@eric_plant That game at Fulham was incredible. We took 3,500-4,000 fans there that night. I remember the Putney End (open terrace then) was completely full so the police started putting people in the corner of the Hammersmith End. I don’t think the know what hit them!
Yep, that was an incredible night at Fulham. That was a big terrace as well and we completely filled it. There were hundreds of Wycombe in the home ends. And the match lived up to it. A brace from Tim Langford taking it to a shoot out which we won.
Despite essentially being the same competition, I can't imagine a game in the Papa John's generating that same level of excitement today, even a final.
Fulham has always been a favourite away ground for me following that night.
After so long without games, at a mere fiver, and with a huge squad these days, including exciting prospects like this De Barr chap, this game is suddenly quite appealing to me.
@Malone said:
After so long without games, at a mere fiver, and with a huge squad these days, including exciting prospects like this De Barr chap, this game is suddenly quite appealing to me.
Back in the late ‘40s/early ‘50s I used to go with my dad to Maidstone United’s Reserve Team games. There was a peculiar fascination for me seeing mainly unfamiliar players wearing the familiar black and amber kit and sometimes I’d think certain players were even better than their first team counterparts. After the final whistle, we used to stand around behind the stand with other little groups waiting to hear the sound of a telephone ringing come over the tannoy with news of the first team result. Sometimes we waited a long time and there would be mumblings of “reckon they’ve lost” and as often as not the public address announcer would report in a downbeat voice the unwelcome news that Bromley, Carshalton or at one time Betteshanger Colliery had beaten us 3-1 or whatever.
Apologies for the diversion. I started writing this much earlier when a couple of posters referred to Reserve games, the Capital League etc and I wondered if Reserve games on alternate Saturdays may not have been the norm in senior amateur (shamateur)/non-League football.
I do also remember the pink ‘uns - the Star, News and Standard which became available in the early evening with results published in the stop press. A few years on and we could catch up with non-league results on Radio Luxembourg later in the evening.
While some people sneer at this cup, and premier league youth teams isn't ideal in any shape or form we know, it's got to be a lot better than watching reserve games with literally nothing on them!
With the size of squad we have now, this cup is a great way to keep players engaged.
Otherwise we'll have a squad of around 30, and only 15 or so will get regular action.
@Malone said:
While some people sneer at this cup, and premier league youth teams isn't ideal in any shape or form we know, it's got to be a lot better than watching reserve games with literally nothing on them!
With the size of squad we have now, this cup is a great way to keep players engaged.
Otherwise we'll have a squad of around 30, and only 15 or so will get regular action.
A reserve game doesn't validate Premier League B teams competing against senior clubs though, so it would have that advantage
@Malone said:
While some people sneer at this cup, and premier league youth teams isn't ideal in any shape or form we know, it's got to be a lot better than watching reserve games with literally nothing on them!
With the size of squad we have now, this cup is a great way to keep players engaged.
Otherwise we'll have a squad of around 30, and only 15 or so will get regular action.
A reserve game doesn't validate Premier League B teams competing against senior clubs though, so it would have that advantage
The prospect of joining the league has been long shot down, so being in this competition isn't that much of a disaster.
This cup has had a fair few formats and none particularly took off.
@Malone said:
While some people sneer at this cup, and premier league youth teams isn't ideal in any shape or form we know, it's got to be a lot better than watching reserve games with literally nothing on them!
With the size of squad we have now, this cup is a great way to keep players engaged.
Otherwise we'll have a squad of around 30, and only 15 or so will get regular action.
A reserve game doesn't validate Premier League B teams competing against senior clubs though, so it would have that advantage
The prospect of joining the league has been long shot down, so being in this competition isn't that much of a disaster.
It was a pretty dead format as it was in this cup.
It's a step in the wrong direction that was only allowed as some clubs needed the crumbs that came with it.
Down the line when the big clubs try again, it'll be a lot easier to shut down if it's absolutely clear the fans are entirely against it and attendences in the competition are next to zero... undeniably excessively low even in comparison to the JPT before it changed.
The opportunity to lift the Johnstone's paint flavoured pizza trophy is not one to be sniffed at. I was there at the Coventry away game a few years back where we took a good number of fans. Can't remember if it was the main semi final of the main event or the fake semi final of the southern section. We lost anyway to Beavon and co.
I respect the views of those who reject the competition on ethical grounds, but I still can’t see any similarities with the failed European Super League. That was an attempt by several clubs to break away from their own domestic leagues for purely financial reasons, PL clubs asked to be included in the EFL Trophy to give their younger players experience of competitive senior football. Some regarded that as the first step towards PL clubs wanting their ‘B’ teams in the EFL and that fear might be perfectly valid, but it could also be groundless.
Eligibility for the “invited” teams (as per OP) is
At least six must be 21 or under (at 30/6/21)
No more than two of those over 21 may have played more than 40 first team games (pres on loan)
@Malone said:
After so long without games, at a mere fiver, and with a huge squad these days, including exciting prospects like this De Barr chap, this game is suddenly quite appealing to me.
Same
Just clocked that Gibraltar have a game on Wed, so maybe the "prospects like" is the thing here, not actually seeing De Barr then!
@micra said:
Apologies. My two posts above should have been on the Cloughie thread. Load of b******s anyway.
Well I enjoyed memories of the ‘pink un’. We used to walk down to the newsagents to get a copy on Saturday evening. Would have match reports on Forest and county with highly detailed first half reports and then not much later…as the paper had to go to press sharply.
@A_Worboys said:
I hope with a lack of a game on Saturday that they sell tickets for Oxford now on Tuesday.
