Vocal Voices

... from Wembley between Liverpool and Man City.

It is madness to hold it 200 miles away on the Easter weekend with rail maintenance closures and the Bank Holiday congestion when the cities are only 30 miles apart.

Sheffield is out, for obvious reasons. Villa Park and Elland Road do not now have the capacity. Newcastle, with the capacity, is just as problematic to get to as Wembley, not least because of both sets of supporters using the same trains. Manu fans change at Leeds to board the direct train from Lime Street.

The obvious choice is Old Trafford. Yes, it is in Manchester, but because both of the teams are competitors of Manu any of their supporters at the ground will not care who wins.

No no no no no no no no no….I don’t want any of them sitting in my seat *

Seriously though, it’s utterly ridiculous. I’m against the use of Wembley anyway for semi finals, it should be saved for the final. I don’t see any reason why another ground can’t be used, Villa Park was always used as a neutral ground for the semis but then I suppose that a smaller capacity means less tickets sold and therefore means less money going into the FA’s coffers.

Remember when matches were behind closed doors and we were told that football without supporters is nothing? That was soon forgotten about, there’s still no thought given to fans where scheduling is concerned. Just one example off the top of my head from this season, Man Utd v Brighton, kick off 8pm on a Tuesday night in February. A hell of a long journey for Brighton supporters.

*Thinking about it, we’re at home to Norwich that weekend.

JoM wrote:*Thinking about it, we’re at home to Norwich that weekend.

Jo, I knew about that, but it is easily moved, it would not be the first time - Covid and all that. They have over three weeks to make any changes. They could even play the semi mid-week - that has also been done before. Where there's the will.....

Thinking about it, that’s a bank holiday weekend so there’s no reason why we can’t play on the Saturday as scheduled and then the semi is played on the Monday. The problem if they move our game is that it’s then going to inconvenience another lot of supporters, I know it’s standing joke that none of our support comes from Manchester but I know of a number of supporters who always fly in for games and already have flights and hotels booked, supporters clubs will now have coaches booked too.

It is crazy playing at Wembley for a semi.
Newcastle might be a bit problematic but it is nearer and the traffic on the way there would be less. Certainly it's an easier drive. M62, turn left onto the A1. sorted.

JoM wrote:Thinking about it, that’s a bank holiday weekend so there’s no reason why we can’t play on the Saturday as scheduled and then the semi is played on the Monday.

Yes, that could work.

I agree, I've always thought it crazy and demeaning to the Final itself.

Play it at the Warrington Wolves RL ground - that's nicely half-way. Capacity's only 15,200, but it's all about TV rights and money anyway. Or at Wigan Athletic's DW Stadium (25,100).
You could then put up big screens at Anfield and Etihad (or wherever it is the other lot play) for supporters without tickets.