Lets talk about the Ebbsfleet F.A.cup game

[selby]

  Much more important than the Scunthorpe cup tie.The F.A.cup holds many memories for me as a youngster,the Mathews final was the first game I saw on our own T.V. as a seven year old,the T.V.being bought to watch the coronation of the queen.
  The Tottenham tie at Belle View a few years later was the first game I was allowed to go to on my own from Askern,mum and dad would probably do time now for letting a youngster go to a match with over 20000 people there.Being taken to Hillsborough to watch one of the famous replays against Aston Villa,the Liverpool replay when the Doncaster area galvanised despite the political scene of the time.
   The depths of despair of Frickley,Wigan,and other non league sides beating us.
   And that is the reason I had an "OH NOOOOOOOOOOO" moment when I heard we had drawn EBBSFLEET AWAY.
  They  are a team that won promotion to the National league last season and are used to doing well, having lost only 13 games out of the last 101 games under their present manager.
  They have a rich benefactor who has started to redevelop their ground, and have just signed Fabian Brandy, a guy who has given us a hard time in the past.
  Will we take it seriously?will we play our strongest side?I do not want to come out of the ground, as I did at Oldham last season, thinking why did Fergie pick that team?and we could have done better.
  Could we be the team the cameras are following because we are the giant killers this season?I do not want to hear Fergie say "I picked a team I thought was good enough to win the game BUT".
  I want to be a supporter of a club that has had a great cup run,not one that the Barnsley,Rotherham,and Sheffield supporters can gloat and laugh at Saturday evening,or that Jeff can tell the world there has been a cup shock at Ebbsfleet.
   What do you think?

[the vicar]

It is surely a tricky game Selby but if we respect them and don't go into the game thinking all we have to do is turn up we should be fine

[Donnywolf]

After our recent experience at The Emirates we simply MUST do everything in our power to progress to the Third Round of the FA Cup this season - in the hope of getting another plum tie

No treating it as "a we can concentrate on the League" type Fixture (and Competition). A good opportunity to make money - always needed - and this will be being borne in mind hopefully by our hierarchy

True we might still lose on the day - and if we do get to Round Three there no saying we will get a plum tie BUT that will be excusable - giving up before we get going wont be

[The Red Baron]

Last season because the focus was 100% on promotion I could understand us making changes for the FA Cup. This season a Cup run could give us a bit of momentum going into the second half of the season and help us consolidate in League One. No excuses for not giving Saturday's game maximum effort or playing less than our strongest available team.

[since-1969]

Banana skin alert 🍌 

[IDM]

I can't imagine DF wanting anything less than a win in this tie and in the checkatrade.  We have misfiring strikers and fringe players not getting much game time, that need to play and in some cases find form..

[The Red Baron]

Banana skin alert 🍌 

It's not going to be easy and I wouldn't consider a draw on Saturday and a replay at home to be disastrous at all.

[anne honemous]

If I had a choice of winning this game or winning a league game, then it'd be a league game every time.

The pressure is off, IMO, as a win, draw or defeat won't effect anything to do with our ultimate aim of consolidating our position in League One.

It'd be nice to win, but I won't lose an awful lot of sleep if we don't progress.

The best part of the next couple of weeks is it gives injured players a chance to get closer to a return, first team players the chance to recharge their batteries after playing 15/16 league games, and fringe players a chance to stake a claim for a place in the team.

[The Red Baron]

If I had a choice of winning this game or winning a league game, then it'd be a league game every time.

The pressure is off, IMO, as a win, draw or defeat won't effect anything to do with our ultimate aim of consolidating our position in League One.

It'd be nice to win, but I won't lose an awful lot of sleep if we don't progress.

The best part of the next couple of weeks is it gives injured players a chance to get closer to a return, first team players the chance to recharge their batteries after playing 15/16 league games, and fringe players a chance to stake a claim for a place in the team.

Don't agree. If we're going to stay up this season we need to develop a winning mentality. That applies to the Cups as well as the League.

Tomorrow is a bit of a free hit because we are already through (Scunthorpe will probably be thinking the same) but I expect us to be going for a win on Saturday and then hoping to carry on against Rotherham.

[since-1969]

This is the perfect opportunity to get what ever has been the striking issues have been and get through to the next round with a confident win .

[Surrey Rover]

We might have to field a changed side if the four loanees are refused permission to play unless that's already been sorted of course but not seen anything confirmed.

[Jenny]

I love the FA cup, and always want us to have a decent cup run and get to the third round so I'd love to see a full strength team out at Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

You can pretty much guarantee that this will be the season that we have a storming cup run and draw a massive Prem team in the third round away from home - mainly because it is something I have been waiting for all my life and this is the one season where I wouldn't be able to go to the game!

