Silverware or Survival

[SpaceCruiser]

Why do people keep asking this sort of stupid question? Surely we can get both. No, no, no, you've got to pick one. Well, I'm sorry, my answer is still the same. Both. And they are achievable.

[Schards#2]

If, at the start of the season, it was a stark choice of survival or win the FA Cup, I would have taken survival.

Now, even if we accept the premice that by giving the cup 100%, our league form will suffer, (which I doubt - we are playing 8 less league games this year in any case), then we are likely to be talking about a choice of winning the cup and finishing 12th or going out and finishing 9th.

No contest, give the cup 100%. Plenty of a cash in it too if you can progress to the semis.

[Scarface]

At the start of the season it was survival, but you must be flexible in your aspirations and now that we're almost safe, I can't see anything wrong wrong with wanting to achieve both.

With the right draws and a bit of luck we are capabale of getting to the FA Cup final. Remember we are a Premiership club now.

[Huntley & Palmer]

We could realistically be safe before the next round. I would then expect a very good team to start against our 5th round opponents. I'm not going to be happy with just sitting in this league season upon season doing a Fulham or a Charlton I want to see us do something with this new found wealth and opportunity.

[Reading West]

Analysing last season with Wigan & West Ham, both were promoted the season before last, both were expected to go back down, however not only did they have respectable final positions but both got to cup finals (with West Ham entering europe).
I'm wondering if due to these teams acheiving goals in the first season that they might have earmarked it would take a few seasons to accomplish. That this season has become in a way become an anti climax, as they try unsuccessfully to build on last seasons success.

I'll take SC's approach that building success in the premiership is not a sprint but a marathon and it means getting all the right foundations in place first before picking up the pace.(the championship is littered with teams that tried to run before they could walk i.e Leeds).
Keeping out of the limelight of a cup final in your first season in the prem may not be such a bad thing

Even if we draw chelsea in the 5th round I'm sure the 2nd string will be out again doing us proud.

[Jaques Francais]

Sorry, but this is just a stupid question. As great as winning the FA Cup would be, to have that and sacrifice our Premiership status would be a massive blow to the club - both financially and in terms of getting back up.

Premiership anyday - silverware can come later.

[Coppelled Streets]

Winning the F.A.Cup this season but getting relegated

or

Survival in the Premiership, say 10th place.


What would you choose?

Very unlikely we'll go down this season.
I'll take mid-table safety and an FA Cup semi.

[Forbury Lion]

£48 Million earned from survival in Premiership
£1 Million earned from winning FA Cup

It's a no brainer really.

If money is your only goal then selling off our squad, the stadium, relocating the team to Milton Keynes and investing the cash in something more profitable might also be an option.

[SpaceCruiser]

£48 Million earned from survival in Premiership
£1 Million earned from winning FA Cup

It's a no brainer really.

£49 Million would be better than both options.

[Jaques Francais]

£48 Million earned from survival in Premiership
£1 Million earned from winning FA Cup

It's a no brainer really.

£49 Million would be better than both options.

But in the context of this thread, that option wasn't given, was it? So it's not an option, in terms of this discussion. Even though I agree in principle with your sentiments.

[papereyes]

If, at the start of the season, it was a stark choice of survival or win the FA Cup, I would have taken survival.

Now, even if we accept the premice that by giving the cup 100%, our league form will suffer, (which I doubt - we are playing 8 less league games this year in any case), then we are likely to be talking about a choice of winning the cup and finishing 12th or going out and finishing 9th.

No contest, give the cup 100%. Plenty of a cash in it too if you can progress to the semis.

That is approaching my thinking now. But I'd play it on a game by game basis.

That said, I don't think its the money that we'll benefit from, but a less tangible aspect, 'good will' if you will. Given that this is our best cup run for the best part of a decade and one of only two in the best part of a century and given that the 'reserve team' is proving its worth, perhaps now we should give the Cup a bit more lip service.

But its also interesting that given the furore of Coppell not respecting the cup, we appear to be on the brink of setting a modern benchmark for progress in it.

[Spirit of Elm Park]

...am i the only one who's dreaming of Reading v Bolton at Wembley?

[shadesrwrf]

...am i the only one who's dreaming of Reading v Bolton at Wembley?

That's frankly as ridiculous as dreaming of Graeme Murty scoring a penalty during the last game of a record-breaking, Championship-winning season. I'm feeling all emotional just imagining it.

[Forbury Lion]

...am i the only one who's dreaming of Reading v Bolton at Wembley?

2-0 up and a penalty that goes in!

[John Peel]

14 points away from relegation zone, next match at home against a team who's lost seven in a row. Kitson finally back (for now).

No question about it - go for the cup.

[Don Finch]

Definitely got to make sure we stay in the Prem. Who needs the F A Cup anyway?

[Millsy]

We all know both are still achievable but the question is which would we rather.

So to answer the question - I'd much rather survival. £28million+ pounds in it.

Brick by brick. With the money we can begin to consolidate ourselves as a Prem club... THEN one day we'll have just as good a chance of winning the FA cup.

Go down and we'll be screwed - Coppell may leave, our stars would leave, we'd be left paying big wages, the plastics would dematerialise and be effectively back to square one with another 135 year wait.

It's a no brainer.

[Don Finch]

We all know both are still achievable but the question is which would we rather.

So to answer the question - I'd much rather survival. £28million+ pounds in it.

Brick by brick. With the money we can begin to consolidate ourselves as a Prem club... THEN one day we'll have just as good a chance of winning the FA cup.

Go down and we'll be screwed - Coppell may leave, our stars would leave, we'd be left paying big wages, the plastics would dematerialise and be effectively back to square one with another 135 year wait.

It's a no brainer.

Good points well made. I don't think we'd suffer in relegation the same way some other clubs have. We're not laden with over-paid footballers and a lot are tied up in reasonable length contracts so we would see plenty of money if people came in for the likes of Doyle and Sonko. How many players would leave? Our team is still pretty intact from what we used last season, it could be one season down and then straight back up. Maybe.

Don't get me wrong, relegation would be damaging and nobody would want it, but what is a club achieving by merely surviving season after season - I don't think we have a hope in hell of winning the league any time soon, not without a wealthy investor and then you're back to argument of 'buying the title'. Winning the FA Cup is a supreme achievement and in the books for years to come.

[Stranded]

How many would leave? If we were relegated (which we won't be) I could see offers for the following and most probably moving on/back to the Prem:

Shorey
Sonko
Sidwell
Harper
Convey (assuming he stays fit)
Doyle
Lita

and possibly Kitson

[Don Finch]

I think I would cry like a baby if some of them left, we'd make massive profit on some of them but that wouldn't lessen the blow as a fan. I wonder how much Shorey is worth now, one of the best left pegs in the country as far as I am concerned.