TROTTERS V PIES

The bolton news has called it a mouth watering tie. Mr whelan might think so as he will still be able to eat from his favourite takeaway after the match! My first thought was what a boring uninspiring tie. Could have got a glamour tie with a premier league team coming to the macron or a lower league/non league team. Instead we have another championship match with half the normal crowd. I think I can safely say this will not be televised and will be a Saturday 3pm kick off.

If we get through this round I won't mind it's against Wigan. If we win we have another game in the competition and another chance of moving forward.

I'm not pleased that it's an all Championship tie. In fact I wasn't pleased at all the other same division ties either.

That said I'd thought we'd get Millwall away.

Do you think Whealo's taking Phil out for a Chinese meal to celebrate? Oh I've given myself an idea.....

No they're going to a Jewish restaurant at Cheetham Hill, Just to show they're kosher.

Underwhelmed to say the least. I wanted either a non league outfit away or the hammers at home...

It's a bit of a bore draw but at least it's a very winnable tie. But I bet Accrington Stanley are having kittens now. Get past Yeovil and they have Man Utd at home.

I've got a soft spot for the Crown Ground lads and really hope they make it 'cos that tie would do them so much good financially. They won't be able to play it at home, the Crown Ground has only one access road in or out and only holds about two and a half thousand top end but even if they switched it to Old Trafford and got battered eight nil the money would be a huge boost for the Accy lads.

And that I would say is part of the magic of the FA Cup.

Not only does it throw up the chance of teams like Accy being pitched against a Premiership side like United, which in itself will be a fantastic and memorable day for the club, the fact that the ticket money is split 50/50 means those sorts of ties can quite literally transform the fortunes of a club. It can be the injection of cash that allows them to sign that player who takes them to the next level, or allows them to make a long term investment in their facilities or in some cases can simply be the financial life-line that stops them going to the wall.

The best thing about the FA Cup though is when you get a non-league or even League 2 outift defying the odds to make it further than anyone would have thought possible.

The run Blyth Spartans have been on this year sums up everything that is magical about footballs oldest cup tournament.

And shows why, for all the stars you get in the Champions League, the FA Cup is still the best cup competition in the world.

If Accrington got through they would probably use ewood park. I don't think you are allowed to switch an home tie to your opponents home ground any more.