How many games do we have to win to be in the final?

And really it's of equal importance to the FA cup as all the same teams are in it aren't they?

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

Answers

All of them (well, at least on aggregate for double-headers) ;-)

Never having got to the dizzy heights of the WC, I can't remember. The omportance depends on your viewpoint. If (as I believe is still the case) the Worthless still counts as a UEFA qualifier, then you could argue that it is indeed of equal importance to the FAC.

In reality, there are three differences (i) this is for EPL and Nationwide teams only so you won't come across Blyth Spartans, Yeovil Town etc (ii) many "top" teams don't rate the WC so only play their resorve teams due to other European commitments (whereas ManUre sometimes don't even bother with the FAC) and (iii) some ties are home/away whereas the FAC is a straight forward knock-out.

Unless you are already involved in Europe and hence have a congested fixture list (with higher priorities) I would say that the WC is a valid comp. Perhaps they should change sponsors to North Shields Council and rename it to "The Silverlink Trophy". Far better than the unfortunate connotations which come with Worthingtons.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

Hopefully we don't get a 2nd Division London team away, otherwise we might as well forfeit the game.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

.....you're assuming we'll beat Barnsley the morra then??

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

I'm not sure, I just mean I hope we don't get a London team en route to the final.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

Excuse me Mr Screacher, but North Tyneside council already sponsor the Silverlink Trophy. It's a West Highland terrier obstacle race held every year at the George Stephenson Railway museum on mid engine lane each November.

We'll be taking part again and hope to improve on our 3rd place of last year.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

thanks, that makes things a bit clearer but does any1 have any rough idea of how many games we need to win to be in final? 0-5 5-10 ?

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

Not sure Jim, but looking at the fixture list it seems there are 32 teams left. That would mean five rounds left including tonight and the final. So, five wins (though the semi may be a 2 leg affair).

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

I don't think they are having 2 leg afairs or replays this season. meaning we've 4 games left, and Liverpool are out, so that's a start. Does anyone know when the draw is AND are they doing the same thing as in previous season, making a single draw of all the teams leading to the final.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

Draw is saturday afternoon and NO they aren't doing the draw for the whole thing again....it's going back to round by round...

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

Draw is Saturday RIK on ITV lunchtime footy prog. Draw is for one round only. They are drawing each round separately and not doing the whole thing in one go as they did in the previous two years.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

Ah, so the draws on Saturday on ITV and they're going back to one round at a time then?

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

I think they're going to draw only the next round (not the whole remaining fixtures) during the ITV programme on Saturday Rik. You'll miss it 'cos you'll either be playing golf, washing the quilt or looking for a lost dog.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

Thanks Screacher, still not convinced though. Can anyone confirm the format?

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

Aye Rik, Saturday in ITV. The only change is that a guy on a pogo stick will be pulling the names out while the rest whiz around on little scooters. And Zebedee said "time for bed" ....Boing...Boing...Boing.......

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001

PiC, I heard that instead of little balls, they were wanted to scribble the names of the teams on the back of Pogemon cards. Sadly, unless anybody can come up with 36 of them, that plan seems doomed.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2001