FA Cup Semi Final

[WatcherZero]

Virgin is advising Liverpool and Everton fans travelling to Wembley who havent already got a seat reservation to travel via Manchester Piccadilly or drive to Stoke and get the train there as the services between Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe are already booked to bursting point and people who turn up on the day will be refused.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

And all because Liverpool won't play on the 15th.

There was always going to be an issue with capacity after that news sadly. Doubtless there will be issues getting back too.

 

[sonic2009]

And all because Liverpool won't play on the 15th.

There was always going to be an issue with capacity after that news sadly. Doubtless there will be issues getting back too.

And we will always refuse to play on the 15th.

 

[AntoniC]

And we will always refuse to play on the 15th.

And as a proud LFC Season Ticket holder, who cant afford to go !, thanks for the support Sonic !

YNWA

 

[Failed Unit]

Would the problems be any easier if the match was on a Sunday? I would expect that when you have 2 football clubs from the same city playing each other you are going to struggle no matter what time or date you choose.

Sheffield is the last semi I can think of where both clubs are from the same city, but I guess at least you can send some of the fans to Doncaster.

But I suspect the story would be no different if it was Newcastle -v- Sunderland.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I suspect getting to London on Saturday night for a Sunday lunch time match would be easier for many than travelling Friday night for a Saturday lunch time kickoff.

 

[AlterEgo]

People won't be travelling on Friday night. They'll mostly travel first thing on Saturday.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Which is my point, no one wants to travel Friday night.

 

[Failed Unit]

I suspect getting to London on Saturday night for a Sunday lunch time match would be easier for many than travelling Friday night for a Saturday lunch time kickoff.

True, but then you have to get them home again after the game.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

True enough, but less of an issue than getting to London for 1230 on a Saturday. I'd expect them to be out of the stadium by 1600 even if there is a penalty shoot out.

 

[Failed Unit]

True enough, but less of an issue than getting to London for 1230 on a Saturday. I'd expect them to be out of the stadium by 1600 even if there is a penalty shoot out.

It is a pity that sports events are losing the traditional Saturday afternoon 3pm time. I have the same problem with rugby, the TOCs must hate these evening kick-offs as well as the early starts we get so many of now! East coast put on an extra train to get passengers away from Scotland after the Scotland -england match, the but for many wanting to get home that evening - no chance.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I actually think it is a rule somewhere that matches at a certain level can't be shown on TV at a certain time (which is why none of the 3pm Saturday premier league matches are on TV) to promote people going to watch a game rather than sitting at home. As a result matches are being moved to allow them to be shown on TV.

 

[jopsuk]

The whole "semi finals at Wembley" thing is daft... if the old "neutral venue" system was still used, they'd have had been at the Eithad or Old Trafford.

 

[Failed Unit]

It is a bit odd considering the number of other large stadiums in the uk, something that was not the case when they moved to Wembley. Cardiff however resulted in some interesting problems. Didn't arsenal have the seven tunnel closed once?

 

[tony_mac]

It's the FA Cup - the FA need to pay for building Wembley

To guarantee the financing of the new stadium, the FA made a 30-year pledge that a set number of annual fixtures - to include the FA Cup semi-finals - will take place at Wembley.

"There will be traditionalists upset by the idea of the semi-finals being at Wembley.
So will some fans of clubs who would have to travel a long way to London and we appreciate that it's not necessarily an ideal situation.
However, it's a financial necessity in order to pay for the new stadium."

 

[34D]

And we will always refuse to play on the 15th.

What's special about the 15th?

I really feel sorry for the normal people who may be travelling on these trains

 

[ainsworth74]

What's special about the 15th?

Hillsborough.

 

[Scotty]

Sheffield is the last semi I can think of where both clubs are from the same city

Last season, it was Manchester United v Manchester City.

 

[WatcherZero]

Ironically the earlier kickoffs are actually designed to benefit fans travelling a long way as they wont be travelling back so late at night.

 

[pitdiver]

The whole "semi finals at Wembley" thing is daft... if the old "neutral venue" system was still used, they'd have had been at the Eithad or Old Trafford.

I quite agree. This way seems to take away the "specialness" of FA Cup Final day. I understand that Wembley has to be paid for but to go to Wembley on FA Cup Final day was always special.

