It is true that the Premiership is now the big money competition for most English sides and if you are in the bottom half of the league or fighting for promotion to the Premiership then yes, maybe it is not your priority for that particular season. Aston Villa have won the trophy seven times in their history, although the last time was back in 1957. In fact it has been almost twenty years since Aston Villa last lifted any domestic silverware. That was the League Cup when Savo Milosovic, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke scored to give Villa the 3-0 win against Leeds United.
Arguments against the cup were made recently that in the case of Wigan Athletic winning the FA Cup last season before getting relegated. Questions raised as to whether the players would sacrifice the cup win in order to stay in the Premiership. First off that suggests that winning games in the FA Cup didn't give them confidence in the league. The stats suggest otherwise with the team getting the same amount of points in the games before and after their FA Cup campaign began. The difference is the 18 points in the league gained during the cup run was achieved with four less games. In that four less games they scored three more goals and conceded five less. So in fact an argument could be made that had they not won the FA Cup, and gone out at an earlier round, then they may also have been relegated earlier too.
Also I do not think most of the players in the Wigan side will go on to play in a Champions League or Premier League winning team so this would most likely be the highlight of their career. Players move though and maybe some will but for the fans, the die hard Wigan supporters I think it would take something to lever that experience away from them. Same can certainly be said of Portsmouth fans after their win in 2008 and Wimbledon in 1988. Even to get to the Final is a grand day out for fans, try taking the experience away from Stoke City fans when my side, Manchester City won it in 2011 or Cardiff City fans back in 2008.
Even if you do not get it to the final some lower league teams look forward to the chance of a big payday which can be the difference in paying the wages, building a stand or improving the club. Certainly Macclesfield in this years competition can now pay January and February's wages after their 1-1 tie against Sheffield Wednesday. When the replay takes place at Hillsborough a week Wednesday they will add more much needed finds to their coffers.
To get to the third round, when the Premier League sides join in, sometimes bring up the small clubs own finals. League One Oldham Athletic travel to Anfield to take on Premiership title chasers, Liverpool. Oldhams own league position, fighting to stay in the third tier of English football.
So no I do not think the appeal of the FA Cup has lost its appeal in general but the FA have tried. I am glad to see that the FA Cup has now been restored to after the conclusion of the Premier League. That did, personally, make me sad when my own side Manchester City played the FA Cup Final on the same day regular Premier League matches were happening. Now that the day has been restored and the Final is held at Wembley then I think most things are set up for it to feel as special as it deserves to feel. If we can just arrange to play the Semi Finals away from Wembley so that the trip there is extra special then I think you will see the passion return to the oldest and best club competition in the World.
You cannot have an historically special and iconic tournament, change the day of the final, location of Semi Finals, step back and wonder why it isn't special anymore. Trying to make more money at the tail end of the competition (Wembley Semi Finals) just robs it of the thing which made it special in the first place. To quote Ruby Thewes from Cold Mountain 'They made the weather and then they stand in the rain and say 'sh*t, it's raining'
Jason is a Freelance Soccer Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @PACityboy and www.facebook.com/jasonbardwell1979
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