Seeing Palace come so close to a FA Cup win last night got me thinking. Nothing would please Newcastle supporters more than some silverware. Mike Ashley has stated his desire to win a cup. Could next season be our best chance? If Rafa stays (most things are conditional on Rafa staying, my future happiness being one of them) then it looks like many of the players will as well. As such we will have a strong squad for the Championship, albeit with one or two players who think they are 'too good' for that level. Could the stated ambition of mounting a serious challenge for the FA Cup be a way of keeping those players motivated? It will provide some of the highest quality opposition we will face next season, is a good way to keep the fans onside, and in the highly unlikely event we win, provides a route into Europe. While the squad might be stretched by the combination of extra Championship fixtures and a cup challenge, by the time we draw any Premiership opposition in the FA cup it should be clear whether we are bossing the Championship like we did last time (in which case we might bring in some youth and reserve players for the easier league games) or we are fighting tooth-and-nail for promotion, in which case we'd concentrate on the League.
Got to keep that delusion going somehow... Seriously though, all I'm saying is that now we're not fighting for Premier League survival (best of luck with that next season, without the Derby points to keep you up) is there a chance to focus a bit more on the Cup? I'm sure I'm not alone in being more excited about Newcastle doing well in the cup than exactly where they finish in the league, relegation/promotion aside. Given Wigan won the FA cup and got relegated in the same season, it's not such an unreasonable thing to hope for.
Cos no team has ever won the Cup or made to the Final in the Championship. Quite agree our priority will be promotion and I would be happy just to win a cup game next season, after recent years.
It's knocking on 40 years since a team outside the top flight won the FA Cup, and we ain't going to change that stat.
West Ham in 1980. Only one team has ever won promotion and the FA cup in one season. West Brom (1931)
Didn't realise it was that long, was thinking more of the likes of Cardiff getting to the 2008 Final and losing 1-0 to Portsmouth.
Didn't realise it was so rare, I'm guessing those 3 are Sunderland (1973), Southampton (1976) and West Ham (1980).
There's never ever been a final with two teams outside of the top flight. The closest this came to happening was in 2008, when 3 championship sides, Cardiff, West Brom and another, were in the semi-finals with Portsmouth (the only top flight team)
I still think it is important to the fans! It's just not important to the boards because it's worth relatively little £££
I would absolutely love a trip to Wembley. The final was good this year I thought. Everyone seemed excited. Even the neutrals but there is absolutely no chance of that happening for us next season.
I'd just settle for one of the automatic promotion spots - which I don't think is guaranteed regardless who is the manager. People shouldn't underestimate how tough a league it is to get out of.
Who would take an FA cup win, if it meant a consecutive relegation? I would take that for Sunderland. I just want us to win a trophy whatever the circumstances.