FA Trophy

[Gloomy Gull]

not on the OS yet.............

You sound surprised

[PlainmoorRoar]

At least we have home advantage for the 2nd leg.

Whatever the draw this is what I wanted!

TUFC vs Bath in the final would be a good occasion!

[brucie]

Errr why on earth would you want the hardest draw left in the competition? - obviously we would have wanted the easiest draw to get to the final.
We have been lucky so far but our luck appears to have run out. That said neither of our opponents are actually that good and in three games against them so far this season we have won two and drawn one.
Its probably a fifty-fifty coin toss as to who gets through. I would prefer Wrexham as they are the poorer of the two sides.

[Southampton Gull]

Err, I think he was hinting that he wanted us to be at home for the second leg.....................

[gullintwoplaces]

Err, I think he was hinting that he wanted us to be at home for the second leg.....................

Exactly. Home in the second leg is a plus.

[PlainmoorRoar]

Jesus Brucie, it was pretty clear!

Whoever you play in the semi it won't be easy, if Dover get through that wouldn't have been an easy game, unbeaten in a crazy run of games bet recently!

got to keep it tight away from home and take a chance if we get one, then go for it at home!

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Halifax had their match v Dartford switched to Droylsden on Saturday-less than 500 turned-up!

[diamondgirl]

Can't remember, but do away goals count double, at any stage?

[CP Gull]

Ok, so probably not the draw we would have chosen - but at least, as others have said, we are at home for the 2nd leg.

Personally, I would prefer Wrexham - but I think home advantage may just swing their tie in favour of FC Halifax.

I don't think there is anybody who we can't beat in this League and when you consider that we have won at the likes of Barnet, Grimsby and should have won at Bristol Rovers too and that so far only the best that this division has (Barnet, Grimsby and Bristol Rovers ironically) have actually managed to beat us at home all season - suggests to me that we have every chance of progressing to the final.

Should we progress, it's one of Dover/Bath or North Ferriby in the final. I really like the idea of a TUFC v Bath final and think they would travel in decent numbers too. That said, if we are looking to maximise any money made from the Final then a greater attendance might be achieved if Dover were to progress as they are that bit closer to Wembley! Either way, I cannot see anything like the 40,000 that turned up for the final against Ebbsfleet last time around!

[Gullscorer]

Can't remember, but do away goals count double, at any stage?

No, away goals don’t count double. If the aggregate score is level at the end of the second leg, extra time will be played, then penalties if necessary. Full FA Trophy rules can be found via this link:
http://search.thefa.com/search?q=FA+Tro ... 3&entqrm=0

[Gullscorer]

The FA Trophy Final at Wembley will be shown live on BT Sport on 29 March:
http://www.thefa.com/news/competitions/ ... med-090215

[tomogull]

Semi-final draw takes place tomorrow, Monday 9 February at 1pm. The teams are:

Torquay United
North Ferriby United
Dover Athletic or Bath City (4th Round replay at Bath Tuesday 10 February 7:45pm.)
Halifax Town or Wrexham (4th Round tie at Halifax Tuesday 10 February 7:45pm.)

Semi-final ties to be played over two legs on Saturday 21 February and Saturday 28 February.

Assuming they beat Dover in their replay, I'd like to see us play Bath City (who beat Bristol Rovers in the First Round Proper at the Memorial Stadium on 13 December) in the Semi. They are our nearest club in the competition and should give us two well attended 'local' Derbies, with a reasonably good chance of us reaching the Final. It's a long haul to North Ferriby, Wrexham and Halifax..

The Final takes place at Wembley on Sunday 29 March.

Thanks for this info Gullscorer - very useful. Gives me plenty of time to come up with a good excuse if the missus wants any jobs/shopping done on the 28th February !!!! Cheers !

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Ok, so probably not the draw we would have chosen - but at least, as others have said, we are at home for the 2nd leg.

Personally, I would prefer Wrexham - but I think home advantage may just swing their tie in favour of FC Halifax.

I don't think there is anybody who we can't beat in this League and when you consider that we have won at the likes of Barnet, Grimsby and should have won at Bristol Rovers too and that so far only the best that this division has (Barnet, Grimsby and Bristol Rovers ironically) have actually managed to beat us at home all season - suggests to me that we have every chance of progressing to the final.

Should we progress, it's one of Dover/Bath or North Ferriby in the final. I really like the idea of a TUFC v Bath final and think they would travel in decent numbers too. That said, if we are looking to maximise any money made from the Final then a greater attendance might be achieved if Dover were to progress as they are that bit closer to Wembley! Either way, I cannot see anything like the 40,000 that turned up for the final against Ebbsfleet last time around!

There hasn't been a bigger gate for the FA Trophy final since that game and looking at the teams left in and their support,plus the distances involved,its hard to see many more than 15-20,000 turning up.Makes you wonder if the FA should stage this at a premiership ground in the future-in Midlands or London possibly. Better a lower-capacity ground half-full than a three-quarters empty Wembley.

[AlexGulls]

You could say the same for the FA Vase really..I went last season and they only opened one stand for it but I guess it makes it more worthwhile trying to get to the final for a trip to Wembley a trip to somewhere like Fulham doesn't really have the same affect...

As for the draw having home advantage in the second leg is a plus but whoever we got would of been tough really.

[RussianGull]

Wanted North Ferriby, only an hour up the road, but Wrexham/Halifax are doable, if we do well in the first leg I'll probably come to Devon for the return fixture. I'd rather have Halifax than Wrexham as I'd like to watch Pearson play COYY