Through the Wind and the Rain Fanzine Archives

Letters-issue 18

In my opinion, FA Cup Semi Final day is one of the best days of the season. Recently, we've had Aldo's goals in 88 and 89 (special for different reasons), the 1990 Villa Park fiasco and the nail-biters at Highbury and Villa in 1992. All of these games were played in front of packed crowds at a neutral venue, usually (?) an equal distance from each participating club. Now the FA seem to be heading towards holding semi finals at Wembley.

Why? The decision is supposed to help the fans bollocks. The reason, as usual, is pure unadulterated greed. Another classic case of sucking more money out of a great sporting event. This 'trend' should be reversed before it is too late. In the case of Arsenal v Spurs the FA said Wembley was the only possible venue, because they didn't want 40,000 fans on the same motorway heading for the same venue. So explain the Sheffield semi - 75,000 fans heading for London! Maybe they had a red road and a blue road, just for the day?

Going to Wembley for the final is expensive enough without going there for the semi as well, but of course the FA sees a chance to sell a few more tickets at outrageous prices and that's okay - isn't it? There's no sign of conscience, either, when they give you 35,000 semi tickets and only 20,000 for the final itself. Wembley is supposed to be a ground where you see cups won - not semi finals lost.

Martin Halliday - Old Swan