Virgin Trains hardly making FA Cup Semi Weekend sound fun

 Oh Virgin Trains!  How to take the fun out of a weekend.

Firstly, they tell Man City fans to "enjoy your day out" but tell them to "leave the beers at home". Hardly a party atmosphere:

Going to the Cup Final Semis? Man City supporters enjoy your day out at Wembley, but leave the beers at home as all trains are dry.
— Virgin Trains (@VirginTrains) April 9, 2013

Then they wish Wigan luck but tell them they can't get them home after the game:

Good luck to Wigan in the FA Cup semi final, and remember due to late KO time there are no return trains to Wigan until Sunday.
— Virgin Trains (@VirginTrains) April 9, 2013

Talk about a bunch of party poopers...

Villa fans hope for United win...

Reading take on Manchester United tonight at Old Trafford and while most "neutrals" would be hoping for a shock exit for the runaway Premier League leaders, many Villa fans are hoping that our relegations rivals crash out of the competition.

The reason?

Well, should The Royals stun the football world tonight and qualify for the quarter finals, those games will be played on the weekend of 9th/10th March and the Premier League clash with Aston Villa will need to be rescheduled.

This could be particularly bad news for the travelling claret & blue faithful.  Villa fans quickly snapped up all 2,300 tickets available and many will have taken advantage of cheap advance (but none-refundable) train tickets.
Any rearranged game is likely to be a midweek night game.

However, if the bookies are correct, then our Saturday date at the Majedski looks safe with a Reading win available at odds of 11/1.

Meanwhile the initial allocation for the away clash at Stoke is a paltry 1,240.

Millwall Ticket News

It's a bit complicated but here we go...

Millwall v Villa
FA Cup 4th Round
Friday January 25 - 7.45pm
Allocation: 2,000

Prices: £20 [adults], £11 [over-60s], £10 for [U16s], £5 [U12s]

Monday January 14 [from 12pm]: On sale to Cup Scheme members and/or season card holders who attended the Ipswich Town round three fixture and at least two Premier League away fixtures in 2012-13 season

Monday January 14 [from 3.30pm]: On sale to Cup Scheme members and/or season card holders who attended the Ipswich Town round three fixture AND at least one Premier League away fixture in 2012-13 season

Tuesday January 15 [from 9am]: On sale to current full season card holders who have held a consecutive season card for five years and attended the Ipswich Town round three fixture

Tuesday January 15 [from 2pm]: On sale to current full season card holders for the 2012-13 season who attended the Ipswich Town round three fixture

Wednesday January 16 [from 9am]: On sale to current full season card holders who have held a consecutive season card for five years and attended at least two Premier League away fixtures in 2012-13

Wednesday January 16 [from 2pm]: On sale to full season card holders for the 2012-13 season who have held a consecutive season card for five years

Thursday January 17: On sale to current full season card holders and at least one Premier League away fixture in 2012-13

Friday January 18: On sale to full season card holders for the 2012-13 season

Monday January 21: On sale to supporters who attended the Ipswich Town round three fixture

Tuesday January 22: On sale to supporters with ANY booking history in 2012-13

Wednesday January 23: On sale to supporters with ANY booking history

Villa v Ipswich as it was tweeted...

Ipswich v Villa FA Cup 5th Round 1996

FA Cup Third Round Results: The Last Ten Years...

Well it's been five long years since we made our exit at the 3rd Round stage, despite some of the cowsheds we've been forced to play in, the last three years would indicate that a 3-1 Villa win might not be a bad punt for tomorrow, but what do we know? Two weeks ago we thought we'd get something at Chelsea...

Anyway, those results...

2012 Bristol Rovers 1 Aston Villa 3

2011 Sheffield United 1 Aston Villa 3

2010 Aston Villa 3 Blackburn Rovers 1

2009 Gillingham 1 Aston Villa 2

2008 Aston Villa 0 Man United 2

2007 Man United 2 Aston Villa 1

2006 Hull City 0 Aston Villa 1

2005 Sheffield United 3 Aston Villa 1

2004 Aston Villa 1 Man United 2

2003 Aston Villa 1 Blackburn Rovers 4

Ciggy Cards: FA Cup Heroes

FA Cup winning goal hero

FA Cup Hat-Trick hero

FA Cup Hat-Trick hero

Mick McCarthy confirms he'll play a weakened team v Villa.

Ipswich guv'nor Mick McCarthy, who has form for not taking cups seriously, has confirmed that he will make sweeping changes for the FA Cup clash at Villa Park...

“I love the FA Cup, but if I was without the players we are without for a league game I would be a bit more unhappy,” said McCarthy

“I’m quite happy to have a break from the league. This gives me a chance to give a few players a rest after playing five games in two weeks. They’ve put a right shift in for me.

“I’d like to beat Villa, but there will be a lot of changes – some through necessity, some through me wanting to have a look at some. Of course, some of them will have to play, but I want to give some a break. Scott Loach, Elliott Hewitt and Michael Chopra will all play.

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen in Elliott. I want to see how he does. He trains well, he trains with the first team, he’s got a lot of ability – what he hasn’t got is experience and know-how and knowledge.

“DJ has been excellent, he’s been getting all the goals, so Michael won’t be wondering why he’s not been playing. He’s willing, able and ready to go – it’s up to him to step up now we’ve lost DJ.

“He’s got a good track record, but he’s got to come in firing and do the business.”

Coming soon... Villa v Ipswich