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Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 7:09 pm
by Clarets4me
An Exclusive reported on-line on the " Independent's " website ....

" The Football Association and the Football League have backed a proposal from The National Association of Football Statisticians to downgrade the first 22 years of the FA Cup, to the equivilant of the FA Amateur Cup which commenced in 1893-94, and ran until the 1973-74 season.

The years affected run from 1872 to 1893, and the winners of the Cup for those years will not be permitted to claim these successes as FA Cup wins on their official Club websites or publications. Explaining the reasoning, N.A.F.S. Secretary, Dr John Hickson said " Any objective analysis of the early years of the " FA Cup " reveals a large number of " byes ", " walkovers " and hugely one-sided results, and in the modern age, we no longer feel it appropriate that these early incarnations of the greatest Club knockout Cup should be classed as true F.A. Cup Competitions ". He added, " The dominance of Public School Old Boys and Military Clubs in the early years, as well as mis-matches with the early Professional Clubs coming up against "true amateur " sides, does not sit well in the modern professional age ".

An FA spokesman endorsed the decision, which is expected to be passed unopposed at next month's FA Council meeting, where the renaming of the Football Association, as the " English Football Association " is also expected to gain approval .

Some of the affected downgrading concern Clubs no longer in existance, such as Wanderers, Royal Engineers and Clapton Rovers. David Singleton, West Bromwich Albion's head of media relations said, " We accept this decision with some reluctance, but understand the reasoning behind it " . West Bromwich Albion will no longer be able to claim their 1888 & 1892 victories on their official " Roll of Honour" .

Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Preston North End are also affected losing one victory each, but the Club most affected is Championship side Blackburn Rovers who will have 5 of their FA Cup wins effectively deleted from the history books. No one at Blackburn Rovers was available for comment, although a source inside the Club said " they were studying the implications of the decision closely, and a statement is expected to be issued in due course ".

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 7:15 pm
by Buxtonclaret
This is going to put the price of chicken wings down, isn't it!

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 7:24 pm
by mdd2
Barmy bloody barmy. That's like the made good lad from the workhouse denying his heritage. The FA Cup was what it was end of. Have they not got better things to deal with like cheating and simulations?

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 7:42 pm
by Devils_Advocate
Id be inclined to extend it to all honours pre world war 2

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 7:52 pm
by Dark Cloud
They'll be wiping out anything pre Premier League next!

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 8:48 pm
by claptrappers_union
Those clubs won the FA Cup - that was the point of the tournament no matter of what it’s quality was.

I can’t believe West Brom agreed to it?! If I was the chairman of a professional club losing the honours, I’d be pulling my club out of next seasons competition - what the point in entering if you know the evidence of your participation will be one day downgraded?

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 9:04 pm
by Bosscat
Dark Cloud wrote:They'll be wiping out anything pre Premier League next!
A lot of people already do m8 its as if pre 1992 never happened ;)

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 9:19 pm
by martin_p
In the same vein surely the results of the last 15 years or so should be wiped out with clubs putting out ‘reserve’ sides and generally not taking the competition seriously.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 9:19 pm
by claptrappers_union
People do honestly argue that winning the old first division and Premier League are not the same.

The end result determines the best team in the league, nothing else is different other than name of the trophy.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 9:20 pm
by Rowls
As funny as this is (as long as it isn't extended beyond, say 1912) it reads like an April fools joke.

Can anyone find another source for this?

It's bizarre.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 9:20 pm
by Foulthrow
They want to be more concerned with the shambles of a competition that they have created recently.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:02 pm
by I luv my wife
Surely this will effect the amount of investment the venkys put into the club because let's face it in India tradition is everything just consider the British Raj

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:11 pm
by cricketfieldclarets
Absolute nonsense.

Have they nothing better to do?

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:17 pm
by Spike
Elwood will well and truly be a Place of Misery given this news

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:17 pm
by Buxtonclaret
Rowls wrote:As funny as this is (as long as it isn't extended beyond, say 1912) it reads like an April fools joke.

Can anyone find another source for this?

