Can only begin to imagine how cheesed off everyone at ITV and ESPN would have felt when that very late Stevenage equaliser went in!
Quite apart from denying ITV1 their dream tie (but AFC Wimbledon's nightmare), it also removes most of the point of ESPN showing an all-non-League replay, which will now be much harder for them to sell.
Whichver one of the matches out of the 4 ties possible it will still be non league at home against a league side away. Stevenage having recently got into the league, going back to a non league ground will be fairly interesting.
Indeed, and ITV has been following Ebbsfleet since their first FA Cup qualifier, so there is a story whatever happens.
The choice of Ebbsfleet v AFC Wimbledon for the 1st round replay, does seem to me stranger than the choice of ITVs 2nd round match!
Especially as even if it was AFC Wimbledon v MK Dons ESPN know that ITV have the 1st choice on matches, and wouldn't actually be able to show it anyway!
Can only begin to imagine how cheesed off everyone at ITV and ESPN would have felt when that very late Stevenage equaliser went in!
Quite apart from denying ITV1 their dream tie (but AFC Wimbledon's nightmare), it also removes most of the point of ESPN showing an all-non-League replay, which will now be much harder for them to sell.
Very pleased that ITV have now got a stinker of a tie!!(seriously, would they have picked Wimbledon or Ebbsfleet V Stevenage ??) Also delighted that Franchise FC are out anyway.
Bet tydesley still manages to shoehorn in some reference to "That night in Barcelona"
It's not what ITV would have ideally wanted, though, surely?
Agreed. They'd get far far more people tuning in for what would basically be a Wimbledon derby, than a game between Ebbsfleet and Stevenage (if that's how it turns out).
I was in two minds about the Ebbsfleet/AFC Wimbledon tie long before the McFranchise element came in. I grew up a short walk from Ebbsfleet's ground (which you can't do anymore because the Channel Tunnel rail link crosses it) but I can never really want AFC Wimbledon to lose.
Toe the party line and dress it up as much as you like - nobody will watch this non entity of a game
I will also be watching it as a supporter of another non-league supporters owned club (Hendon). I'll be hoping for an AFC Wimbledon win. We had some good games against them as they moved through the leagues, and a couple of their supporters were very helpful as we set up our supporters trust.
I'm rather amused though that ITV have ended up with a bit of a dud to televise, although Stevenage losing to any team (other than Franchise) will also amuse me greatly. I detest Stevenage.
This will teach ITV put all their eggs in one basket!
The lack of appeal of a AFC Wilmbledon/Ebbsfleet v Stevenage tie is due to the fact all three teams were in the same league last season!
They should have gone for Dover. However ITV (or ESPN) may have feared for their vans and equipment in trying to drive up the hill to the Crabble ground and decided otherwise!
Firstly, as a Wimbledon fan I can't begin to tell you how happy I was when Stevenage equalised in the 95th minute, not to mention the penalty shoot out
Can't understand what all the fuss is about re the tie ITV is left with. Even Ebbsfleet v Stevenage is a two division gap so relatively attractive. Yes, it won't rate particularly well (neither will Wimbledon v Stevenage), but do people really think Dover v Aldershot or one of the other fairly lacklustre ties would rate any better? The tie ITV wanted would have rated a little better for obvious reasons, but not greatly I wouldn't have thought.
I think they chose correctly given the possibilities, but i'm delighted they didn't get what they wanted for purely selfish reasons. I doubt they expect much from the 1st and 2nd rounds anyway to be honest.
I will be watching, whoever wins tomorrows replay (although I hope it's AFC Wimbledon). With my team not in action until Sunday that weekend I won't even have to leave my TV before the match ends
So its the current conference leaders against last years conference champions. No it isn't AFC Wimbledon v MK Dons but its a fairly interesting tie. A fans owned club built up from nothing, and a club that have worked their way into the league, going back to a non league side, who are just as keen to get into the league themselves, and show on TV they are capable of that.
BUT Stevenage will be keen to show just exactly why they are conference champions, and therefore too good for it, and why they got into the league in the first place.
I'll be watching, as I don't have ESPN, but love watching the FA Cup.
And even though I grew up so close to Ebbsfleet's ground, I don't really mind their going out. Though I think Ebbsfleet would have won had McFranchise held their lead; AFC Wimbledon simply wouldn't have had their hearts in it, though the time may come - should they get into the League, which presumably they're hoping for - when they might *have* to play their usurpers.
I think ITV would probably have been hoping for AFC to win their replay, if anything, because whatever the outcome of the Stevenage-MK game was, if AFC won (which, of course, they have) they at least had a solid angle to focus their build-up on. (and something for Drury to talk about during the game)
In the end Steenage showed why exactly they were too good for the conference in the first place then! It was certainly a matched that I watched, and I thought it was worth watching.
Looking ahead to 2nd round replays these are the replays:
FC United of Manchester v Brighton
Luton v Charlton
Lincoln v Hereford
Swindon v Crawley
and there are also 3 matches to take place yet.
