The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Preliminary Round: BYE (never a bad thing)

First Round: Away at Burton Park Wanderers

I would like to see us treat this competition more seriously, as a run in it gives fringe players more opportunities to play serious games throughout the season.

Surely that's double standards, is use fringe players not what we did last season.

Word on the street is that BPW are looking for a top three finish.

yes Matt it could appear as double standards. What I want is for the management to emphasis how important these games can be to the players themselves and to the club financially. In the past we have fielded 11 players and it seems just said to them go and pass 90 minutes away.

sussexdiamond wrote: In the past we have fielded 11 players and it seems just said to them go and pass 90 minutes away.

Just got beaten by better teams, Huntingdon (KO Cup) and Wellingborough (Hillier Cup), on the night as far as I'm concerned which showed the limitations of some of our squad fringe players in those two matches. I'm sure our management didn't tell them not to bother.
If you are not prepared to play your strongest available XI then this is, I'm afraid, always likely to happen.

sussexdiamond wrote:yes Matt it could appear as double standards. What I want is for the management to emphasis how important these games can be to the players themselves and to the club financially. In the past we have fielded 11 players and it seems just said to them go and pass 90 minutes away.

Not entirely sure there's much financial benefit to going further in this competition. The gates are split and our fans don't really care for the competition. It could also mean LC games are played on Saturdays, rather than league games, which could potentially lose us money.

1st round exit please. The priority should be League and the Vase after November, with the Cup hopefully going into September again. With the bye in the Vase it means we won't lose out as much if we go deep into the FACQ. Let's be honest in two years no one would remember a KOC win.