BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | FA Cup in danger of losing lustre

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<td width="10"><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="10" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /></td> <td width="629" valign="top"> <table width="629" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="629"> <a name="startcontent"></a><span class="ds"><span class="lu">Last Updated: </span>Friday, 4 February, 2005, 12:48 GMT</span> <img height="2" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="2" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /> <div class="mvb"><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="629" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/dot_629.gif" /></div> <div class="mvtb"><table cellspacing="0" width="416" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr> <td width="213"><a onClick="popUpPage('http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/email/news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4235997.stm','status=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,width=370,height=445','Mailer')" 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class="sh"> FA Cup in danger of losing lustre </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="416"> <font size="2">   <div class="mvb"> <table border="0" width="416" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> <div class="mvb"> <span class="byl"> By Phil McNulty </span> <br /> <span class="byd"> Chief football writer </span> </div> </td> </tr> </table><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="416" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif" /><br /> </div>  <P>  <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"> <tr> <td width="5"><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="5" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /></td> <td class="sibtbgf"> <div class="o"> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Man Utd skipper Roy Keane lifts the FA Cup last year" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40185000/jpg/_40185243_manutd203.jpg" /> </div> <div class="miiib">  <div class="arry"><a href="/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4235401.stm" class="pbl">FA considering midweek Cup final </a></div>  </div> </td> </tr> </table>  <B>The notion of the FA Cup final being played on a Wednesday evening is another blow to traditionalists who fear every ounce of romance is being drained from the famous old trophy.</B> <P> But the Football Association is considering the move from 2006 to ensure England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has more time with his squad before the World Cup in Germany. <P> The FA insists no decision has been made - but the confirmation that it is "exploring several strong proposals" suggests it is a serious consideration. <P>  <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"> <tr> <td width="5"><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="5" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /></td> <td class="sibtbgq"> <div class="miiib">  <div><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/h2cluster2/h2.cgi?thread=%3C1107508139-28072.4%40forum5.thdo.bbc.co.uk%3E&find=%3C1107508139-28072.4%40forum5.thdo.bbc.co.uk%3E&board=sixosix.facup&sort=Te " class="pbl"> <div class="mva"> <img height="13" border="0" width="24" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/end_quote.gif" /> <b><i>The FA Cup final is a Saturday game and should stay on a Saturday</i></b> <img height="13" align="right" vspace="0" border="0" width="23" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/end_quote.gif" /><br clear="all"/> </div> <div class="mva">From James</div> </a></div>   <div class="arry"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/h2cluster2/h2.cgi?thread=%3C1107508139-28072.4%40forum5.thdo.bbc.co.uk%3E&find=%3C1107508139-28072.4%40forum5.thdo.bbc.co.uk%3E&board=sixosix.facup&sort=Te " class="pbl"><i>Have your say on 606</i></a></div>  </div> </td> </tr> </table>  It is the latest setback to the image of the tournament, tarnished by a succession of setbacks and a perceived decline in its status as the most famous knock-out tournament in the world. <P> So what are the blows that have damaged the FA Cup's image? <P> <div class="ch1"><b>MANCHESTER UNITED'S WITHDRAWAL</b></div> <P> Manchester United were given permission not to take part in the FA Cup in 2000 to pursue an ill-fated campaign in the Fifa World Club Championship. <P> Portrayed as a key plank in England's doomed bid to stage the 2006 World Cup, it was a spectacular failure on every level. <P> The decision to allow a major club to dip in and out of the competition at will was regarded as a fatal blow to the FA Cup's prestige. <P> <div class="ch1"><b>NO FA CUP FINAL REPLAYS</b></div> <P> FA Cup Final replays have long been a source of drama - take Chelsea's 2-1 win against Leeds United in 1970 and Spurs' win against Manchester City in 1981. <P> It was decided to have only one replay in 1991 and they were abandoned altogether in 1999. <P> <div class="ch1"><b>FALLING ATTENDANCES</b></div> <P>  <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Exeter salute their fans after their FA Cup draw with Manchester Utd" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40794000/jpg/_40794525_exetersmile203_getty.jpg" /> <div class="cap">Exeter gained a worthy draw against a below strength Man Utd</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  Grounds that would usually be packed for FA Cup ties suddenly see empty seats - and plenty of them. <P> The packed houses still come along, but there are stark examples that suggest the FA Cup is not the magnetic draw it once was. <P> West Ham drew 27,424 for the Championship game against Sheffield United on 3 January, and yet only 19,444 were present at the FA Cup fourth round game later in the month. <P> And Blackburn attendance of only 10,634 for their fourth round game against Colchester United was also in stark contrast to their league games. <P> <div class="ch1"><b>WEAKENED TEAMS</b></div> <P> The League Cup - in all its various guises - was once regarded as the ideal opportunity for the Premiership's big guns to rest established stars and test out emerging young talent. <P> But in recent times that experiment has extended to the FA Cup - with particular reference to Manchester United and Liverpool this season. <P> Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a virtual reserve side against non-league Exeter City in the third round and was humiliated as they earned a deserved goalless draw. <P> Ferguson said it was the worst FA Cup performance in his 18 years at the club - but the lesson was learned and a stronger team won the replay 2-0. <P> But Liverpool suffered an even worse fate when manager Rafael Benitez fielded a second-string side and lost 1-0 at Burnley. <P> <div class="ch1"><b>THE FINAL STRAW?</b></div> <P> Moving the FA Cup Final from its traditional Saturday afternoon slot to a Wednesday evening, even for only one year, will be regarded by many as confirmation that the tournament has lost its old lustre once and for all. <P> </font> <br /><br clear="all" /> <div class="mvtb"><table cellspacing="0" width="416" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr> <td width="213"><a onClick="popUpPage('http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/email/news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4235997.stm','status=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,width=370,height=445','Mailer')" href="http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/email/news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4235997.stm" target="Mailer"> <img height="11" hspace="3" align="left" vspace="0" border="0" width="17" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/email.gif" /> E-mail this to a friend </a></td> <td width="203"><a 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</span> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4151177.stm"> FA Cup going under the hammer </a> <br /> <span class="sad"> 06 Jan 05 |  FA Cup </span> </div> <img height="2" hspace="0" vspace="3" border="0" width="203" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/666666.gif" /><br /> <img height="10" width="1" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /><br /> <div class="mvb"> <div class="nlp"> RELATED INTERNET LINKS: </div> </div> <div class="miiib"> <div class="arr"> <a href="http://www.thefa.com/"> The Football Association </a> </div> </div> <div class="di"> The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites </div> <img height="10" width="1" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /><br /> <img height="10" width="1" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" /><br /> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>  <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="760" class="fs"> <tr> <td><img 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