FA Cup Round 1 draw | Vital Football

FA Cup Round 1 draw

GRSGimmer

Vital Squad Member
On Monday 21/10 live on BBC 2 at 7.00 pm. Can anyone clarify - as there are 79 teams (32 non-league and 47 league 1 and 2 clubs, not 48 due to Bury's demise) presumably 1 team must get a bye?
 
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Quite stupidly (on reflection) I hadn't thought of the Bury issue. I'm guessing a bye would be the only fair way of doing it.
 
It'd be nice to think that rather than give one team a bye, they might allow some kind of lucky loser from the final round of qualifying to come through and make up the numbers. Can't see it happening, though.
 
It'd be nice to think that rather than give one team a bye, they might allow some kind of lucky loser from the final round of qualifying to come through and make up the numbers. Can't see it happening, though.

They could do a draw just before the main one from all the losers from the previous round- just pick out one team. Shouldn't be too hard to organise i would have thought.
 
It'd be nice to think that rather than give one team a bye, they might allow some kind of lucky loser from the final round of qualifying to come through and make up the numbers. Can't see it happening, though.
To be fair they should, as a home game is a valuable source of income for teams, so a bye isnt great.
 
They could do a draw just before the main one from all the losers from the previous round- just pick out one team. Shouldn't be too hard to organise i would have thought.
Problem would be that there will be some 4th round qualifying games that will go to a replay so all the winners and losers from that round will not be crystal clear when the draw is made on 21/10 unless every game ends without a draw on Sat 19/10.
 
If we get a bye, do we get the prize money? If not where does that money go? Of course they should add another team but I'm not holding my breath
 
Interesting debate. Reference Bury.I would certainly agree with the majority it would be nice to see a extra non league side.Perhaps drawn after all the rest of the draw is complete.As of course if it was done before it could mean a replay could become irrelevant. However another way of doing it would be allowing one of the replays to be abandoned and both teams go through. That way no beaten side gets through. If only drawn games went into a hat it would be fairer in my view.
 
Back in 2000, Darlington were put back in the hat as a “lucky loser” to make up for Man Utd abstaining. We subsequently were drawn against them on our way to the quarter final. Maybe they’ll follow that precedent and draw a lucky loser this year rather than give a bye?
 
Back in 2000, Darlington were put back in the hat as a “lucky loser” to make up for Man Utd abstaining. We subsequently were drawn against them on our way to the quarter final. Maybe they’ll follow that precedent and draw a lucky loser this year rather than give a bye?
Darlington re-entered the draw as lucky loser after we beat them in the 2nd round. They were then drawn away to Aston Villa, while we went to Walsall. I remember thinking we had been robbed of a day out, no expectation of getting to the quarter final of course.
 
Darlington re-entered the draw as lucky loser after we beat them in the 2nd round. They were then drawn away to Aston Villa, while we went to Walsall. I remember thinking we had been robbed of a day out, no expectation of getting to the quarter final of course.

I was close enough! I did feel a bit hazy with the facts!
 
I love the FA Cup too much to be cynical about it but a brutal assessment might be that a first round bye would be preferable financially as against a home tie involving unattractive opposition.