Monday 31 October 2011

Halifax Cup Draw?

Forgive me, but I was underwhelmed by our First Round F A Cup draw. I can hear some of you now thinking "what did he expect in the First Round, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?" John Cleese would not be impressed. No, I had hoped for a home draw and for someone who might make a game of it but who didn't necessarily see it as the be-all-and-end-all.

Those fellow Addicks chasing their original 92 will be delighted that we have pulled out an old plum but I am afraid I ticked the Shay off on a freezing cold November day 19 years ago when I suffered a league encounter with Chesterfield. I swore I'd never go back but I guessed at the time that we would never play them again in the league (so far so good) and that our chances of meeting in the Cup were almost non-existent as they made the Third Round less frequently than we made the Fourth.

Anyhow fate has thrown us together and some of you will, no doubt, be making the horrendous train or road journey to experience the decrepid Shay ground. If that wasn't enough to put you off, you will be watching the weakest side Chris Powell can put out so it's unlikely to be a romp. I am already thinking Northwich-bloody-Victoria. Possibly our most humiliating result of all time if you forget the league spankings over the years and the inevitable humblings whenever we play the Spanners.

It also looks nailed on that the three TV companies with rights will also be squabbling over the chance of airing the highest league side in the draw humbled by non-league opposition. I yearn for the days when our first F A Cup match of the season occured in January.

5 comments:

  1. It's no longer decrepid. Haven't you seen the Rugby League team playing there on Sky ?
    Not so many years ago , our ground was in a terrible state - things change !!
    Though losing in the 1st round of the Cup probably won't !

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  2. Anon - thanks for you post and, yes, I should have checked first. Just had a look at your club site and can see that you have some new stands in which to accommodate your 6500 capacity. I hope you get a biggish crowd for the Cup game but am guessing it won't be more than 3000? I can see us having more than 700 tops.

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  3. Dave, I think Anon is a Charlton fan and is commenting on what the Valley used to be like. On the other hand the Shay is one of the best grounds in none league football I,m sure you would be impressed if you made the effort to visit! Come on Shay men!!!

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  4. Anon - interesting how we can both see different things. On second read, I think you might be right. Good luck for the rest of the season.

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  5. Look you lot of tossers!!,, we cant wait to get you down here at the Shay... this is a football town and we will prove it by stuffing you.

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