Are you up for the cup?

The FA Cup.
Up for the cup? You better be.
The FA Cup returns to prominence this weekend as the introduction of Premier League and Championship teams cranks up the interest several notches.

Of course, the real competition has been going on for months now, and some teams that have made the 3rd round will have played as many as 15 matches to get their chance to play the big boys of English football.

There is a certain magic to an FA Cup weekend, particularly the 3rd round. The attention almost instantly turns to any sort of David v Goliath battle as the media, pundits and fans alike look out for what could be a potential shock. Videos of Ronnie Radford get brought out from the archives and get dusted off ready for their annual airing, much to the annoyance of myself and many Newcastle fans I’m sure.

For those who don’t know, Ronnie Radford scored the equalising goal for Hereford in an FA Cup tie against Newcastle back in 1972. Hereford were a non-league team at the time, and they went on to win the game and knock Newcastle out of the competition.

Here is a link to the goal if you have never seen it.

It’s that kind of shock that Newcastle need to avoid this weekend when they make the trip to Broadhall Way to play Stevenage Borough. Granted, Stevenage are not a non-league side like Hereford were, but an early exit for a Premier League side against a League Two outfit would keep the press dining out for a good few weeks.

The words ‘banana skin’ have never been more appropriate, and the TV cameras will be there willing for a big shock to take place. Dodge the banana skin and get into the next round has to be the aim, and from there, who knows?

The FA Cup is a competition that I rate very highly. It’s a cup that has been prominent throughout our history and it would be foolish to not enter the competition with the aim of winning it. Am I being deluded? No, not really, as any team has a chance of getting to the final, and from there anything can happen.

Newcastle have a lot of injured players as they prepare for Stevenage, but I’ll highlight that in the match preview when I can get that prepared. It’s likely to be a much changed outfit, but they should still be capable of winning the match. Alan Pardew has said the he will be playing the strongest team available to him, which I agree with.

The merits of a cup run are debatable when you are trying to establish yourself back in the Premier League, but The FA Cup has to be a competition where we play our strongest team, and it looks as though we’ll be doing that just that.

I’m up for the cup. Are you?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

88 thoughts on “Are you up for the cup?

  1. I’m 100% up for the cup, i don’t go by the thought that we shouldnt try for the cup because survival is the most important thing. Offcourse survival is the most important think but that has to be the same for every year for every team, but surely you can have a blast at both aslong as you know where the priority lies. I think there is nowt like the buzz from the cup.
    Howay the Lads

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  2. I would have played the reserves but it looks like hes going to cobble a side together from whoever aint injured, So maybe a mixture of both, Plus if theres one lower league side id like us to absolutely wallop then its these twats…

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  3. ‘I’m up for the cup. Are you?’

    You didn’t seem to be very much up for the CC toonsy, a one that we could actually have won unlike this one. Plus Mackem game soon after again this time, so whats changed and why are you up for it now?

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  4. i can see another 5 from the toon on the cards, we might concede 1 or 2 with an inexperienced defence. even if its similar to the carling cup game against accrington i would be happy, that was a cracking game end to end stuff for 90 mins as i remember. and what a peach from raylor in that game!! i

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  5. Also on here in the states, suprisingly enough. I would bet it’s the first time a Stevenage match has been shown live coast to coast accross the US:)

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  6. All the people who bottled Arsenal and said rest all our best players. I would like to ask you this, Avoid upset at Stevenage or double over Sunderland. Or both! We could have the first time if ya ask me but Hoots bottled it. We would probably be playing Ipswich in the semi by now and on our way to Wembley, oh never mind. 🙁

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  7. Would love a good run in the cup , think we could do as well , we can beat any team on our day as we have proved so far this season ( fair enough been some bad performances as well ) so if we can get 5th round or so see who left and maybe just maybe 🙂

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  8. BATTY was the ****-whole quack that told me that when in dock,he was a mackum *** like,guess thats why the **** forget to write up my painkillers.tw@t

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  9. Hughton got it totally spot on, Staying up is the priority this season and beating them so well made it even better.

    Double over sunderland every time, But well beat Stevenage anyway.

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  10. Man U will probably win it. Arsenal will win CC because they have lowered their sights and are just serious about winnig anything. I wish we had played a full strength team against them, we might have lost but we didn’t to them in the league. If we’d knocked them and Chelsea out it was ours to lose IMO. Forget about the FA Cup we won’t win that, more chance of a pig landing on the moon.

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  11. This would be a huge banna peel to slip on. Stevenage does not do much scoring, and half the roster seems to be in on loan. But AP has injuries he must recognize, so it will be upo to the underlings to find the net and hold the fort for the next round.

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  12. just hope he doesnt play tiote as he didnt seem 100% when coming off we need him some hard games to come and you know what some of these cowboys can be like

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  13. It’s my first post on toonsy’s new blog. Must admit I enjoy reading your articles and good luck with this blog. I’ll be following it regularly and to answer your question for the thread I’m certainly up for it. Just hope the boys are tomorrow as well for if we expect to pitch up and win, it might not be as easy as we all think it’s going to be.

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  14. SHREW M you could be reet,you can about enquire about any player doesnt mean you can get him.
    by the way we are on new thread m8

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  15. My team would be:
    Krul
    Perch Williamson Coloccini Kadar
    Barton(c) Gosling Guthrie Ferguson
    Ranger/Best Lovenkrands

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  16. Becasue I ratethe FA Cup, as I said in the actual article, whereas I don’t rate the League Cup.

