Do we still want to be in the Trophy in February?

Last night we had Bignott, Hannah, Neilson, Pittman, Paddy, Winfarrah, Humble, Doig and Walker who didn't start or feature. We have enough there with a sprinkling of youth and Brown will be ready for the first round for a run out to field a semi decent side. If we win great, if we don't then it's no big deal

Quoted from acko338

FA Trophy - Practice games for fringe and youth players please - sorry, this has got to be a season where the be all and end all is promotion, and if we have a cup run, please let it be in the real one - the FA Cup, where we could draw some REAL revenue from a larger league team, if possible, to bolster a promotion run.

The trophy games ruined our promotion run last year, leading to postponements, suspensions and back log of games which was no good leading to a play off situation.

Count them as reserve run-outs rather than full squad games.

I wonder how our promotion rivals will treat the games ??

Unless some have larger squad numbers than us??

We don't have a reserve side so any side would have to include squad players. Certainly some of the squad who aren't getting regular games could be utilised such as Walker, Winfarrah, Humble. Inevitably whatever 11 we put out will include an element of first choice players.

NO
I think you are all missing the main issue here, which is the games take place on a Saturday and the further we progress the more league fixtures are postponed because the FA trophy takes priority over league games.
So if the fringe.youth players win, its another league game that has to be rearranged in the week.  Look at last year the other teams were less than helpful when agreeing a new date
So our starting 11 could sat in the stands on a Saturday watching the fringe players, when we should be playing a league game.
Also has financial impact, small gates on a Saturday for a FA Trophy, reduced attendances midweek for league games.

I for one would not be bothered if we lost in the first round of the Trophy.

Let's forget about the Trophy and just concentrate on winning this league,

Plus getting a big club in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

Quoted from The Yard Dog

NO
I think you are all missing the main issue here, which is the games take place on a Saturday and the further we progress the more league fixtures are postponed because the FA trophy takes priority over league games.
So if the fringe.youth players win, its another league game that has to be rearranged in the week.  Look at last year the other teams were less than helpful when agreeing a new date
So our starting 11 could sat in the stands on a Saturday watching the fringe players, when we should be playing a league game.
Also has financial impact, small gates on a Saturday for a FA Trophy, reduced attendances midweek for league games.

Or they could also all be sat at home doing absolutely nothing because the team we were suppose to be playing are still in the FAT. Resulting in no gate on a Saturday & reduced attendances midweek.
Play to win & deal with the consequences.

Quoted from MrsMariner

Or they could also all be sat at home doing absolutely nothing because the team we were suppose to be playing are still in the FAT. Resulting in no gate on a Saturday & reduced attendances midweek.
Play to win & deal with the consequences.

Exactly!  I have made this point before.

Quoted from Youngy

Last night we had Bignott, Hannah, Neilson, Pittman, Paddy, Winfarrah, Humble, Doig and Walker who didn't start or feature. We have enough there with a sprinkling of youth and Brown will be ready for the first round for a run out to field a semi decent side. If we win great, if we don't then it's no big deal

Throw in Hamish Watson (possibly) to lead the line:

                                Macca

Bignot          Humble          Doig           Winfarrah

          Walker          Brown         Paddy

                           Nielson

                   Watson         Hannah

Not perfect, but not too bad. (Wouldn't risk Pittman)

I'd be happier if we go out in the 1st round - this season may be our best chance to get out of this
(expletive deleted) league with its (even stronger expletive deleted) referees.

PH might get headhunted by a big club like Scunthorpe when they discover Robins is cr@p by the
end of the season....

The FAT should not be on our priority list.

It depends what our ambitions are. If we have ambitions of going for the title then we must do our best to get knocked out in the first round by playing the youth team.  We struggled last season and we have an even smaller squad this year. We played 10 games from the 1st of April to the 1st of May last season. I am begging you Mr Hurst, please don't go for the trophy.