Good shout.
Hopefully they've got a similar plan to the one that worked as well as last time, with singers being able to select seats further towards the back etc.
Comments
That Fulham game in 93/94 is probably in my top ten games of all time
In my top 10 as well @eric_plant. Fabulous evening.
@eric_plant That game at Fulham was incredible. We took 3,500-4,000 fans there that night. I remember the Putney End (open terrace then) was completely full so the police started putting people in the corner of the Hammersmith End. I don’t think the know what hit them!
Yep, that was an incredible night at Fulham. That was a big terrace as well and we completely filled it. There were hundreds of Wycombe in the home ends. And the match lived up to it. A brace from Tim Langford taking it to a shoot out which we won.
Despite essentially being the same competition, I can't imagine a game in the Papa John's generating that same level of excitement today, even a final.
Fulham has always been a favourite away ground for me following that night.
After so long without games, at a mere fiver, and with a huge squad these days, including exciting prospects like this De Barr chap, this game is suddenly quite appealing to me.
Same
Absolute non-event this. Hope we treat it entirely as a competitive training session for the development squad
If the Capital League was still a thing I’d go home and away. It’s my team and I will move heaven and earth to watch them.
Back in the late ‘40s/early ‘50s I used to go with my dad to Maidstone United’s Reserve Team games. There was a peculiar fascination for me seeing mainly unfamiliar players wearing the familiar black and amber kit and sometimes I’d think certain players were even better than their first team counterparts. After the final whistle, we used to stand around behind the stand with other little groups waiting to hear the sound of a telephone ringing come over the tannoy with news of the first team result. Sometimes we waited a long time and there would be mumblings of “reckon they’ve lost” and as often as not the public address announcer would report in a downbeat voice the unwelcome news that Bromley, Carshalton or at one time Betteshanger Colliery had beaten us 3-1 or whatever.
Apologies for the diversion. I started writing this much earlier when a couple of posters referred to Reserve games, the Capital League etc and I wondered if Reserve games on alternate Saturdays may not have been the norm in senior amateur (shamateur)/non-League football.
I do also remember the pink ‘uns - the Star, News and Standard which became available in the early evening with results published in the stop press. A few years on and we could catch up with non-league results on Radio Luxembourg later in the evening.
While some people sneer at this cup, and premier league youth teams isn't ideal in any shape or form we know, it's got to be a lot better than watching reserve games with literally nothing on them!
With the size of squad we have now, this cup is a great way to keep players engaged.
Otherwise we'll have a squad of around 30, and only 15 or so will get regular action.
A reserve game doesn't validate Premier League B teams competing against senior clubs though, so it would have that advantage
The prospect of joining the league has been long shot down, so being in this competition isn't that much of a disaster.
This cup has had a fair few formats and none particularly took off.
It's a step in the wrong direction that was only allowed as some clubs needed the crumbs that came with it.
Down the line when the big clubs try again, it'll be a lot easier to shut down if it's absolutely clear the fans are entirely against it and attendences in the competition are next to zero... undeniably excessively low even in comparison to the JPT before it changed.
Apologies. My two posts above should have been on the Cloughie thread. Load of b******s anyway.
The opportunity to lift the Johnstone's paint flavoured pizza trophy is not one to be sniffed at. I was there at the Coventry away game a few years back where we took a good number of fans. Can't remember if it was the main semi final of the main event or the fake semi final of the southern section. We lost anyway to Beavon and co.
I respect the views of those who reject the competition on ethical grounds, but I still can’t see any similarities with the failed European Super League. That was an attempt by several clubs to break away from their own domestic leagues for purely financial reasons, PL clubs asked to be included in the EFL Trophy to give their younger players experience of competitive senior football. Some regarded that as the first step towards PL clubs wanting their ‘B’ teams in the EFL and that fear might be perfectly valid, but it could also be groundless.
I seem to remember a lot of the boycott crew suddenly changed their mind when there was a prospect of a final a few years ago!!
…………. Can't remember if it was the main semi final of the main event or the fake semi final of the southern section. We lost anyway to Beavon and co.
It was the main semi and, as ever against Cov, we
we’re dire that night, going out with a whimper.
Eligibility for the “invited” teams (as per OP) is
At least six must be 21 or under (at 30/6/21)
No more than two of those over 21 may have played more than 40 first team games (pres on loan)
Still hoping for the day two u-21 sides reach the final and it's played at an empty Wembley stadium
Having Papa John's as a sponsor is problematic for me as well, even if the competition didn't have premier league u-21 sides in it
How are you with SkyBet?
I don't like it. I think gambling companies sponsoring/advertising should not be allowed, like tobacco companies
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesdigitalcovers/2018/07/19/the-inside-story-of-papa-johns-toxic-culture/?sh=5c80472b3019
That or the excessively doughy bases?
Just clocked that Gibraltar have a game on Wed, so maybe the "prospects like" is the thing here, not actually seeing De Barr then!
Well I enjoyed memories of the ‘pink un’. We used to walk down to the newsagents to get a copy on Saturday evening. Would have match reports on Forest and county with highly detailed first half reports and then not much later…as the paper had to go to press sharply.
Definitely doing this now, next a live football fix next week. Who knows we might even put out a slightly stronger team now ?
I hope with a lack of a game on Saturday that they sell tickets for Oxford now on Tuesday.
I am guessing same three international players are missing so can we cancel this game too? Or is everyone admitting it’s not that important?
Good shout.
Hopefully they've got a similar plan to the one that worked as well as last time, with singers being able to select seats further towards the back etc.