FA Trophy

Myles Francis · Post by **Myles Francis** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:33 pm

This has been something which has been touched on across a number of threads. Thought I'd try and bring it all together.

SteMerritt · Post by **SteMerritt** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:53 pm

Of course, if the FA came out and said that the final would be played at the new Wembley, my interest in us progressing would go up quite a bit!

SmileyMan · Post by **SmileyMan** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:57 pm

Silverware = prestige || sponsorship || pride || confidence.

No FA cup or League Cup fixtures - it's hardly a crowded schedule. And since we must be overwhelming favourites to win, why not go for it. Hopefully, we'll never get the chance to win it again.

Mooro · Post by **Mooro** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:17 pm

Absolutely!

It could be a long time before we get a better chance of even getting to the latter stages of a cup competition, let alone winning one.

(If we go up we'll be back to being underdogs in everything while even if we dont, we may well not be able to maintain the edge over other conference teams we appear to have currently.

Snake · Post by **Snake** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:35 pm

“Silverware = prestige || sponsorship || pride || confidence

boris · Post by **boris** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:36 pm

I seem to be in a minority in that I always want Oxford to win, whatever the game. I was gutted that we lost to Wycombe, and I'll be gutted if we lose in this tinpot competition (mind you, I'll be even more gutted if we draw Dagenham away in the first round).

Pe├▒a Oxford United · Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:46 pm

&quotSmileyMan&quot wrote: And since we must be overwhelming favourites to win

Depends what that means. If it means &quotbetter than evens&quot, presumably not.

GodalmingYellow · Post by **GodalmingYellow** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:02 pm

[quote=&quotSnake&quot]“Silverware = prestige || sponsorship || pride || confidence

Snake · Post by **Snake** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:26 pm

When Lee (Molyneaux) went up,
To lift the pointless cup,
We were there,
We were there.

All 672 of us.

So prestigious but altogether quite forgettable…

Starting 11 (these names take you back!) Clarke, Molyneaux, Corbo (I liked him), Roget, Parker, Emiliano Diaz (I didn't like him), Burton, Karam, Winters, Craig Davies, Billy Beechers.

Kernow Yellow · Post by **Kernow Yellow** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:35 pm

&quotboris&quot wrote:I seem to be in a minority in that I always want Oxford to win, whatever the game. I was gutted that we lost to Wycombe, and I'll be gutted if we lose in this tinpot competition (mind you, I'll be even more gutted if we draw Dagenham away in the first round).

I don't actively want us not to win any games, but I just don't see the point in going all out for this at all. In fact, I'd feel almost embarrassed if we won the FA Trophy, because it's such a big deal for many non-league teams, whereas if we win it we'll have forgotten all about it come the start of next season.

There's no prize money to speak of, and the only thing we've got left to prove to the rest of non-league is that we can sustain our league form and get the promotion that we're so desperate for. We've already beaten our nearest league rivals in a proper cup, so what's the point?

I think Snake's parallel with the Oxfordshire Senior Cup is quite fitting. Without wanting to sound too arrogant, I can't muster any ambition to win a cup competition that has the Conference teams and this lot as its entrants.

boris · Post by **boris** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:37 pm

Astonishing that there's only one of that crowd still here (and he's on loan), just two years later.

I too liked Corbo, but of all that lot the one who we should have retained was Karam. A future star!

GodalmingYellow · Post by **GodalmingYellow** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:59 pm

&quotKernow Yellow&quot wrote:
&quotboris&quot wrote:I seem to be in a minority in that I always want Oxford to win, whatever the game. I was gutted that we lost to Wycombe, and I'll be gutted if we lose in this tinpot competition (mind you, I'll be even more gutted if we draw Dagenham away in the first round).
I don't actively want us not to win any games, but I just don't see the point in going all out for this at all. In fact, I'd feel almost embarrassed if we won the FA Trophy, because it's such a big deal for many non-league teams, whereas if we win it we'll have forgotten all about it come the start of next season.

There's no prize money to speak of, and the only thing we've got left to prove to the rest of non-league is that we can sustain our league form and get the promotion that we're so desperate for. We've already beaten our nearest league rivals in a proper cup, so what's the point?

I think Snake's parallel with the Oxfordshire Senior Cup is quite fitting. Without wanting to sound too arrogant, I can't muster any ambition to win a cup competition that has the Conference teams and this lot as its entrants.

You won't be buying tickets for the glory final then KY?

Personally, I think we should go for it, with the proviso that it cannot be allowed to in anyway hamper our chances of league success, which essentially means not picking players for two matches in succession where their fitness may be in doubt.

I don't like this idea of Oxford being too important for non-league so we're too important to bother with the non-league equivalent of the FA Cup. We're here because we deserve to be here. So we should make the most of it and hope it never happens again. I would love to see us in a competitive cup final.

boris · Post by **boris** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:20 pm

I agree with GY. And Kernow, don't forget that the majority of the teams in that draw would love it, just love it, if they got an away tie against Oxford United. How we moan when the bigger Premiership clubs don't take the League Cup seriously, fielding weakened teams etc. Well, we don't want to be like them, do we?

Mally · Post by **Mally** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:27 pm

&quotboris&quot wrote:I agree with GY. And Kernow, don't forget that the majority of the teams in that draw would love it, just love it, if they got an away tie against Oxford United. How we moan when the bigger Premiership clubs don't take the League Cup seriously, fielding weakened teams etc. Well, we don't want to be like them, do we?

Before boris posted this I made the following comment but the site went down before i could post it:

Looking at this from the other side of the argument if we don't put out a strong side and take it seriously aren't we turning into a smaller version of the premiershit elite who similarly treat and devalue the one competition we've actually won?

The other thing to take into account is what this means to the smaller non-league clubs. Many of them would welcome a trip to the Kasstad (will it have a new name by then?) to face a good side in front of a decent crowd. A big day out for their fans and players and a chance to get some much needed cash in the bank. A lot of these teams are used to playing in front of 200 fans. Even if we only get 3,000 it's equivalent to us playing in front of 75,000

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:58 pm

with the size of squad we've got, i'm not sure what not taking it seriously would entail.

whatever team we put out, it's still going to have a fair number of players who are first team regulars.

i hope smith takes the opportunity to give the younger players - and chris tardiff - a game.

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