MattR

Made in Norfolk. OTBC. Lower Barclay. Eats pizza Own views etc

[MattR @MattRudling]

@pinkun Whooo!!

[MattR @MattRudling]

Very well said Stan. Don’t always agree with your thoughts but this is spot on.

[Stan Collymore @StanCollymore]

The Football Association Challenge Cup. A long read.

The World's Oldest Association Football Competition. Let that sink in.Something to be proud of as a part of English football and cultural life.

Changes to it? Yes, with one caveat. That every club who takes part in it has an equal vote as to what those changes are. Too simple eh?

But no, several high profile managers ( who'll be fucking long gone and won't give a fuck when our beloved competition has finally been finished off) and several owners will be gleeful today, another victory for maybe 6 of 100+ pro clubs, another concession to the greed, while relegating a national instution to an annoyance.

I've played for Stafford Rangers in a Cup 1st round against Burnley, hoping desperately to get a replay at Turf Moor.

I've played in an FA Cup Final between England's 2 biggest clubs.

At Hillsborough, I ran out wearing the yellow of Southend United, with 6000 travelling Shrimpers and what seemed like a million yellow balloons. The game where I felt I belonged in that esteemed company.

Playing in the back garden, bewildered as Alan Sunderland scored the winner when Arsenal beat United in a game that epitomised the beguiling spectacle of this famous old trophy.

Yeovil, Altrincham, Hereford, Sutton, Blyth Spartans, Chasetown. Names that maybe only ever pop up once in a football lifetime for the nation but to the fans of those clubs, ask them about their Cup memories and see their faces.

We're being diddled, had over, fucked about, taken the piss out of. By who? Managers who " desperately need fewer games", by owners bemoaning having to gamble their precious boys against Rochdale instead of resting up for Real Madrid, something understandable if it weren't for the luxury of 30 pros costing a billion pounds plus an academy of cherry picked youth from around the world. How many fucking players do these clubs need to play one replay every 5 years?

If the Football Association had any arsehole it would have put any decision that fundementally changes a 153 year old tournament to a vote of all participating clubs. It won't though , because it's scared to say a word to the all conquering Premier League. If you didn't believe before today that the FA wasn't fit for purpose, now you know because the organisation that administers the most professional clubs in the land, the EFL have effectively called them liars. That alone should ensure investigation by an independent regulator, along with any number of other decisions, changes and ideas the all conquering Premier League want implemented.

Fuck you to every manager who's come to these shores wanting U-21 teams and B teams playing in the EFL. This isn't Spain where they can't populate more than 2 divisions with quality teams from across the nation, this is England where we have over 100 pro clubs over 5 divisions, where a town of 40,000 like Burnley can proudly compete in the top 2 divisions regularly for over 100 years.

Fuck you to the big name managers crying about too many games. Use your fucking 30 man squads better and play the 15 you hardly use but cost more money on wages in a year than clubs competing in the Champions League from other nations operate a whole club on! And that's without the star boys who you steal from clubs for a pittance from clubs in the pyramid and overseas that you love the idea of playing but won't because " they're not ready quite yet". Bullshit!

Unless you, reading this, do something, anything by way of protesting this obscene and constant tidal wave of changes to the English game that is ruining the fabric of a delicate pyramid ecosystem, the your children simply will never get to afford to watch what we have.

A sport for everyone, not for an elite few.

It's time to fight back. Enough changes, enough greed, English football worked well for 150 years, trust it, trust those in it and those who support it.

[Oliver Rudling @RudlingOliver]

Wagner clearly hasn’t learnt anything from earlier in the season. Taking off Sarg at that point in the game was ridiculous. Allowed Sheffield to play higher up the pitch and commit players forward. Also meant we had no out ball. Shocking. #NCFC

[MattR @MattRudling]

Shame these journos don’t apply consistently. Last time Norwich were criticised for trying to compete within their means…

[Oliver Kay @OliverKay]

Glad to see Burnley and Sheff Utd still fighting.

Probably not enough to stay up, but clubs don't deserve to be ridiculed when the financial gulf between Premier League and Championship is so huge. It's why Luton deserve HUGE credit for what they've done
https://t.co/BE20iKR8gU

[MattR @MattRudling]

@AwayDays_ The replies to this. Anyone who knows a single thing about football knows this is a proper derby. Not just city rivals but county ones. Matters so much. I was there today and the atmosphere was incredible. Poor from the 1ps5wich but that’s a factor of 15 years of not winning.

[MattR @MattRudling]

@ChrisReevo Love this

[MattR @MattRudling]

You can but admire the creative genius that has rude boys, skins, the IRA and yet somehow the M6 becomes the star. #Thistown

[MattR @MattRudling]

@MarvellousMrX Love this

[MattR @MattRudling]

Football is a beautiful game. Well done @Coventry_City

[MattR @MattRudling]

@no1cromer Me sitting behind it

[MattR @MattRudling]

@Ian_M1 Can’t argue with that

[Ian 🔰 @Ian_M1]

Assa beauty hent ut #ncfc

[MattR @MattRudling]

@BowenBBC This is a good story Jeremy. I love your reporting as so many do. As one of the most respected journalists around to share this will have such a positive impact. Keep up the good work and stay safe 😊

[MattR @MattRudling]

@AnneMurawski That was a truly fine day for sure. Very happy to beat 1p5wich in the semi. Not sure the ticker could bear meeting them in a final……..

[MattR @MattRudling]

Well said and so true

[Cushy @c11shy]

I always thought when growing up that football was a game of opinions. How wrong I was according to many #NCFC supporters. If you don’t agree with them you don’t deserve to have an opinion or celebrate goals or even attend The Carra

[MattR @MattRudling]

@AnneMurawski Perfectly put Anne. I will be with you in the South Stand tomorrow and enjoying (hopefully) every minute. Football is about emotion. If we take that away the game is lost #otbc

[MattR @MattRudling]

@MarvellousMrX Sorry to hear this. Things will get better and we need you back on your Twitter form as your posts are always fun 👍. Keep strong

[MattR @MattRudling]

What he should have said. “Of course we don’t like it, the booing hurts me and the players. But we must prove to everyone through results that we learn and this is the best way to get the fans excited about the future and I am committed to making this happen” #ncfc

[MattR @MattRudling]

@ChrisReevo Judging by how many didn’t go last night they already are. It was never the ‘official figure’ of 25k. At best 22-23k. Empty seats everywhere from the start. He will regret those comments as our frustration is based on this seasons evidence of messing up from a strong position

[MattR @MattRudling]

@Ian_M1 Affectionately labelled Sackoshito where we sit…