The Romance Of The Cup

Not for the first time the mighty Nottingham Forest are in the 1st round proper of the greatest competition on earth. The FA Cup is bar none, the biggest and bestest football trophy to be won in any competition on the planet.

That said, we'd all much prefer to be entering at the 3rd round stage with the rest of the 'big guns,' but such is our lot that we now find ourselves in the graveyard of football, division 3 or League 1 as it's now more sympathetically known.

Today we face the prospect of being dumped out of the competition by bottom of the Football League Lincoln City. We will of course come out with the age old adage of 'concentrating on the League' if it all goes tits up, but there is the small matter of finance to bear in mind from getting as far as we can in the competition.

Last year we got as far as the 4th round and got wallopped by Chelsea. That humiliating defeat, screened live on TV brought us not only embarrassment, but a fat wad of cash as well. £150,000 was the reward for getting stuffed and humiliated by Gary Lineker and co, almost made it worthwhile didn't it?

We apparently made over half a million for last years cup run, so it's not to be scoffed at. Admittedly the £16,000 up for grabs today won't go very far in this day and age of overpaid prima donnas, but there's £24,000 on offer for the 2nd round. That'll more than pay for Neil Lennon's weekly wage and still have change for his missus and kid to have a day out at Alton Towers.

Promotion may be the main priority this season as it was last and the one before that, but progress in the Cup is vital for the financial success of the club. The financial reward for winning today may be small beer in comparison for what's on offer further down the line, but you have to be in it to win it, so a win today is vital. Here's hoping we're in the hat for the 2nd round draw. If we make it, then tune into the BBC on Sunday at 5.15pm to find out who we get.

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