FA Cup semi-final confirmed for 23rd April

, 18 March, 38comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton's Wembley date with either West Ham United or Manchester United has been confirmed for Saturday 23rd April with a 5:15pm kick-off.

The Blues' semi-final will be broadcast live by the BBC.

Ticket allocations for the match will be announced after a meeting with the Football Association on Monday.  



Reader Comments (38)

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Gerard Carey
1 Posted 18/03/2016 at 17:07:46
Did we expect anything else!? Anyway, rest Rom against the shite, best team for semi final.

We need a bit of silverware. Too long to be waiting for a club like ours. Could be the start of something special for next year like the mid eighties.
Ian Burns
2 Posted 18/03/2016 at 17:14:26
5,15pm Saturday; midnight Friday - I don't care - we are there and that's all that matters. It just means a celebratory few glasses on Saturday night so we can enjoy the rest of the weekend wondering who will play in the final.
Ged Simpson
3 Posted 18/03/2016 at 18:38:09
If this thread fills with more bleating that it is all so unfair, we deserve to win nothing. Man up!
Kieran Carr
4 Posted 18/03/2016 at 18:47:05
Well said, Ged. God help us if we ever do get in the Champions League and have to play two games a week.
Dave Ganley
5 Posted 18/03/2016 at 18:54:31
Brilliant.....happy days. No crack of dawn start, few beers and cracking atmosphere at that time of day. I'm so happy it's not on the Sunday... bring it on!
Patrick Murphy
6 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:01:21
Whilst there is nothing we can do about the timing of the Semi or the timing of the Anfield derby, do Evertonians honestly believe that, if the shoe had have been on the other foot, the FA would have sent Liverpool to Goodison three days prior to them taking part in a Wembley Semi-Final? Would our neighbours have just accepted it in such a matter-of-fact way?

derby games, no matter who’s playing in them, are extremely intense affairs and with a fair chance of having extra-time at Wembley it could come back to bite us on the bum. But hey let’s ensure we turn up at Anfield and never mind the FA Cup as we are such a massive club in the mix for everything... not! – that we can afford to throw away a chance for silverware in exchange for the possibility of gloating over our nearest and dearest for a couple of days.

Ged Simpson
7 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:04:54
Oh, stop moaning, Patrick. Wonder why we still get called the bitters!
Patrick Murphy
8 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:14:51
Sorry, Ged, but we’ve waited for 21 years to lift a trophy and I would take any action that helps the club to end that wait. Sacrificing a meaningless league game, albeit a derby, is not too high a price to pay.

I don’t really care what the other lot think of us. I don’t believe that Man Utd would have been sent to the Etihad three days before a semi-final or that Arsenal if they were still involved would have been sent to White Hart Lane but, because we are nice little Everton, we tend to get the short straw a little too often for my taste.

But, Ged, you continue to believe that everything is hunky dory and dismiss those of us who disagree with your view as ’bitters’ – that’s your prerogative.

Colin Hughes
9 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:16:23
Let’s just hope it's West Ham Utd. I couldn’t take losing to the Red Shite at Anfield then losing a semi-final to Man Utd 3 days later.

It would be like 1977 again when we lost in the semi-final of the FA Cup to the Red Shite in a replay and lost the League Cup Final 2nd Replay to Aston Villa within a week or so.

Bad enough if it was West Ham but I can see another classic Everton glorious failure coming up here.

Graham Mockford
10 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:23:54
Patrick,

I’m afraid you are barking up the wrong tree. The decision on which day the games are played is dictated by the TV companies, not the FA.

They alone will have decided who gets which game and on what day it is broadcast. No conspiracy theory, I’m afraid.

Darren Hind
11 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:27:50
Why on earth would somebody who clearly wants to stand up for our club be dismissed as "Bitter"?
Ged Simpson
12 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:33:29
No Patrick... I just get sick of the "victim" mentality. It is common to most football fans but us and the Red Shite are masters at it. Probably a scouse trait from the ’80s but was never a scouse trait earlier.

'Bout time the fans grew up as the rest of the city is trying, and succeeding, in doing....(despite a government worse than Thatcher’s).

Ged Simpson
13 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:35:00
There is standing up... and then there is just plain winging.
Gerard Carey
14 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:41:30
Let's just have the balls and go and win both games and move on.
Darren Hind
15 Posted 18/03/2016 at 19:48:24
"There is standing up... and then there is just plain winging."

Then there is the mustn’t grumble brigade, the door mats. Those who will take any shit thrown at Everton and accuse others of having a "victim" mentality.

"Scouse trait"? I would suggest you stop digging.

Peter Laing
16 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:12:15
Ged, I would keep those views of yours well and truly out of any football debate. People like you continue to peddle prejudice which serves in no way to promote either the people of Liverpool or its football clubs.

Many years down the line, we have seen official government papers released which had overwhelming support to embark upon a potential programme of ’managed decline’ and we are only just seeing the conclusion of more than 25 years of collusion being brought to an end over Hillsborough.

In terms of both the time / date and potential opponents, I am well and truly happy.

Tony Abrahams
17 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:15:20
Ged, the only people who call us bitter, are that horrible bunch of bitter bastards from across the park.

Why put us in the same bracket, Ged???

David Donnellan
18 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:20:04
Let's just go out and win both games!
John Raftery
19 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:35:54
The game will be played on the 39th anniversary of our semi-final at Maine Road when Clive Thomas disallowed our winning goal.

Yes, let’s win both games with our second string at Anfield and our strongest team at Wembley.

Rob Hooton
20 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:36:52
Come on, we are Everton and we can win both these games. I live in London and get to very few games so no hope of getting a ticket for the semi.

