bit. We have been starved of good football and top flight opponents for a good few years now with no sign of it returning, maybe ever. You'd think it would stoke the hunger a bit although we've been lucky with top flight draws over the past few years.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

Hopefully Lanzini plays no part in this game. Another very dangerous player on his day. I watched Eminike for Fenerbache once and he absolutely bullied the opposition's centre-backs. We would really need Hanley to be on his game if he starts.

[AndyNeil]

It's 'would have'.

I can't apologise enough for that grammatical mistake...no wonder the MB has lost so many users over the years with this shocking level of the Queen's/Queens (not sure which version is correct) English

[yoda]

I can't apologise enough for that grammatical mistake...no wonder the MB has lost so many users over the years with this shocking level of the Queen's/Queens (not sure which version is correct) English

It's all forgiven if you send in a medical exemption note to the mod's don't you know

[Al]

I can't apologise enough for that grammatical mistake...no wonder the MB has lost so many users over the years with this shocking level of the Queen's/Queens (not sure which version is correct) English

Well done MCMC. "Of" instead of "have" is one of the most irritating of errors

[bob fleming]

It's all forgiven if you send in a medical exemption note to the mod's don't you know

I'm sure he would of done if you'd told him earlier.

[MCMC1875]

This is not directed at you specifically, MCMC, but this particular offence seems to be regularly picked up, whereas whole unintelligible or misspelt or grammatically criminal posts aren't challenged at all.

It's as if the correctors are unaware of other english language norms or see 'have/of' as the capital/corporal crime, so deemed worthy of mention.

I can't imagine it's just 'look at me, I'm cleverer than you', so what's the story on why the almost unreadable Year 4 level posts escape the attention of the grammar police?

Apols for responding to off topic post....

He should be setting an example in his line of work!

[yoda]

I'm sure he would of done if you'd told him earlier.

HAVE

ps where's yer sick note

[McClarky]

I think the poor gate reflects the depths the club have sunk to and the systemic dismantling of a once successful club we have seen over the last 5 years. I doubt any team in the top 2 divisions, and probably well below that, would sell less tickets than we will for a huge game like this. When you're in 18th place in the 2nd division and you're playing 6th in the 1st in the 5th round of the cup it is a huge game no matter what anyone says.

MCMC is a pedant by the way.

[MCMC1875]

I think the poor gate reflects the depths the club have sunk to and the systemic dismantling of a once successful club we have seen over the last 5 years. I doubt any team in the top 2 divisions, and probably well below that, would sell less tickets than we will for a huge game like this. When you're in 18th place in the 2nd division and you're playing 6th in the 1st in the 5th round of the cup it is a huge game no matter what anyone says.

MCMC is a pedant by the way.

Soz, it wer a joke.

[blondie]

Not making excuses about what looks to be an embarassing gate on Sunday. However a guy sat next to me on the Fulham match

was a tennis umpire officiating at a tournament on the Wirral,would he have been able to attend on Sunday?

Obviously not on the database.

[Stuart]

This game has all the hallmarks of being a great win for Rovers and loads of folks making excuses afterwards about why they "couldn't" attend.

That said I can understand why people don't see this as a glamor tie.

[Hasta]

We're getting 11,000 home fans or more for most league games. So I cannot understand, and never will understand, why we are struggling to beat that number for a cup game of this magnitude with a place in the Quarter Finals within reach.

I'm not really bothered what the national media or West Ham make of us, but I find it a big shame for the manager and players who are all expecting a bumper crowd and who are going to be very disappointed on Sunday afternoon with more than 10,000 empty home seats.

We are struggling to beat the usual number of home fans because people who routinely buy a season ticket at a bargain price are now having to decide whether they actually part with more money and time for this game. In the future, an FA cup 5th round tie may be a novelty but, and we have all been spoiled here, it's nothing extra ordinary for us in event times. Nor is playing a premiership team.

As for the players and manager being disappointed well boo hoo. It's those players and manager we come to see week in, week out. If they won more games (and scored more goals) then maybe crowds would be better, both for this game and regular league games. If the players expect an extra 10,000 fans because we are playing West Ham then they should look at themselves and ask why the public of blackburn would come to watch the opposition but not to watch the Rovers.

Last season was no better in the League, yet the Liverpool game cost an extra 50% to this...it comes down to the opposition and its as simple as that. If we had played West Ham last season at £30 each it wouldn't of sold out and if we had played Liverpool this season at £30 it 99% would of sold out.

The chant MUFC fans used to sing "you've only come to see United" has never rung more true at Ewood than it does these days. Sad, but true...

Agree but not entirely. I think if we played West Ham in the quarter finals, one game from wembley, then we would get a bigger attendance. Likewise if we played Liverpool in the 3rd round, or in the league cup, we wouldn't get near 30,000. The further you go, the bigger the crowds.

We only got 18,000 for a third round tie against Man City a couple of years ago at Ewood for example.

[Athlete]

The most disappointing gate was the quarter final replay against Millwall...

The Venky's really have knocked the stuffing out the fans Tuesday was the best we'd played all season except possibly Leeds away we've had nothing to shout about since these shysters rocked up... Victory against high flying West ham will be an achievement but in the not too distant past was routine...

[AllRoverAsia]

It's all forgiven if you send in a medical exemption note to the mod's don't you know

The culprit would of if he could off remembered tooo

Bring on the West Ham Spammers!

[jim mk2]

The culprit would of if he could off remembered tooo

What happened to our beautiful language ?

[AllRoverAsia]

What happened to our beautiful language ?

Jim, being serious for a moment, language evolves. Grammar is an opinion........and spell-check is from the Colonies.

[AllRoverAsia]

I'm Bhrams & List and off to bed. Good night all.

Bring on Sunday.

[Amo]

Jim, being serious for a moment, language evolves. Grammar is an opinion........and spell-check is from the Colonies.

Devolves, more like. Liek totes.

[AndyNeil]

He should be setting an example in his line of work!

Didn't realise I was an English teacher...

Well done MCMC. "Of" instead of "have" is one of the most irritating of errors

💤

[47er]

EXACTLY. Look at the PL years and the top attendances (with the odd exception) were always Man United / Liverpool, regardless of how we were playing. The lack of ticket sales has far more to do with the opposition than prices, k/o time, form or any other reason.

Anyway, I've given my opinion on way ticket sales are poor and not going to flog a dead horse - or in this case, 'fanbase'

What you are really saying is "why can't more people be like me?" People will attend if they want to, stay away if they don't and there's no point in going on about it. Remember our first European Cup tie at Ewood. 15000 was it and many of those given away to schools?

[tomphil]

What you are really saying is "why can't more people be like me?" People will attend if they want to, stay away if they don't and there's no point in going on about it. Remember our first European Cup tie at Ewood. 15000 was it and many of those given away to schools?

About 13k rocked up to the Trelleborgs game I think in a time we were getting around 20 thousand. It was live on terrestrial telly though. Think we've just got to accept it's the way it is around these parts.