Win the Cup or stay up?

[Sarah Star]

I was going to vote "staying up" it being the brick-by-brick, slow but steady improvement and sensible choice. But reading through this thread I'm completely converted. Winning the FA Cup wouldn't just be a one off thing, it would be something that lasts, that couldn't be taken away from us and that you could on about endlessly to your friends and relations forever... so for those reasons, I'm in!

and also because of this

Going down and being in Europe would be hilarious.

[zummerset]

Win the Cup without question. The global expansion of the Reading FC brand name would enormous.

Do you really think Reading has a worldwide brand at the moment SH? Waht is the potential in the States?

[Victor Meldrew]

I was going to vote "staying up" it being the brick-by-brick, slow but steady improvement and sensible choice. But reading through this thread I'm completely converted. Winning the FA Cup wouldn't just be a one off thing, it would be something that lasts, that couldn't be taken away from us and that you could on about endlessly to your friends and relations forever... so for those reasons, I'm in!

and also because of this

Going down and being in Europe would be hilarious.

I'm with the pro-winning the FA Cup.
Look what happened to us when we had a stronger team than now and had a much better chance of going a long way-Coppell fielded a weakened team to keep our first-teamers fresh for the league campaign and...we got relegated.
I have to say this is starting to feel like the Simod Cup season-play well in the cup but poorly in the league.

[PEARCEY]

^Agree with Victor about similarities with 1988.

I voted staying up.....the thought of seeing us back in the lower divisions fills me with dread. We would also lose some of our best young players and it could really prove to be a downward spiral.

[Ian Royal]

^Agree with Victor about similarities with 1988.

I voted staying up.....the thought of seeing us back in the lower divisions fills me with dread. We would also lose some of our best young players and it could really prove to be a downward spiral.

I dunno, they might hang around for European football.

[Sun Tzu]

I'm with the pro-winning the FA Cup.
Look what happened to us when we had a stronger team than now and had a much better chance of going a long way-Coppell fielded a weakened team to keep our first-teamers fresh for the league campaign and...we got relegated.
.

No we didn't ! We set a new record for winning the league and then had our highest ever league placing ! The season after that was an anomaly !

But I'm definitely in the win the cup camp.

Relegation is a minor worry, winning the cup would be a major triumph !

[seahawk10]

Win the Cup without question. The global expansion of the Reading FC brand name would enormous.

Do you really think Reading has a worldwide brand at the moment SH? Waht is the potential in the States?

yes I do, they show Prem games now on ESPN2 every Saturday morning. People are choosing Prem teams to support everyday. Reading is obviously a much smaller club and will not pickup as many supporters as it would if it was back in the prem. But an FA Cup win would be massive. And if we ever get promoted again it will do wonders. This is the decade I think football takes off in the U.S. and it won't be because of MLS. It will because of people watching Prem games and catching the bug like I did.

[tink]

I honestly can't believe how many people are such blatant glory hunters on here. I swear to god it's all the plastics. One shot at glory and forget everything else. I don't want to be remembered as "that team that won the fa cup and were never heard of again/went into administration"

come on - the cup is temporary entertainment but the league is permanent. the league we are in is far more important in the bigger picture. sure, a cup final would be a fantastic day out, but it would soon be forgotten when we're being dragged to places like stockport, oldham, exeter, carlisle, yeovil etc every week. and there's no guarantee that we bounce back up. look at leeds FFS.

the championship may not be great, but i'd far rather be playing the likes of newcastle, west brom, middlesboro etc every week.

anyone who would sacrifice a cup final win for league position is deluded. a club is for life, not just a cup run.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I honestly can't believe how many people are such blatant glory hunters on here. I swear to god it's all the plastics. One shot at glory and forget everything else. I don't want to be remembered as "that team that won the fa cup and were never heard of again/went into administration"

come on - the cup is temporary entertainment but the league is permanent. the league we are in is far more important in the bigger picture. sure, a cup final would be a fantastic day out, but it would soon be forgotten when we're being dragged to places like stockport, oldham, exeter, carlisle, yeovil etc every week. and there's no guarantee that we bounce back up. look at leeds FFS.

the championship may not be great, but i'd far rather be playing the likes of newcastle, west brom, middlesboro etc every week.

anyone who would sacrifice a cup final win for league position is deluded. a club is for life, not just a cup run.

Completely disagree - think you are deluded! Relegation is merely a temporary blip yet a winning day at Wembley would be something to treasure for the rest of your life. The magic of the cup is alive & well & all teams (including the big 4) take it more seriously these last 2-3 seasons & field their strongest teams.

Every player, every manager & every supporter dreams of that day when their skipper lifts that Cup at Wembley - blue & white flags everywhere. It would be truly amazing.

I'd happily accept 24th spot right now for a seat at Wembley watching Ivar lift that Cup & I am dismayed that others disagree TBH.

