Warning - English Cup rant follows: Coastal field a PDL side, Tech back up less than 24hrs after top of table clash v Bays, bottom of table Nomads thrash FC20 - supposed shoe-in side for promotion. It's "2nd rate" Cup comp the world over isn't it? Problem is we don't have the player base to justify decent English Cup comp as the tier 2 sides would not even foot it with half the Reserve teams around town. Clubs are clearly voting - Premier League status and Chatham Cup way more important than English Cup. No surprise there. Would Birmingham give back Carling Cup to stay up in Premier league - of course! Would Mancini City trade FA Cup for EPL - yes. Big Vase is a different question altogether. WIth Chatham Cup as our Big Vase i and given the shaky start to the year, seriously what place does English Cup have this year. Not being able to play it midweek it is a farce - and IMHO, disrespectful to its history - which is not in anyone's interests. Decision not to suspend it this year will come home to roost. Rant ends here.
Interesting that the English Cup was stopped last season after the Sept quake, when it was only a few game from the final, I think at least one semi-finalist had already been found, yet this season all go from so early in the season, yet much more up heavial after the Feb quake. With only twelve teams entered could have been staged over four playing days / evenings near the end of the season once the new pitch and lights are up and running at English Park (AKA ASB Football Park).