 

[ReverendFozz]

Would the problems be any easier if the match was on a Sunday? I would expect that when you have 2 football clubs from the same city playing each other you are going to struggle no matter what time or date you choose.

Sheffield is the last semi I can think of where both clubs are from the same city, but I guess at least you can send some of the fans to Doncaster.

But I suspect the story would be no different if it was Newcastle -v- Sunderland.

That would be a nightmare for TOCs and The Police, at least Liverpool v Everton seem to be friendly for the most part, Newcastle and Sunderland is not friendly...

Best of luck to Liverpool and Everton at the weekend

 

[Failed Unit]

Ironically the earlier kickoffs are actually designed to benefit fans travelling a long way as they wont be travelling back so late at night.

I think for a lot of Northern England you will struggle to do this in a day to be honest,

lets look at a 1230 kick off, I think you the latest you would really want to be in London (Euston, Kings Cross etc) is 1130. From Leeds you have 7 trains (if you include the 1138) - Newcastle 6. I know TOCs will try and add more.

The 3pm kick-off it may be 1730 before you get out of the stadium, I would not want to book at train before 1900 really.

So you get 3 trains to Newcastle and Leeds. I suspect Manchester probably does better, not sure about Sheffield and Liverpool.

However, i am sure if you are going to stay overnight the Saturday night is prefereable to the Friday night considering you need to get from work and into London as well.

The WCML however does seem to have more large football clubs than the east (waiting to be flamed by Newcastle, Sunderland and the smoggies )

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I think normally they'd have late Saturday and early Sunday kickoffs, but this year they have early Saturday (Liverpool/Everton) and late Sunday (Chelsea/Spurs), because of Liverpool not playing on the 15th.

....The WCML however does seem to have more large football clubs than the east (waiting to be flamed by Newcastle, Sunderland and the smoggies )

It does of course depend how you define a large football club. The east coast has Newcastle United and Sunderland in the Premier League. The west coast has Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton, Stoke City, Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, and that is before you touch the West Midlands.

 

[Cletus]

It’s the other semi-final that is more ridiculously scheduled (non-railway reasons though).
6.00pm on a Sunday when the only other game that day kicks off at 4.00pm?
What were ITV/FA thinking of?

 

[ushawk]

It’s the other semi-final that is more ridiculously scheduled (non-railway reasons though).
6.00pm on a Sunday when the only other game that day kicks off at 4.00pm?
What were ITV/FA thinking of?

Money

Only reason for putting the game on at that time is for it to be on TV so the FA can get money from putting it on TV. Although they wouldnt do this time for any Northern clubs as travel home would be pretty bad. No idea what would of happened if it was a Chelsea vs Bolton semi for example.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

It’s the other semi-final that is more ridiculously scheduled (non-railway reasons though).
6.00pm on a Sunday when the only other game that day kicks off at 4.00pm?
What were ITV/FA thinking of?

I think it is a case of the FA changing the days over, rather than changing the semi-finals over. If Liverpool played on the 15th, they would have played at 1230 on Sunday and the Saturday game would have been 1800.

 

[bnm]

Aside from Liverpool not wishing to play on the 15th, surely playing 1230 on Sunday would've be even more problematical for transport by rail. Far fewer trains on a Sunday.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

But easier to get there the night before if you work on the Friday.

 

[Failed Unit]

Aside from Liverpool not wishing to play on the 15th, surely playing 1230 on Sunday would've be even more problematical for transport by rail. Far fewer trains on a Sunday.

I suspect that the overnight stay on Saturday would be needed, but at least they can get home again in time for work on Monday.

The service's on Sunday evening's tend to be more frequent than saturday evening on long distance services and also run later.

With my ECML timetable - services after 1829.
Newcastle - Sat = 4 (last train 2100) and Sun = 6 (last train 2200)
Leeds - Sat = 4 (last train 2200) and Sun = 7 (last train 2235)

The problem is of course that the IC routes out of London tend to be more busy on a Sunday evening anyway than a saturday.

Until recently I think the last IC train out of London was only about 2100.

 

[John55]

While the semi-final has its problems if you look at the future engineering pages for the 5th May (FA Cup Final day) you will notice Network Rail is turning up trumps for the Liverpool/Everton supporters.