Seeded FA Cup 3rd round

West Moors Cherry

Star Player
I put the idea forward last year when we discussing on here how drab the ties were and how the Cup needed some excitement put back into it.

Following another luckless draw for the non-league teams last night I still think this isn't a terrible idea for the third round only to reward those smaller teams who make it that far for a decent pay day and for a bit more excitement than West Ham reserves v Spurs reserves.

The draw would have looked like this

Chelsea v Stourbridge/Northampton
Halifax/Eastleigh v Arsenal
Liverpool v Sutton
Macclesfield v Man City
Tottenham v Barrow
Lincoln v Man Utd
WBA v Newport C
Accrington v Everton
Stoke v Notts County
Cambridge v Bournemouth
Watford v Blackpool

 
Seeding just makes it easier for bigger clubs to progress. Why shouldn't league 1 clubs play each other and progress that way? It's not all about pay days.
 
Disagree with seeding. It simply ensures you always get the same clubs in the latter stages. FA Cup is exciting precisely for the fact that small clubs can and do progress.
 
Disagree with seeding.

The FA Cup needs a Champions League place for the winner.

That would instantly see better team selections, increased interest, improved sponsorship and tv deals and bigger prize money throughout the competition.
 
They do seed for the 2nd round of the League Cup and every year we get people on here moaning how confusing it all is.


 
Disagree with extra Champions League place! Keep that for actual Champions and strengthen other competitions.
 
RobTrent - 6/12/2016 12:03

Disagree with extra Champions League place! Keep that for actual Champions and strengthen other competitions.

I didn't say an extra Champions League place, take the one from finishing fourth or better still, revamp that as well and only have one place each for winning the Premier League and one for winning the FA Cup. :cup:
 
Seeding is not the spirit of the FA cup nor the threat of no replays to keep the top 6 happy.

If a CL place has to be sacrificed for the FA cup winners so be it.
 
I was only thinking 3rd round.

That said I don't like seeding in the Champions League, used to like it when they were all thrown in together. Just think the FA cup needs a spark.
 
Champions League place would be great, after all at least they were FA cup champions and not a 4th place finish. Would bring the cup back to the forefront of a lot of bigger clubs, and to most English football fans the FA cup is still something to be massively prized and seeing the competition belittled over the last 15-20 years is pretty sad.
 
In effect it is seeded by delaying entry until the 3rd round
If 2 little clubs play each other in 3rd round that can be frustrating, but then the reward is a little club gets more chance and exposure in the 4th, and so on
 
Also it's better for clubs like us that if there are a few Prem vs Prem ties,then those clubs are eliminated,thus giving us a good chance of getting to a final.
Disagree with seeding in any shape or form in the cup.
 
Agree that the European Cup should be for Champions and the holders, but that ship has sailed, if it takes a CL place to make the FA Cup relevant to the "big four" then so be it. But for me go back to the way it was, League cup can seed if they like, tinpot trophy anyway. The FA Cup needs to stay the way it is

Although didn't that velvet bag used to be green or is that my imagination?
 
most of us of a certain age loved the FA cup, but it lost its status years ago. I hate the corporate nature of the prem buts it's such an exciting league, just look at the games at the weekend! Would rather reward a team with a CL spot over 38 games and keep the excitement going than for winning half a dozen games to win the cup, of which only 2-3 max are against decent sides
 

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