Up for the cup?

Sadly not me any more. As a youngster there was no doubt the FA cup was the most glamorous club competition in the world. Winning the league would make you the best team, but winning the cup with a day out at Wembley, and about ten hours of coverage on TV, made it the best spectacle. Even as a neutral you could get out of bed on cup final day, come downstairs at 8 o'clock and start to watch the build up. Meet the players wives, it's a cup final knock out, watch the players leave their hotels; every angle was covered.

Even the earlier rounds of the FA cup had their drama. Hereford beating Newcastle, Colchester beating Leeds, Charlton beating, er... er...nobody really. Oh hang on, we did beat Blackburn away when they were near the top of the Premiership and we were in the second flight. And for those us old enough to remember, we beat Palace at Selhurst Park in a third round replay with our goalkeeper Charlie Wright chaired off the pitch. We then got knocked out to the mighty Arsenal. My first ever away game outside London was a cup tie at Coventry around 1970 - we lost that as well.

But no matter how poor we were, you always looked forward to the third round with fresh hope that it could be our year. But not any more. Just as we know that only three or four clubs will ever win the Premiership, so we know that only a handful will win the cup. The chances of winning the cup are greater than winning the league, but mainly because the big boys don't take it seriously. Premiership teams will play their reserves because they want to save their stars for the big money league. Even in the Championship, teams will be playing under strength sides if they feel they have a chance of getting promoted. It's better to get in the big money league than have a better chance of a day out at Wembley.

Against West Brom we too will play a number of reserves. Pardew has already said he doesn't want a draw. Hopefuly we won't throw the game just to avoid a replay. And a replay will definitely throw my 100% attendance rate into jeopardy. Can I get more time off to attend a midweek game at the Hawthorns if we get a draw? Let's hope it's not something I have to consider. I've spent hundreds of pounds attending every Charlton game this season, and I must admit that coming just after Christmas, an extra away game will be a big struggle. Particularly for a game that nobody seems bothered about. The shine has definitely gone off the cup for me.

And for those coming from Essex, we need to be aware that the Jubilee line to North Greenwich is not running on Saturday. For me it'll mean going by car. With a reuced crowd parking shouldn't be so much of a problem though.

Up The Addicks!

Robin