I’ll be happy to put up a couple of Toffees for the night if it helps though with our shit transport at night and we can celebrate in West London together; it gets quite lonely... just me and me dad cheering us on in the pub.

Anthony Burke
21 Posted 18/03/2016 at 21:23:38
Personally I’m pleased with the kick-off time as I start work at 6 am Monday morning and I believe we will progress, should we play West Ham Utd. We will win – we played them off the park with 10 men for most of the match. Man Utd could be tricky but on our day we will also beat them too. COYB!!!
Will Jones
22 Posted 18/03/2016 at 22:07:21
When playing chess, is it all about being brave???

Let’s be sensible here and focus on what is the priority for the medium or long term. On the announcement, well that’s great isn’t it? No hangover on Monday?

As an aside, I would prefer Man Utd, they are there for the taking, like a lamb to the slaughter!! Plus ol' Rooney would be getting wet pants!!

Paul Hewitt
23 Posted 18/03/2016 at 22:23:49
Playing football is their job. Just get on with it.
Kevin Johnson
24 Posted 18/03/2016 at 22:35:43
Couldn’t care what day or time it was... I'd still be there.

I’ve had a smile wider than the Mersey on my face for the last week.

Kieran Kinsella
25 Posted 18/03/2016 at 23:19:51
I hope it’s Man Utd.
Phil Bellis
26 Posted 18/03/2016 at 23:30:05
Fuckin ell, Ged. I’m bitter with a lot to be bitter about – how long have you got?
Ste Traverse
27 Posted 19/03/2016 at 00:17:27
I wanted the Sunday game so whichever of our first choice players who play in the derby get as much rest as possible before potentially 120 mins on a typically tiring Wembley pitch.

That said, at least it’s not a 12:45 start like our last game at the national stadium and having to get up at 4am.

Dennis Stevens
28 Posted 19/03/2016 at 08:16:16
I’m an Evertonian – where would we be without a little bitterness? It’s that touch of bitterness that makes the sweet so sweet.

Actually, I prefer half-mild, half-bitter to drink – but you hardly ever see mild down here!

Dave Pritchard
29 Posted 19/03/2016 at 08:51:45
Our game being on Saturday makes sense for the fans although I am sure that was not the reason it ended up like that. TV always decides. Saturday is better for our fans if they have to get back home for work on Monday.

All teams are playing Premier League football on Wednesday and the fact that we’ve got Liverpool is not a conspiracy – it is just circumstances.

Jim Bennings
30 Posted 19/03/2016 at 08:51:55
Rest fucking nobody for the derby..

If you're a big time Premier League footballer, then you SHOULD want to be playing in both of these huge games.

What if we throw the Anfield derby then do the trademark Everton hard luck story of losing the semi-final on penalties or extra time... heroic failure!!

I want to go all out in both games; yes, the Semi is more important, of course, but it’s cheating the fans to just get done over in the derby. Christ, haven’t we rolled over enough at Anfield over the last 15 years? I want to beat them. Or at least salvage a respectable draw.

I’m still somehow expecting Everton to lose both; we know this club too well – you get one high taken away by an avalanche of lows.

Colin Gee
31 Posted 19/03/2016 at 20:14:30
You just know that one of their yarddogs is going to either get one of ours sent off, or put someone out of the semi-final with a broken leg.....

Because that’s exactly what I would do if it was the other way round and I was playing for Everton and they were in a semi-final 3 days later.

Peter Griffiths
33 Posted 20/03/2016 at 08:16:28
Does anyone know what part of Wembley the Everton supporters will be taking up: East or West stand?
Peter Murray
35 Posted 20/03/2016 at 20:41:59
Agree totally with Jim (30) – please turn up, as unfortunately, we are so used to this seasonal non-event performance from our Blues, regardless of our team, strong or weak!!!

COYB & have a go, regardless – we deserve this at least !!!

Martinez out please... now – not next season – and give us a summer we can appreciate.

James Marshall
36 Posted 22/03/2016 at 23:28:40
So the Man Utd v West Ham replay is now on the 13th April, so presumably the FA won't be able to print up tickets until after that takes place, meaning ticket sales will not start until 14th April at the earliest - that gives them only 9 days to get them sold and sent out to people.

Is it me or is that cutting it fine?

Jim Potter
37 Posted 24/03/2016 at 10:49:39
The Cup semi final is hugely important – but so too is beating Liverpool – and we have every chance to do that given our away form and their poor team / season. I'd play our strongest team and go for the win.

What a boost that would be going into the semi. The alternative is that we've laid down and died by picking an inferior team – more or less going into it accepting a loss – and then go to Wembley with less confidence.

I can fully understand the opposing view of resting players for Wembley but, as stated previously above, they are professional footballers and should be well up for both big games.

Even if the worst happened and we lose both, we'd have given it 100%. That's what I give as a supporter – shouldn't the players on their massive salaries do the same?

We're a 'Grand Old Team'... ain't we?

Ste Traverse
38 Posted 24/03/2016 at 13:19:52
James #36

I can't see it being too much of a problem to put 'Everton v Manchester United or West Ham' on the tickets and start selling them to us sooner than April 14th.

Tony Abrahams
39 Posted 24/03/2016 at 13:41:49
Not cutting it fine, James, just jumping the gun! All the ticket details are out now mate, which you probably already know.
Lee Brownlie
40 Posted 25/03/2016 at 08:37:09
Obviously far from ideal, to be playing Liverpool in mid-week before the semi-final, but no escaping it, so I'm trusting RM to make the right decision on whether to send out a just few squaddies to face the Reds, and give it our all in the semi (and then on the Wembley return, hopefully!!)...

Pretty obvious where our priorities have to lie for these games, way too long without a trophy and who knows when the next chance will come if we can't even make the final to face Watford or Palace this time round!


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