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[Mrs Warbouys]

Cheltenham were scheduled to play Kidderminster in the league on Tuesday night, but now have a replay in the trophy after yesterday's draw at Oxford city. It's been sanctioned that they will still be playing Kidderminster on tueday in the league and then playing Oxford city the following evening in the trophy. Does this devalue the trophy or is it sensible considering their league position? Also with this precedent being set isn't it a shame we couldn't send the reserve team to Crewe on weds evening..

[Alty Razor Squad]

There's nothing to suggest they'll play their reserves against Oxford City. I'd imagine Cheltenham have a much larger squad than ourselves and still feel they can put a team out capable of winning both games whereas if we sent our reserves to Crewe we may as well hand them a walkover.

[bighairedmike]

There's nothing to suggest they'll play their reserves against Oxford City. I'd imagine Cheltenham have a much larger squad than ourselves and still feel they can put a team out capable of winning both games whereas if we sent our reserves to Crewe we may as well hand them a walkover.

It was tweeted that it would be a reserve/youth team expected to play. Whilst they undoubtedly have a larger squad than us, they hardly have 30 first team standard players to choose two teams from.

[Alty Razor Squad]

Ah right,apologies I'm not on twitter. I thought they may have a squad of 22 which would mean 2 relatively strong 11s but if they've said it'll be a reserve/youth team then Id say it's devaluing the FA Trophy.

[ripleym]

That is unfortunately the difference between Conference and Premier League.  While the biggest clubs in the world can put their reserves / youth out in what they determine the lower value cup games, and still expect to progress up to a certain stage, the same can not be said about teams at our level, where you realistically can only play the strongest team you have available.

[roytonmike]

It's also the difference in attitude between most of the full-time clubs in the Conference (who think they should really be in the Football League) & those of us who are part-time, non-League and proud of it. Cheltenham would rather not remember where they came from. Sadly, the combination of the ex-FL element in the Conference and the impact of play-offs has effectively killed the Trophy as it was originally designed.

[Bob]

It's also the difference in attitude between most of the full-time clubs in the Conference (who think they should really be in the Football League) & those of us who are part-time, non-League and proud of it. Cheltenham would rather not remember where they came from. Sadly, the combination of the ex-FL element in the Conference and the impact of play-offs has effectively killed the Trophy as it was originally designed.

100% agreed.

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

On this basis, we should be targeting the latter stages of this competition as a minimum. It is very winnable for a club like ours and it's about time we at least got to the semi finals again.

[Ballers]

I wouldn't criticise Cheltenham for it. Relegated last season, with the parachute payment next years relegated sides will come down with this might be their best or only chance to get back up.

They've obviously put out reasonably strong sides in both rounds so it's not that.

I also suspect they may have taken note of the Leamington saga and surmised that while they'll give the trophy a go they're not going to risk league fixtures piling up. If the Tuesday had been a blank one they may well have gone for it. As it is, they've prioritised the league game.

They probably reckon as well that given the weather, one of the games may well get called off if not both. League game going ahead and trophy game getting postponed wouldn't surprise me.

No problems for me.