Does the Tinpot cup help or hinder promotion?

I think it's a good thing.
But getting out of this league is more important

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I'm indifferent to this cup, also. Never went to any of the fixtures and when we played the semi final, I checked the score about half 10 and then just put the phone down. I'm not saying it's a negative thing, I'm simply not interested. I did have a couple days where I thought I might try and go to that but I never tried to get tickets, at the end of the day. It's a competition where even 3rd and 4th division teams rest their players. Meh. I hope everybody has a great day out, though.

Looking at them fixtures, I think we've got the hardest run-in. Coventry, Portsmouth, Doncaster, Peterboro and Fleetwood, in a row. Gunna be a toughie and that just heightens my thoughts of we could have done without this final.

 

Anyone think we should have played Fleetwwod on Saturday?

Sunderland AFC’s forthcoming trip to Fleetwood Town has been rearranged.

Originally scheduled to be played on Saturday 23 March, the Lads’ trip to Higbury Stadium will now take place on Tuesday 30 April at 7.45pm.
The original fixture fell within a period designated for international fixtures and as three or more players have now been selected by their respective nations, the club made the request to the EFL to postpone the fixture, which they duly granted.
SAFC would like to thank Fleetwood for their cooperation, and the club also extends its sincere thanks to supporters of both clubs for their understanding in relation to the movement of the game.
Tickets already purchased will remain valid for the rearranged fixture.


Republic of Ireland Squad

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Mark Travers (Bournemouth)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Richard Keogh (Derby County), John Egan (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United)
Midfielders: Alan Judge (Ipswich Town), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Harry Arter (Cardiff City*), Glenn Whelan (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City)
Forwards: Shane Long (Southampton), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), David McGoldrick (Sheffield United), James Collins (Luton Town)

Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Celtic), Liam Kelly (Livingston), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland)
Defenders: David Bates (Hamburg), Stuart Findlay (Kilmarnock), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Stephen O'Donnell (Kilmarnock), Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Heart of Midlothian), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), John Fleck (Sheffield United), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Callum Paterson (Cardiff City), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen), Oliver Burke (Celtic), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth).
Forwards: Oli McBurnie (Swansea City), Marc McNulty (Hibernian), Lewis Morgan (Sunderland), Johnny Russell (Kansas City).

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: McGovern (Norwich City), Peacock-Farrell (Leeds United), Hazard (Partick Thistle - loan from Celtic)
Defenders: Hughes (Hearts), McAuley (Rangers), J Evans (Leicester City), Cathcart (Watford), C McLaughlin (Millwall), McNair (Middlesbrough), Lewis (Norwich City), Flanagan (Sunderland), Ballard (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Davis (Rangers - on loan from Southampton), McGinn (Aberdeen), C Evans (Blackburn Rovers), Ferguson (Millwall), Dallas (Leeds United), Saville (Middlesbrough, loan), Jones (Kilmarnock), Whyte (Oxford United), Thompson (Blackpool)
Forwards: Lafferty (Rangers), Magennis (Bolton Wanderers), Boyce (Burton Albion), Smyth (Accrington Stanley - on loan from QPR), Grigg (Sunderland), Washington (Sheffield United)

 

Not with four of our eleven certain starters away with their countries, that would be like playing the reserves in a very difficult away game so it's the right decision to postpone imo.

 

Yeah great shout.

Rip the spine of our team out and lets see how we get on.

 

Remember the home game after the 73 final. QPR I think, everybody buzzing. We got beat 3-0 .

 

I was -9 years old so can’t comment.

 

I was there that night talk about an anti climax iirc we had a player sent off as well.
Can't say we don't have a history of falling flat on our faces when the fans expect the complete opposite.

 

I hope we can use whatever is the result at Wembley to kick on in the league.

(I confess personally I would rather have 3 points in the league than beat them at the tinpot cup)

 

Sorry but you can’t complain about getting to Wembley! Is it a big cup - no, it is something to brag about-no, but as one who is heading to London that weekend to have fun with friends it’s priceless!! Promotion is probably more important of course but for gods sake this beats relegation scraps in the higher leagues.

 

I wouldn't.

 

Away matches only. As for fun, a 500 mile journey at the worst place in England for traffic congestion the f a should have built wembley near Derby but the southerners cannot be bothered to travel more than 10 miles apparently.

 

and never change yet..........

 

Venables Bowles and

I was there, and was going to post something similar a day or too ago, but the circumstances are so different this time, comparisons are misleading and we wont be facing anything like a fired up Bowles, Marsh and Venables etc. any time soon.

Thanks for the memory tho, as I thought they got 4 that night.

 

I accepted immediately that we were in the 3rd division and playing in the relevant competitions, what's the point of doing otherwise.

I'd rather compete than surrender as Newcastle do every year just to cling on for another meaningless trudge in the PL.

Let's face it, if Newcastle beat Man City's reserves and got to the League Cup final at Wembley we'd never hear the last of it.

Whatever else this competition is or isn't its a sold out packed Wembley with 40,000 Sunderland supporters cheering their first team against Portsmouth'.

How anyone can have no interest in seeing a local lad lead the red & white stripes onto the Wembley pitch is beyond me tbh.

I was at the Walsall game and will be at Rochdale but haway, this is an occasion and one we don't get to see too often.

 

It won’ be getting international tv coverage , but having 40000 of our fans showing the type of support we have , even for a “tinpot” cup , must still quietly do our reputation for the eyes of potential future investors a load of good

 

Massively mate.

It is a feature Sky Sports game and will be broadcast far and wide. The fact it’s a full house is marketing gold for both clubs.

 

Any future investors, owners, players, sponsors, managers, etc will look at that and it will reinforce what a decent club we are ...

.... if that makes a difference between us and another club it could be another step forward.

And I'll guarantee, if we win at Wembley, there'll be a few hundred more 10 year olds wearing the shirt.

It's all good imo.

 

Do not get me wrong... it is a great day out for long suffering fans.. I will be well chuffed if we win.... but that does not stop me wondering if the Tinpot and International break heaps pressure onto fixture congestion and costs us precious points. Yesterday's results did not go our way.

 

The cup doesn't help our current situation at all. The fixture congestion will tax our players and magnify the consequences of every knock. Waiting and watching the teams we are chasing extend their points advantage only heaps on the pressure. The jeapardy extends beyond the chase for automatic promotion and into the playoff. It is unlikely that our squad will emerge unscathed from the demands of April. McGeady is what - 32?

But I agree with Smug 100% that the cup is good for the club in the long run. It will likely be a boost for the academy and club profiles, aid in retention and recruiting for next year, and it is all about those 10 year old's, isn't it?

About my childhood sport, it is said, "a boy picks up a baseball and it holds on to him for the rest of his life."