[Platypuss]

I honestly can't believe how many people are such blatant glory hunters on here. I swear to god it's all the plastics. One shot at glory and forget everything else. I don't want to be remembered as "that team that won the fa cup and were never heard of again/went into administration"

come on - the cup is temporary entertainment but the league is permanent. the league we are in is far more important in the bigger picture. sure, a cup final would be a fantastic day out, but it would soon be forgotten when we're being dragged to places like stockport, oldham, exeter, carlisle, yeovil etc every week. and there's no guarantee that we bounce back up. look at leeds FFS.

the championship may not be great, but i'd far rather be playing the likes of newcastle, west brom, middlesboro etc every week.

anyone who would sacrifice a cup final win for league position is deluded. a club is for life, not just a cup run.

You say that a club is for life, but also assume that relegation would be the end of the club. Your argument is all over the place.

And IMO it's probably the newer fans who rate "league position" as being more important than lifting THE FA CUP.

[Ian Royal]

I honestly can't believe how many people are such blatant glory hunters on here. I swear to god it's all the plastics. One shot at glory and forget everything else. I don't want to be remembered as "that team that won the fa cup and were never heard of again/went into administration"

come on - the cup is temporary entertainment but the league is permanent. the league we are in is far more important in the bigger picture. sure, a cup final would be a fantastic day out, but it would soon be forgotten when we're being dragged to places like stockport, oldham, exeter, carlisle, yeovil etc every week. and there's no guarantee that we bounce back up. look at leeds FFS.

the championship may not be great, but i'd far rather be playing the likes of newcastle, west brom, middlesboro etc every week.

anyone who would sacrifice a cup final win for league position is deluded. a club is for life, not just a cup run.

You say that a club is for life, but also assume that relegation would be the end of the club. Your argument is all over the place.

And IMO it's probably the newer fans who rate "league position" as being more important than lifting THE FA CUP.

And also pick Leeds who are a currently on the verge of running away with League One!

We've been relegated before. We've been promoted before. Both of these things will happen again. You can't ever take an FA Cup win away from the club.

We're hardly going to do a Pompey and bet the farm on winning it either!

[SLAMMED]

I honestly can't believe how many people are such blatant glory hunters on here. I swear to god it's all the plastics. One shot at glory and forget everything else. I don't want to be remembered as "that team that won the fa cup and were never heard of again/went into administration"

come on - the cup is temporary entertainment but the league is permanent. the league we are in is far more important in the bigger picture. sure, a cup final would be a fantastic day out, but it would soon be forgotten when we're being dragged to places like stockport, oldham, exeter, carlisle, yeovil etc every week. and there's no guarantee that we bounce back up. look at leeds FFS.

the championship may not be great, but i'd far rather be playing the likes of newcastle, west brom, middlesboro etc every week.

anyone who would sacrifice a cup final win for league position is deluded. a club is for life, not just a cup run.

Well said tink.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Bull, you and your admirers are deluded Tink

we've done the promotion/relegation thing and will do both again

we've never done the FA Cup

[MmmMonsterMunch]

a club is for life, not just a cup run.[/quote]


An FA Cup is for life too. They don't take it away!! Personally I wouldnt care less if we went down if we won the Cup this season. The likes of Norwich, Charlton, Saints could still be there & we'd have some good games to look forward to.

The deluded fans are the ones who think league position is the be all & end all. If that's the case then why not just support Chelsea?!

LOL at implying Reading would cease to exist if we went down. Bit OTT & dramatic!! If Notts County can get consortiums interested then pretty sure our club could.

We've already had the firesale so can't see how things could get much worse!

We're never going to win the PL are we so why is the league our highest priority? Silverware should be!

To be honest, the cup is a welcome distraction & I am glad we are no longer disrepsecting it as I got hacked off with the way Coppell treated the cup.

[FiNeRaIn]

wow, over 50 idiots voted for staying up? Never realised we had so many clueless fans lol

[SLAMMED]

Never realised we had so many clueless fans lol

Pot. Kettle. Black.

[Rex]

Slammed i will have to disagree with you on this one.
Putting RFC briefly back on the map, a fantastic day out which will have the supporters buzzing, the media hype, the unadulterated joy of winning a cup has got to be better than the meat and potato of the league any day.

Remember the razzmatazz of Arsenal away in the cup, let alone the elation and feelings we all had for just progressing to round 4 last night.

[andrew1957]

Winning the cup would be infinitely greater than staying up.

Cannot believe that any long term football fan would not exchange a couple of seasons in League 1 for a FA Cup Final Win - what a day out that would be - beating Chelsea 3-0 at Wembley in May!!!

[FiNeRaIn]

Never realised we had so many clueless fans lol

Pot. Kettle. Black.

No.Not.Really.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Shame Bikey won't be at the Cup game. Deserves a good reception from us.

Really hoping we tonk Burnley now & I do think we can. Viva la cup. The dream is still alive!