I would have thought FC United of Manchester v Brighton, and Charlton v Luton would be the live TV matches. Partly because of a lack of choice, although these two matches are interesting anyway.
*Cough* Colchester v Swindon Supermarines looked like an interesting fixture..... that was until I watched my team play 90 minutes of pure dirge lucky enough to get away with a 1-0 win against a team 100 league places below us. How they're going to make a highlights package out of it all I really don't know!!
In the end Steenage showed why exactly they were too good for the conference in the first place then! It was certainly a matched that I watched, and I thought it was worth watching.
Looking ahead to 2nd round replays these are the replays:
FC United of Manchester v Brighton
Luton v Charlton
Lincoln v Hereford
Swindon v Crawley
and there are also 3 matches to take place yet.
I would have thought FC United of Manchester v Brighton, and Charlton v Luton would be the live TV matches. Partly because of a lack of choice, although these two matches are interesting anyway.
I think ESPN will probably want the second leg of Swindon v Crawley after showing the first leg.
I think we can safely assume Lincoln v Hereford won't be given a second look.
Comments
Quite apart from denying ITV1 their dream tie (but AFC Wimbledon's nightmare), it also removes most of the point of ESPN showing an all-non-League replay, which will now be much harder for them to sell.
Indeed, and ITV has been following Ebbsfleet since their first FA Cup qualifier, so there is a story whatever happens.
Especially as even if it was AFC Wimbledon v MK Dons ESPN know that ITV have the 1st choice on matches, and wouldn't actually be able to show it anyway!
Very pleased that ITV have now got a stinker of a tie!!(seriously, would they have picked Wimbledon or Ebbsfleet V Stevenage ??) Also delighted that Franchise FC are out anyway.
Bet tydesley still manages to shoehorn in some reference to "That night in Barcelona"
It's not a stinker though.
It's non-league v league, the perfect FA Cup early round formula.
...And what's more, the non-league teams in question both have great (and similar) backstories, in that they were rescued by fans.
It's not what ITV would have ideally wanted, though, surely?
Agreed. They'd get far far more people tuning in for what would basically be a Wimbledon derby, than a game between Ebbsfleet and Stevenage (if that's how it turns out).
so Dover v Aldershot would have been a non starter
ITV have a story with both Ebbsfleet (owned by fans)
and AFC (Set up when their club was stolen away by Franchise)
Toe the party line and dress it up as much as you like - nobody will watch this non entity of a game
Most casual (plastic Sky/EPL) fans wont but I will.
As an FC Halifax Town fan, I cant relate to the backstory of both clubs and i'm sure some real footy fans will be watching.
A lot of people such as myself have followed AFC Wimbledon's rise up the football pyramid with interest.
This is their chance to share it with a larger audience
I will also be watching it as a supporter of another non-league supporters owned club (Hendon). I'll be hoping for an AFC Wimbledon win. We had some good games against them as they moved through the leagues, and a couple of their supporters were very helpful as we set up our supporters trust.
I'm rather amused though that ITV have ended up with a bit of a dud to televise, although Stevenage losing to any team (other than Franchise) will also amuse me greatly. I detest Stevenage.
They're at 11.05, at 10.35 appears to be the episode of River Monsters dropped last night for the Royal Wedding interview.
The lack of appeal of a AFC Wilmbledon/Ebbsfleet v Stevenage tie is due to the fact all three teams were in the same league last season!
They should have gone for Dover. However ITV (or ESPN) may have feared for their vans and equipment in trying to drive up the hill to the Crabble ground and decided otherwise!
Can't understand what all the fuss is about re the tie ITV is left with. Even Ebbsfleet v Stevenage is a two division gap so relatively attractive. Yes, it won't rate particularly well (neither will Wimbledon v Stevenage), but do people really think Dover v Aldershot or one of the other fairly lacklustre ties would rate any better? The tie ITV wanted would have rated a little better for obvious reasons, but not greatly I wouldn't have thought.
I think they chose correctly given the possibilities, but i'm delighted they didn't get what they wanted for purely selfish reasons. I doubt they expect much from the 1st and 2nd rounds anyway to be honest.
I'll be watching, love the FA Cup and fixtures like this.
BUT Stevenage will be keen to show just exactly why they are conference champions, and therefore too good for it, and why they got into the league in the first place.
I'll be watching, as I don't have ESPN, but love watching the FA Cup.
GOAL FOR AFC WIMBLEDON, GOAL FOR ALL OF WIMBLEDON
Looking ahead to 2nd round replays these are the replays:
FC United of Manchester v Brighton
Luton v Charlton
Lincoln v Hereford
Swindon v Crawley
and there are also 3 matches to take place yet.
I would have thought FC United of Manchester v Brighton, and Charlton v Luton would be the live TV matches. Partly because of a lack of choice, although these two matches are interesting anyway.
I think ESPN will probably want the second leg of Swindon v Crawley after showing the first leg.
I think we can safely assume Lincoln v Hereford won't be given a second look.