[The Red Baron]

We might have to field a changed side if the four loanees are refused permission to play unless that's already been sorted of course but not seen anything confirmed.

That's a good point. Can't really see Kongolo or Houghton being a problem, but Norwich and Sheffield United might want to use Toffolo and Whiteman in the competition.

Some of the youngsters we loaned out are cup-tied. Fielding and Walker certainly are with Biggleswade and I have a feeling Fletcher and Townrow are also with Spalding.

Just checked. Fielding, Walker and Will Longbottom are Cup-tied. The others aren't.

[selby]

  All good points made, Jenny you will have my sympathy,but I know you would not begrudge the rest of us being there,and who knows I am sure the T.V. will be at Old Trafford when we are the toast of the country after winning 3-1

[graingrover]

All games are important but the FA cup still has it's magic at least in these early rounds and as a fan I love going to the type of occasion we have coming up at Ebbsfleet . 

[Campsall rover]

I love the FA cup, and always want us to have a decent cup run and get to the third round so I'd love to see a full strength team out at Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

You can pretty much guarantee that this will be the season that we have a storming cup run and draw a massive Prem team in the third round away from home - mainly because it is something I have been waiting for all my life and this is the one season where I wouldn't be able to go to the game!

Guaranteed to be Man U away then. Sorry you will miss it Jenny.

[sheffield exile1]

  Much more important than the Scunthorpe cup tie.The F.A.cup holds many memories for me as a youngster,the Mathews final was the first game I saw on our own T.V. as a seven year old,the T.V.being bought to watch the coronation of the queen.
  The Tottenham tie at Belle View a few years later was the first game I was allowed to go to on my own from Askern,mum and dad would probably do time now for letting a youngster go to a match with over 20000 people there.Being taken to Hillsborough to watch one of the famous replays against Aston Villa,the Liverpool replay when the Doncaster area galvanised despite the political scene of the time.
   The depths of despair of Frickley,Wigan,and other non league sides beating us.
   And that is the reason I had an "OH NOOOOOOOOOOO" moment when I heard we had drawn EBBSFLEET AWAY.
  They  are a team that won promotion to the National league last season and are used to doing well, having lost only 13 games out of the last 101 games under their present manager.
  They have a rich benefactor who has started to redevelop their ground, and have just signed Fabian Brandy, a guy who has given us a hard time in the past.
  Will we take it seriously?will we play our strongest side?I do not want to come out of the ground, as I did at Oldham last season, thinking why did Fergie pick that team?and we could have done better.
  Could we be the team the cameras are following because we are the giant killers this season?I do not want to hear Fergie say "I picked a team I thought was good enough to win the game BUT".
  I want to be a supporter of a club that has had a great cup run,not one that the Barnsley,Rotherham,and Sheffield supporters can gloat and laugh at Saturday evening,or that Jeff can tell the world there has been a cup shock at Ebbsfleet.
   What do you think?

I clearly remember us getting out of jail at Whitby Town when a young untried striker came on and got us a late equaliser - I believe he was called Brian Deane? Yes we have had some scares over the years.

[Dutch Uncle]

Quiz Question - who are the 5 teams since World War 2 who, whilst playing in Non-league at the time, have knocked Rovers out of the FA Cup?

[IDM]

Rushden & Diamonds would be one??

[GazLaz]

Tiverton Town.

[RedJ]

Wigan?

[Dutch Uncle]

Wigan yes in 1965-66, and were the first since WW2
R&D yes in 1998-99 when we were in the Conference (so not a 'giant-killing' btw)

We actually managed to beat Tiverton........

[IDM]

Exeter City - in the round after we beat Tiverton??

[Dr Fundlekrotch]

Southport.

Have we lost to Scarborough in recent years?

[drfc1951]

Frickley

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Lincoln?

[les@donr]

Definitely Scarborough, I was there!

[darren61]

Definitely Scarborough, I was there!

It was Baltic freezing that day, then came the announcement for home supporters about the mini bus for the next away match had some places left,
warmed me up laughing for a few mins.

[Jenny]

Definitely Scarborough, I was there!

It was Baltic freezing that day, then came the announcement for home supporters about the mini bus for the next away match had some places left,
warmed me up laughing for a few mins.

That was a different match - that was when we beat them 5-2 I think.

[darren61]

Definitely Scarborough, I was there!

It was Baltic freezing that day, then came the announcement for home supporters about the mini bus for the next away match had some places left,
warmed me up laughing for a few mins.

That was a different match - that was when we beat them 5-2 I think.

I think it was a 1-0 defeat , me and the ex wife spent  the night in Scarborough, it was like a ghost town.