    One is a cup that is steeped in history that we have won numerous times. The other is a cup made up by sponsors to make money for them and is one that not many take seriously…..

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  17. cheers Ice … just noticed …

    toonsy is there some way of alerting us to a new thread … I’ve been taling to myself for half an hour on the last thread … 🙂

    big flashing light would be good 😉

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  18. Thanks Nathandio.

    Newcastle United have reportedly had a £1.5 million bid for Swedish winger Sebastian Larsson accepted by Birmingham.
    Magpies manager Alan Pardew is eager to sign Larsson after his bid to to sign David Bentley from Tottenham Hotspur hit the skids. The former Arsenal midfielder has six months left on his contract at St Andrews but has turned down improved terms from Birmingham. Sunderland are also chasing the signiture of Larsson, but manager Steve Bruce is only prepared to pay £1 million for the 25-year-old.

    Source:
    http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/861988/newcastle-set-to-sign-L1.5m-winger-larsson?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=3888

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  19. stuart i think he might be trying lodge an account with him, but im not 100% sure, but batty knows someone that will be sure

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  20. If true I like how Pardew does busness:

    -identify a need
    -have a list ready at the start of the window
    -if #1 is not available or to expensive, move on to #2
    -do things quickly and don’t eff around until the last hour of the window.

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  21. After years of turmoil, wouldn’t it be fantastic to actually win something 😀

    I was desparate for the team to have a real go at the Carling Cup … just to win something … and in reality we missed our chance there.

    The FA Cup will be much harder to win, as clubs take it much more seriously for the reasons mentioned by Toonsy (One steeped in history the other is a cup made up by sponsors to make money).

    Don’t think we have a great deal of chance and thats why we are 33/1 to win along with villa and 5under1and ???

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  22. Batty im just about finished mate, go get me and the wee lad a kebab and thats me till tues ye ha.
    Catch you’s in a bit 😉

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  23. Ladbrookes to win the FA Cup

    Chelsea 5/1
    Manchester Utd 6/1
    Manchester City 7/1
    Arsenal 7/1
    Tottenham 9/1
    Liverpool 16/1
    Everton 16/1
    Aston Villa 33/1
    Newcastle 33/1
    Sunderland 33/1
    Fulham 40/1
    Bolton 40/1
    Blackburn 50/1
    Birmingham 66/1
    West Ham 66/1
    Stoke 66/1
    West Brom 66/1
    Wolves 80/1
    Wigan 100/1

    Have they watched Chelsea recently … and are we less likely to win than Everton /:)

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  24. We may as well try and get as far as we can like-Portsmouth proved last year that even a poor squad can compete with the big boys, and all the drama they had going as well! Still, “strongest team” seems a bit iffy, I’d rather play the kids with the seniors that aren’t really getting a look in because we really can’t be doing with more injuries at this time–would be a nice run out for Gosling though especially. Plus Xisco, yeah I’d be opting for a mix, and definitely wouldn’t be putting Tiote or Barton or Nolan anywhere near the action, not for a while anyway.

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  25. Krul
    Simpson-Williamson- kadar -perch
    Routledge-smith – Guthrie- fergie
    McLoven- best
    Subs:
    Colo-alnwick-Barton-ranger- xisco-vuckic-Gosling
    Think that’ll get the job done.

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  26. Or even:
    Krul
    Perch-willo-kadar-fergie
    Gosling-smudge-Guthrie
    Routledge-best-mcloven

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  27. If Robbie Keane has turned Brum down because he wants more money then he deserves to rot, But maybe he is waiting for another offer ??

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  28. We need to be mindful of the strikers we’re going to use against the mackems, because I have my doubts about Carroll which is really unfortunate..hope i’m proved wrong, but who do we want to partner him? Ameobi’s record is good, but we can’t have two strikers who aren’t at 100%. Loven was good against west ham in providing and running but is still hit and miss in some games, and sometimes near invisible. Best was quality-but is it a one off? I guess the cup will show. And Ranger? well we need someone who can actually hit the net to play for us..

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  29. Eh? Doubts in what way? If you mean will he be fit? Then fair enough, but anything else forget it. Carroll should play. Everyone is scare sh!tless of him at the minute. He’s probably the most talked about striker in the PL at the moment. Everyone wants him.

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  30. Just read comments on skysports website that says Larsson wants to stay with Brum and is currently talking about an improved contract.

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  31. Oh jesus no I just meant fitness wise, Carroll is our only certain striking starter i’m certain of that 🙂

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  32. We were never interested in Bentley. It was always Larson it would seem. Pardew did say his target would depend on whether another transfer happened. Why would Brum sign Bentley if they are keeping Larson?

    We’ll get larson.

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  33. I haven’t really took that much notice of Larsson so dont really know what he is like, but from what I have seen he looks decent enough ?

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  34. Well Stardy not long to wait now mate 😉 Batty has all the tickets sold for tomorrow night and I have the drinks and snacks in. wont be long till we hear the words, Lets get it on 😆 Now I hope its a good bout as batty kept him Ice and Me ringside seats so that we can hackle you’s if you’s arn’t giving it your all 😉

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  35. I gather he has been in training Dave – by waving at planes and licking all kinds of glass 😆

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  36. someone told me they seen him out pounding the streets in the early hours with a bin bag over him 😆

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  37. aye dave – thats right – he has to eat a certain type of food to keep his brain at its current level 😆

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