Up For The Cup

It's FA Cup time again.

Not sure if I'm too nostalgic, but I miss the FA Cup draws being made on Saturday evenings, straight after the previous round game had been played, whilst you were either in the car on the way back from the game, still getting out of the ground or watching on TV.

Mind you that was in the years when Spurs used to threaten in this Cup, and in the 80's when it was thought of as a major competition and not one to run the reserves out in most of the time.

The 3rd Round of the Cup this year gets underway in January, with the 2023 competition's first game on Friday 6th January with Manchester United taking on Everton. The entry deadline will be the same Friday afternoon, 5PM. The full 3rd Rd Fixture List is here.

As with the more recent competitions, there are two options to joining.

The first is to just make the initial 'Picks' and see how these do for you throughout, from when the first ball is kicked, until the last.

You'll back a number of players and teams to earn you points as the rounds go on, and if you want, you can even leave the choices to chance, and pick the 'Lottery' option.

If you're joining the 'Full-On' Competition you'll also need to guess the scores to all the games taking places, including the replays that will take place in Rounds 3 & 4.

The Picks

You'll name who you think will win the Cup, and the team they will beat in the Final on the 14th May. Points for your 'Winner' will be trebled, points for your 'Runner-Up' will be doubled. Once you've done that you need to pick two Premier League teams, two Championship teams and two from the other divisions. All these teams will win you points the further they progress in the competition.

Points will be awarded for wins and draws, for the margin of the win, for multiple goalscorer in a game (players scoring more than once) and for clean sheets kept. Points will be deducted for Yellow Cards and Red Cards awarded against the team, and points will increase each round.

All points will be adjusted by team coefficients, and whether the result was achieved at home or away!

The team coefficients have been set by calculating the league positions of every team as at 10th December 2022. Top of the Premier League (Arsenal) have the coefficient of 1 (One), and every other team's coefficient will be adjusted against them. The lower down the leagues, the higher the coefficient, and the more points on offer if playing in a potential 'Giant Killing' game. Boreham Wood are the lowest placed team in the 3rd Round, placed 100th in the League, and have the coefficient of 2 (Two).

Wins and draws achieved away from home will also carry a 10% bonus.

As well as the teams winning games, you can also pick teams to earn you points for the 'fastest' and 'latest' goals they score. They can be completely different teams to the ones you choose to get through the rounds, or the same, up to you.

For the fastest goal, the teams will start with 100 points, and the minute the goal is scored in is deducted from this.

A goal in the 11th minute, means 89 points for that team. If they score in the next round in the 8th minute, then this will replace the first one and the team will have 92 points.

If they don't score there's 'ZERO' points.

The latest score, scores points for the minute the goal is scored in, including extra time.

Coefficients WILL be taken into account.

The minute the goal is scored, is that shown on the BBC website.

As well as the teams, you'll also need to pick a few players to earn you points.

They are split into Forwards, Goalkeepers and 'Wild-Cards'.

Wild Card players can be either Midfielders or Defenders, from any team. If left to chance you will be allocated randomly, from those selected by the rest.

All will be rewarded for time on the pitch, goals scored, assists, and clean sheets.

All will be increased by team coefficients and the outcome of the match.

A goal for Ollie Watkins against Stevenage is worth less points than a goal for Luke Norris against Aston Villa (I did have to google top scorer for Stevenage!!)

That's it, 'Pick 'Em' and hope they do the business.

'Full-On' Competition

For those taking the plunge and going all in, you'll then need to Guess/Predict (delete as applicable) the scores for every game.

The points awarded for getting your Guess/Prediction correct will depend on 'How Right' you were.

Correct Scores, you said 3-1, and it was 3-1, win you points for the score, the goals scored, multiple goalscorers, clean sheets & away bonuses. Cards awarded against you will attract penalties, and coefficients will also count.

Points will increase every round.

Correct results will win you less points, although if you get the result right and the margin of victory, you said 2-0 but it was 3-1, then you'll get slightly more points.

Get your Prediction completely wrong, you said it would be a home win, and it's an away one (or vice versa), then you'll lose points.

And here's the catch.

You bet points on every game.

Each round will carry a minimum and maximum bet, and every player will start with 320 points, with the minimum bet 3 points and the maximum 20.

Each point you bet wins you the points you 'win' for your prediction. Bet 5 points, and get the score or result right, then you'll win 5 times the points for that game. Get it wrong, it will cost you 5 points.

The Eventual WInner will have the most points at the end of the FA Cup Final in May.

£25.00 gets you into the Main and the Picks.

£10.00 gets you into the Picks only.

As before, 10% of all signing on fees and any additional donations will go to Charity, this time The British Heart Foundation, in honour of The Blue Boys (Dad) who we lost in November.

And as with last season's competition, from the Quarter-Finals onwards you will have the option to place more than one bet on a game (effectively hedge your bets)

Fancy joining in, then just contact me now and I will make sure you're included.

Or

Head over to website and make your Picks Now