The best competition in the world ?

By Jemma Tappenden
January 7 2007

This Weekend saw the return of the F.A.Cup.3 Midland clubs get drawn at home.Packed out you would have thought. Was this the case.Read Jemmas View On It.

The FA Cup. The most desired trophy in England. Most famous football competition in the World. Captures the hearts and imaginations of football fans everywhere, with dreams of giant killings and glory. Or does it?

I can remember when I was a kid (not that long ago!) being excited about 3rd round FA cup weekend. The ground was always packed, the atmosphere was special, far more so than any other normal Saturday afternoon game. Yet footage from around the countries football stadiums yesterday painted pretty much the same picture. Empty seats. Everywhere!

For the Midlands clubs, yesterdays attendances were pretty dismal to say the least. With both Blues, Albion and Wolves playing at home. Blues boasted a crowd of only 16,444, four and a half thousand of which were travelling Newcastle United fans. Wolves managed to attract 14,524 to their game against League One opposition Oldham Athletic. Even the offer of £12 tickets for season ticket holders was not enough to lure the crowds to that tie. And Albion managed the highest attendance of the three clubs this weekend with 16,957. Tickets priced at £15 for adults and Kids for a quid.

Bad news for the Midlands? Not if the rest of the country is anything to go by. These scenes were reflected pretty much across the land, with a few exceptions. So is the FA Cup losing is appeal? Or is it simply that football fans can no longer afford such luxuries on top of league games? Maybe our clubs need to think a little more about how they can entice the fans to the grounds, and put the magic back into the FA Cup.

Jemma.