Up for the cups (again) in 23/24?

[GhostoftheBok]

I disagree. I think your comment that only the league matters certain held weight when Big Sam, Megson, etc. were in charge, but that doesnt seem to be the case under Evatt.

No, under Evatt that is changing. It's the fans' attitudes that persist.

Sam got close in the League Cup once, so fair play there. We also had a go in Europe, for the most part.

However, in general we have about two decades of being too worried about our league status to have a proper go. You can't have that attitude within the club for that long and not see the impact on views in the terraces.

It'll take time to turn fans back on to the cups as part of Bolton's identity; but it's part of the club's heritage and should be celebrated as such.

The FA Cup especially. We should be going full bore at that in every round.

[GhostoftheBok]

Cups are a sideshow till the latter stages. Even then they are for some.

What I'm saying is they shouldn't be and we're not in a position now where they need to be.

We will never win the Premier League, realistically. As much as as soon as we get to the Premier League my view will be we should strive for that, no matter how unrealistic it is.

We can win a domestic cup. That is achievable glory and you need the right mentality to do that. That means rebuilding the club's culture as a cup side.

The FA Cup and League Cup have been overshadowed by the money of the Prem. Fantastic. Other teams can play crap sides early doors and we can wipe the floor with them.

You don't reliably reach the later rounds if you treat the early rounds as a sideshow.

[BWFC_Insane]

Cups are a sideshow till the latter stages. Even then they are for some.

What I'm saying is they shouldn't be and we're not in a position now where they need to be.

We will never win the Premier League, realistically. As much as as soon as we get to the Premier League my view will be we should strive for that, no matter how unrealistic it is.

We can win a domestic cup. That is achievable glory and you need the right mentality to do that. That means rebuilding the club's culture as a cup side.

The FA Cup and League Cup have been overshadowed by the money of the Prem. Fantastic. Other teams can play crap sides early doors and we can wipe the floor with them.

You don't reliably reach the later rounds if you treat the early rounds as a sideshow.

I get you but this is a wider issue. Football doesn’t take them that seriously. It’s hard to change views and the major ambition has to be promotion.

[Worthy4England]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

[GhostoftheBok]

I get you but this is a wider issue. Football doesn’t take them that seriously. It’s hard to change views and the major ambition has to be promotion.

I completely agree. However, to my mind that just means that a club which does take it seriously has a better chance of winning something.

The counter to that is that Prem clubs now have two complete, top class 11s. That didn't used to be the case. When a top club didn't take the cup seriously their reserve side was often pretty poor.

[BWFC_Insane]

I get you but this is a wider issue. Football doesn’t take them that seriously. It’s hard to change views and the major ambition has to be promotion.

I completely agree. However, to my mind that just means that a club which does take it seriously has a better chance of winning something.

The counter to that is that Prem clubs now have two complete, top class 11s. That didn't used to be the case. When a top club didn't take the cup seriously their reserve side was often pretty poor.

Yeah frankly I don’t think we are going to win the league cup just because we decide to take it seriously.

Progressing up the leagues gives us a greater chance of winning something by allowing us to acquire better players.

[GhostoftheBok]

Yeah frankly I don’t think we are going to win the league cup just because we decide to take it seriously.

Progressing up the leagues gives us a greater chance of winning something by allowing us to acquire better players.

I think you create a culture in a club and that then helps you win things.

We're very unlikely to win the League Cup with League One players, I agree.

[boltonboris]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

That was the first time I've ever attended a game in that tournament in my life. And that's because I was given free tickets

The final was the second!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Cupsets are rare. In last season's League Cup second round, 13 Prem teams entered the competition and 12 won – the exception being Crawley winning 2-0 against a Fulham side with 10 changes and three debutants. The year before that, 13 entered and 11 won... the two losers losing to fellow Prem teams.

But rarity only makes things more attractive....

[Worthy4England]

Cupsets are rare. In last season's League Cup second round, 13 Prem teams entered the competition and 12 won – the exception being Crawley winning 2-0 against a Fulham side with 10 changes and three debutants. The year before that, 13 entered and 11 won... the two losers losing to fellow Prem teams.

But rarity only makes things more attractive....

And less likely.

[truewhite15]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

I did. I wanted to win it from the start. What's the point of being in them in the first place if that's not the aim? It was a competition we had a realistic chance of winning. And the same holds true this year.

Yes, I'd rather get promoted, but that can be soured by the next season if we're shite. You can never take away a day like we had in April.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

I did. I wanted to win it from the start. What's the point of being in them in the first place if that's not the aim? It was a competition we had a realistic chance of winning. And the same holds true this year.

Yes, I'd rather get promoted, but that can be soured by the next season if we're shite. You can never take away a day like we had in April.

Weird innit. When I say I want us to play a good brand of football, I get telt it's all about winning...

[The_Gun]

We’re not going to win the FA Cup or the League Cup, but we could get games against big PL teams which would benefit the finances and profile of our club. Well worth taking the early rounds seriously in the pursuit of those big pay days.

[Worthy4England]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

I did. I wanted to win it from the start. What's the point of being in them in the first place if that's not the aim? It was a competition we had a realistic chance of winning. And the same holds true this year.

Yes, I'd rather get promoted, but that can be soured by the next season if we're shite. You can never take away a day like we had in April.

Ok. Did many folks really give a shiny about it?

[truewhite15]

Think it's a two way street, but did anyone really give a shiny about the PJT until the semi-finals? There were 4400 people on for the quarter and I suspect some couldn't tell you who we played...

I did. I wanted to win it from the start. What's the point of being in them in the first place if that's not the aim? It was a competition we had a realistic chance of winning. And the same holds true this year.

Yes, I'd rather get promoted, but that can be soured by the next season if we're shite. You can never take away a day like we had in April.

Ok. Did many folks really give a shiny about it?

Clearly not, until the end. Bloody fair-weather fans.

[Worthy4England]

^^ At least I was consistent - missed the final with manflu, too...mind, got my train fares back!

[GhostoftheBok]

I'll never understand people who think winning the tinpot is somehow more embarrassing than being unable to win it. If you can't win a competition then you're definitely not too good for it.

I'm not saying that's anyone on here, but generally amongst fans of "big clubs" in the lower leagues.

We're in it. We should be ashamed not to at least reach the semi finals.

[Worthy4England]

I think we should be trying to win every game we play in. Tinpot or otherwise.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think we should be trying to win every game we play in. Tinpot or otherwise.

Domestic quadruple it is then. Good good.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]