Our squad and Cup runs!!!

[Deleted]

Just to get a topic going about next season....How much importance do you place on having a cup run in either The FA Cup and Trophy? Would you like a Wembley FA Trophy Final appearance to be a serious attempt or do you think it might hamper a title run with games postponed in order for the cup matches? Obviously injuries and suspensions are likely to play some part along the way, but I think the squad is a tad too small to play around 60 games should we do well in those cup games. The luck of the draw is also a factor as we all know (Stourbridge was the only non league game in the 2nd round of the FA Cup). Personally I love cup runs, the excitement is quite different to league games, but clubs these days tend to put cup matches as reserve outings particularly if they are either trying to get promotion, or fighting relegation in the leagues. The last two winners of The FA Trophy have been a team relegated, Halifax, and the previous season from National North, North Ferriby United...is that a reflection of how its going to be? Thoughts? Oh just to be sure, I hope we get knocked out first game in The HSC!!!!

[hantslondoner]

I think the FA Cup and FA Trophy are different beasts - Grimsby fans were unanimous in considering the Trophy a complete sideshow compared to getting promotion.

As for the FA Cup... it was good to get national recognition and be the 'best' non-league team last season, but once will do :-)
However, the stage at which we enter the competition is pretty late in the day so we can maybe adjust our priorities along the way.

I feel it's always sad when we appear not to take the county competition seriously.... to be honest, if the squad is all it's cracked up to be then we should be able to do well in it even if we play the players who are usually on the bench plus the rest of the squad. It also gives them valuable match practice.

[dave]

We have a Wyvern squad this season, I would like to see them form the bulk of the HSC side along with a few bench warmers from the 1st team and then to take it seriously.

[nobadspitfire]

At the risk of putting a dampener on such discussions, I would suggest that CT will play it one game at a time. If we're not going particularly well come FA Cup time, a win in the 4th qualifying round & good opposition drawn in round 1, might be just the thing the players need. If we're doing well at the same stage, we might take every game in our stride, even playing a weakened side. Wouldn't look beyond that scenario at this stage. Come Xmas, we might have an idea whether we're in with a shout for the title. One game at a time!!

[unknownquantity]

If I remember correctly Jack Midson scored a very good goal in the Hampshire Senior Cup at Winchester and that should have helped him get his confidence back, as his opportunities were limited and he missed a few chances in important games despite having a reasonably good goalscoring pedigree prior to last season.

[back4more]

We need to be able to respect all the competitions we are eligible for but there might be an argument for using the county cup and the Trophy to provide experience to upcoming youngsters and a run out for players aiming to get back into the first team.

The FA Cup is box office once you're in the rounds "proper" and the media attention helps build the local interest that is essential to the club's growth. Not bad prize money as well, though that tends to get swallowed up by the inevitable costs which come with staging bigger games.

The league has to take precedence but the FA Cup is always going to have its dream factor - especially for us after Bolton last season.

The bottom line though is that these are nice problems to have if you are actually making progress in all these competitions. Let's hope for that.

Excellent thread btw Keith.

[bazza]

I haven't been on here for a while. Am I missing something here but I always thought that the word supporter meant exactly that,discuss !!!!👮

[upthespitfires]

The league always has to remain our priority - after all it's so difficult to get out of (as we say again and again). However those FA cup games last season were my favourite moments watching Eastleigh, providing the most amazing atmosphere; particularly away at Crewe and Bolton! We may have ended our season by playing on that boggy pitch (Silver-lake anyone?!) against Bolton but it was worth it for me. Let's just push for all we can get and have a great season :-)

[realbeast]

I think FA cup runs are good for the club and the fans you get the chance to go to different grounds that are not on the schedule but our cup run took its toll on the players last season but how exciting it was for the fans no one could stop talking about it for ages given we have already won the HSC Not that the SOE was there to see it but I think that cup should be played by youngsters now and not the first team as for the trophy I think we should take that a bit more seriously if we do we have a good chance to win it and what a good chance to get to Wembley