It's bizarre.
That's why I mentioned the chicken wings, because I didn't take the post too seriously. ;)

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:27 pm
by Clarets4me
I luv my wife wrote:Surely this will effect the amount of investment the venkys put into the club because let's face it in India tradition is everything just consider the British Raj
I understand that a Conservative party " Think tank " is proposing counter suing the indian Government, for the amount of infrastructure left and paid for by the United Kingdom, should the Indian Government try and sue for reparations as a result of British rule during the Empire !

But you'd probably know more about that than me, being a " Blue Rosette " man yourself ! ;)

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:35 pm
by I luv my wife
How can the Indian gov sue ourselves in the UK we have them the best railway system in the world not counting the foreign aid to build their space programme and as for the blue rossett it was dark

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:41 pm
by Blackrod
Rewriting history to comply with modern standards or tastes - are the BBC behind this ?

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 10:45 pm
by SalisburyClaret
Shameful

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 11:16 pm
by Pstotto
Silly.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 11:17 pm
by Pstotto
They'll be downgrading religions next...

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Wed May 08, 2019 11:47 pm
by bob-the-scutter
Spike wrote:Elwood will well and truly be a Place of Misery given this news
Jake won't be too pleased either.
**** the penguin!

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 12:23 am
by Walton
Rowls wrote:As funny as this is (as long as it isn't extended beyond, say 1912) it reads like an April fools joke.

Can anyone find another source for this?

It's bizarre.
There's a typo of 'existance' in there. Casts doubt.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 1:08 am
by claret wizard
Good cast...

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 7:05 am
by THEWELLERNUT70
Royal Engineers will be gutted

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 7:36 am
by fatboy47
I'm not sure that any club whose fan base consists mainly of people who bum horses and talk to goats shouldn't have their entire history wiped off the page.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 8:07 am
by mikeS
If it’s true it’s a disgraceful manipulation of history. I’d fully support Rovers and any other club affected in blocking this pointless act happening.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 8:14 am
by ClaretAndJew
Can't see this anywhere and even on the independent website I can't find it.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 8:20 am
by South West Claret.
Nonesense.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 8:21 am
by Claretforever
We know the FA Cup is the FA Cup, but before league football began in 1888 it’s a bit much claiming they’re anything more than amateur cup competitions (they literally were until 1885-86, and only a few teams could afford to pay players anyway, such as Blackburn Rovers who were bankrolled by wealthy mill owners, which won’t come as a surprise) which were little better than the Hospital Cup.

Clubs were often given byes, some clubs just didn’t turn up for fixtures because they couldn’t afford to travel, and it was like pub football.

All honours should start from the 1888-89 season I think. At least it was all properly organised from that point, despite the small number of teams.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 8:58 am
by Falcon
What a load of nonsense.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 9:01 am
by Lord Beamish
Anything that puts the kibosh on R*vers and their last chance saloon claim of being the most successful Town Team in English history is fine by me.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 9:05 am
by andyh
Left over April Fools windup?

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 9:58 am
by IanMcL
An excellent spoof.

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 11:19 am
by Clarets4me
OK, I'll come clean ... I knocked it up in a spare half hour yesterday to wind up a Rover's supporting mate .....the thing is, that in today's world, you could almost imagine it happening. It was inspired by Jonathan Agnew's wind up of Geoff Boycott, on " Test Match Special " ....

Apologies to those who wasted their time searching for the " story ", but if it makes you feel better, It was a " trending " topic over on the BRFCS message board, they weren't happy !! :lol:

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 12:31 pm
by claptrappers_union
I did google ‘FA Cup downgraded’ afterwards and found nothing. That when I thought I’d been had.

However, with the FA changing their name to The English FA and other pointless reshuffles, like the Football League trophy having Premier League reserves in it, wouldn’t have surprised me.

But that was a good one

Re: Early FA Cups to be downgraded ...

Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 12:42 pm
by 4:20
A well crafted and believable ruse foiled by Google search. Still deserving of a chocolate biscuit for the effort and fiddler's forum meltdown.