[Football] Semi Final Neutral Stadiums

Chicken Run · Mar 19, 2019

Pre ‘New Wembley’ days of the games would have been played in different stadiums often picked geographically to suit the two teams in each match, where would the two semi finals be played this year then if not at Wembley?

My thoughts would be Wolves v Watford at Old Trafford and us v Citeh at the Emirates?

LVGull · Mar 19, 2019

Chicken Run said:
Pre ‘New Wembley’ days of the games would have been played in different stadiums often picked geographically to suit the two teams in each match, where would the two semi finals be played this year then if not at Wembley?

My thoughts would be Wolves v Watford at Old Trafford and us v Citeh at the Emirates?

It should still be this way. Wembley for the final only. Greedy FA.

dazzer6666 · Mar 19, 2019

LVGull said:
It should still be this way. Wembley for the final only. Greedy FA.

Hugely expensive stadium to pay for/justify FA.........so many corporate sponsors/hangers-on to keep happy FA......

Rugrat · Mar 19, 2019

Semis at Wembley is bollox, plenty of good neutral venues

Herr Tubthumper · Mar 19, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
Hugely expensive stadium to pay for/justify FA.........so many corporate sponsors/hangers-on to keep happy FA......

I personally don’t see any need for a national stadium. That England on tour thing they did when Wembley was being rebuilt was hugely popular and also beneficial in many ways. Whoever came up with this idea needs a pat on the back :wink:

And today there’s plenty of very large stadia around the U.K. for the very big games.

dazzer6666 · Mar 19, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
I personally don’t see any need for a national stadium. That England on tour thing they did when Wembley was being rebuilt was hugely popular and also beneficial in many ways. Whoever came up with this idea needs a pat on the back

And today there’s plenty of very large stadia around the U.K. for the very big games.

Agreed......rotating England games around the country was brilliant.

vegster · Mar 19, 2019

Used to often be Hillsborough, and Villa Park as I recall.

Chicken Run · Mar 19, 2019

vegster said:
Used to often be Hillsborough, and Villa Park as I recall.

But these days I’m assuming too small, I also forgot the Etihad ?

n1 gull · Mar 19, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
I personally don’t see any need for a national stadium. That England on tour thing they did when Wembley was being rebuilt was hugely popular and also beneficial in many ways. Whoever came up with this idea needs a pat on the back

And today there’s plenty of very large stadia around the U.K. for the very big games.

Totally agree and I don't understand why the FA got a load of stick when they were selling it?

GT49er · Mar 19, 2019

Chicken Run said:
Pre ‘New Wembley’ days of the games would have been played in different stadiums often picked geographically to suit the two teams in each match, where would the two semi finals be played this year then if not at Wembley?

My thoughts would be Wolves v Watford at Old Trafford and us v Citeh at the Emirates?

Old Trafford would suit Watford and Wolves? It's well north of both of them. Villa Park, almost certainly (which would also have the advantage of fans approaching from opposite directions, not the same one).
Tricky one though - Villa Park would probably be the most geographically neutral for us and City too; guess the Emirates would do as second best - although if the semis can be played on successive days at Wembley, so they could at Villa Park.

Return of the Rev · Mar 19, 2019

The oval?

Hugo Rune · Mar 19, 2019

I hate the Wembley Semi-Final thing despite us about to play in one.

There are some great Stadia up north and in London but nothing big enough in the midlands as capacity wise, you really need 50k+, ideally something like 60k.

This stadium would have made an ideal venue for so many North Vs South Semis if it had been built.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Birmingham_Stadium

Uh_huh_him · Mar 19, 2019

Pretty sure the semis being played at Wembley predated the new stadium. Didn't it start with a semi between Spurs and Arsenal?

LVGull · Mar 19, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
Hugely expensive stadium to pay for/justify FA.........so many corporate sponsors/hangers-on to keep happy FA......

That’s correct. Doesn’t mean they can mug the fans off everytime a game is on.

LVGull · Mar 19, 2019

Hugo Rune said:
I hate the Wembley Semi-Final thing despite us about to play in one.

There are some great Stadia up north and in London but nothing big enough in the midlands as capacity wise, you really need 50k+, ideally something like 60k.

This stadium would have made an ideal venue for so many North Vs South Semis if it had been built.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Birmingham_Stadium

The Semi Final should be solely for both sets of fans, not 15,000 corporate tickets. Do the FA still hand out 2x tickets to every non league club?

nicko31 · Mar 19, 2019

Rugrat said:
Semis at Wembley is bollox, plenty of good neutral venues

Indeed its no longer the 80's, loads of world class grounds now

Semi's at Wembley further erodes the FA Cup spectacle

Herr Tubthumper · Mar 19, 2019

vegster said:
Used to often be Hillsborough, and Villa Park as I recall.

Both stadiums, especially Hillsborough, look quite dated and scruffy these days.

Chicken Run · Mar 19, 2019

Uh_huh_him said:
Pretty sure the semis being played at Wembley predated the new stadium. Didn't it start with a semi between Spurs and Arsenal?

I think that was a one off, the other semi was at Villa Park, Forest v West Ham.

drew · Mar 19, 2019

Uh_huh_him said:
Pretty sure the semis being played at Wembley predated the new stadium. Didn't it start with a semi between Spurs and Arsenal?

Spurs v Arsenal in 91 was the only semi at Wembley. Following year they were on neutral grounds then in 93 Arsenal played Spurs again at Wembley and the two Sheffield clubs both played at Wembley. After that it was neutral grounds until 2000 when they were both at Wembley again before it was redeveloped.

AmexRuislip · Mar 19, 2019

Neutral stadia should still be used IMO
But as we're playing Citeh at Wembley, I'm glad the Albion fans don't have to travel too far.
Emirates would've been the ideal choice or Spuds new ground, if it were ready!!

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