It's high noon for Arsenal in FA Cup

Steve Stammers|Raoul Simons|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Arsenal will be given a noon kick-off on the Saturday of FA Cup semi-final weekend.

The time and day of the clash with Blackburn at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will be announced by the Football Association once Newcastle's entry into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup has been assured.

Newcastle, who meet Manchester United in the other FA Cup semi-final, lead 3-1 going into Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with Greek side Olympiakos at St James' Park.

It should be a formality, which means the FA will have to allocate the Sunday semi-final berth to the meeting of the Uniteds because Newcastle will be due to play the first leg of their UEFA quarter-final on Thursday 14 April, just two days before Cup semi-final weekend.

FA and Premier League policy has always been to give teams playing in Europe on a Thursday a slot on Sunday to allow time for recuperation.

The kick-off time will be noon, for safety reasons. The FA are aware that many fans of Manchester United and Newcastle will converge on Cardiff late afternoon or early evening on the Saturday.

They want to eliminate the potential hazard of thousands of supporters of all four clubs in the city at the same time.

By giving Arsenal a noon start the match should be finished, even allowing for extra-time and possible penalties, some time before 3pm.

That will give both Arsenal and Blackburn followers adequate time to leave Cardiff before the first arrivals of Newcastle and Manchester fans.

With a later kick-off, there is the potential for disorder and the FA's strategy has always been to make the safety of the supporters paramount.

It would also solve the problem of team hotels. Arsenal and Blackburn will take the two best in the area and the other semifinalists will follow them in on Saturday afternoon.

With a later kick-off time, there would be the prospect of two teams waiting to go to the stadium and two teams waiting to check in.

However, a number of Manchester United fans have criticised the decision to hold both semifinals at the Millennium Stadium.

The Independent Manchester United Supporters Association have accused the FA of opting for a money-making exercise, labelling Cardiff a "crazy place" to play their tie with Newcastle.

They suggest the Leeds ground at Elland Road as a more suitable venue.

Former Manchester United manager Wilf McGuinness added his voice to that argument today when he said: "I'm looking forward to watching both semifinals but why on earth the FA have decided to hold both matches at the Millennium Stadium is beyond me.

"It's not fair on any of the supporters of the four teams left in the competition and I think the FA are just trying to make things as expensive as they can for the fans."

Mark Longden, spokesman for IMUSA, even urged United supporters to boycott the game.

He said: "The fans have never been consulted about this, yet we are the people who put money into football. Nobody wants to turn their back on the team but you've got to say enough is enough.

"I have not come across one United supporter who is happy going to Cardiff. We can't afford it.

"I would urge all United supporters to boycott the game. The only way to hit the FA is in the pocket."

MORE ABOUT

Blackburn Rovers

It's high noon for Arsenal in FA Cup

Read More