FA Cup or 4th place?

Hypothetical question for you all to alleviate the boredom a tad.

A few weeks back the question was asked of whether you'd rather win the FA Cup and get relegated (a la Wigan) or finish mid-table with no trophy. I can't find the thread, but if memory serves people would rather win the FA Cup and get relegated as that would cement another place for Saints in history.

This question steps it up a tad: Next season, would you rather Southampton win the FA Cup but finish in mid-table obscurity, or finish in 4th place but with no cup win?

Which would you choose?

4th place. It would allow us to strengthen the squad considerably due to the Champions League. From there we could push on to maintain a top 4 finish in the future as well as trying to win any silverware.

FA Cup. Where is the fun in scraping into 4th place in one competiton you've got no chance of winning to earn the right to enter another competition you've got no chance of winning, I found it cringeworthy seeing Arsenal players and fans leaping around like they'd won the World Cup when they clinched fourth place last week. I'd be embarrassed acting like that if I was them.

FA Cup obviously. Would be hugely disappointed to finish that low in the table.

Easy one. 4th place

FA Cup.

FA Cup. Where is the fun in scraping into 4th place in one competiton you've got no chance of winning to earn the right to enter another competition you've got no chance of winning, I found it cringeworthy seeing Arsenal players and fans leaping around like they'd won the World Cup when they clinched fourth place last week. I'd be embarrassed acting like that if I was them.

This. Celebrating like a goon for finishing in 4th place and qualifiying for the premilinary knock out stages of the CL is a bit embarrassing for a fan of a so-called big club, let alone for us. In fact, for me this whole 4th placed chase represents everything that is sh*t about modern football. Especially prioritising it over actually winning something.

4th place every time. the FA Cup is so crap it gets won by the likes of Wigan, Ports Muff, Coventry and Wimbledon (oh yeah and Southampton!). :-)

4th place for me. It would mean we had been winning consistently over the season against top teams.

That's not to say I don't value the FA cup; mid table and a cup win would be an outstanding season next year.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

Most on here will say fourth.

This is already closer than I thought it would be. For me it would have to be the FA Cup win - instant success, and we'd still get a place in the Europa League to quench our foreign thirsts. It would also deny a big club a cup...

4th place though, would show excellent progression through the club, we'd be a bigger draw for signings, the press would be gushing over us, and then there's the finances of the Champions League...

(Thanks mods for the poll...)

Interesting question, 4th place doesn't = Champions League as we'd have to qualify for the tournament proper. That is why I went for FA Cup.

If the question was 2nd place V FA cup, I'd have chosen 2nd place.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

Most on here will say fourth.

Ever considered becoming Spindoctors?

FA cup all day.

Close one but would go for 4th.

Couldn't care less about the financial benefits - just think it would be a bigger f**k you to the football establishment. Would love to see it try and spin the plucky underdogs line to downplay our achievement.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

By "normal" I'm guessing you mean anybody who shares your view? You don't work for the Daily Mail do you?

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

Here's one for you, England to win the World Cup or saints to win the PL ?

A cup win would be something you tell you grand kids you were there. 4th place would mean a playoff against someone like Stuttgart, Feyenoord or Bordeaux. Not very exciting in itself. Then if we got through that a group campaign with maybe one of the big European giants. A trip to (and a heavy defeat at) the Bernebau or the Allianz would be quite an experience but I'd take the cup win.

The main benefit of the Champions League is money, not something your average fan should get that excited. I wont be telling my grand kids, "hey we got £25m in TV rights in 2015."

Here's one for you, England to win the World Cup or saints to win the PL ?

Saints win, EASY.

Here's one for you, England to win the World Cup or saints to win the PL ?

Saints to win the PL.

No brainer, Saints PL win.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

Not really, a top four finish could potentially solidify a position as a top four contender for the coming seasons. Enticing quality players to join us, along with improvement in other areas. Thus giving us a better chance to win silverware. i.e., Fa Cup/League Cup.

It's got nothing to do with not understanding how prestigious it would be to win the FA Cup, it's a gamble that could see us achieve more.

Not really, a top four finish could potentially solidify a position as a top four contender for the coming seasons. Enticing quality players to join us, along with improvement in other areas. Thus giving us a better chance to win silverware. i.e., Fa Cup/League Cup.

 

It's got nothing to do with not understanding how prestigious it would be to win the FA Cup, it's a gamble that could see us achieve more.

Or not. Just ask Leeds fans, they haven't looked back since playing in the champions league have they.

FA Cup. Where is the fun in scraping into 4th place in one competiton you've got no chance of winning to earn the right to enter another competition you've got no chance of winning, I found it cringeworthy seeing Arsenal players and fans leaping around like they'd won the World Cup when they clinched fourth place last week. I'd be embarrassed acting like that if I was them.

I don't know about this. I'd take a trophy every day of the week but I'd still be absolutely delighted if we qualified for the Champions League. If you can't win a trophy then the next best thing is to see your team competing against the world's best.

Or not. Just ask Leeds fans, they haven't looked back since playing in the champions league have they.

Still, it gave rise to the "Matteo in the San Siro" chant, an all time classic. Know Leeds fans who wouldn't swap that night for anything in football.

I'd definitely prefer to win a trophy than to qualify to compete for a trophy. Fourth place would actually be more of an achievement for us, but that sort of thing is forgotten by history. Nobody apart from saints fans has any recollection that we once finished league runners up. Cup finals and especially cup final wins are something that stay in the memory.

Does 4th place include the possibility of Arsenal winning the Champions league next season, and finishing 5th, and Spurs winning the Europa cup, and finishing 6th?

Then Arsenal and Spurs would qualify for the CL the following season, at the expense of the 4th placed team who wouldn't qualify.

Or not. Just ask Leeds fans, they haven't looked back since playing in the champions league have they.

I'd have more faith in Cortese than Peter Risdale to be fair.

Not really, a top four finish could potentially solidify a position as a top four contender for the coming seasons. Enticing quality players to join us, along with improvement in other areas. Thus giving us a better chance to win silverware. i.e., Fa Cup/League Cup.

 

It's got nothing to do with not understanding how prestigious it would be to win the FA Cup, it's a gamble that could see us achieve more.

Everton: 4th once. No subsequent trophy winning success.

Leeds: CL Semis. No trophies won.

Newcastle? Champions League and Zip in actual trophies won.

Spurs got to fourth and didn't even get in the sodding CL. And, also, no trophy won.

Saints winning the FA Cup: actual trophy won.

FA Cup all day long. 4th place really, really, really ain't sh it.

I'd have more faith in Cortese than Peter Risdale to be fair.

Point being finishing 4th once doesn't guarantee it'll happen again. Everton, Leeds,,Newcastle, spurs. It's arguable Leeds problems started when they qualified for the champions league.

FA Cup because knowing us we would go out of the CL at the qualifying stage. Anyway the FA Cup gets you into Europe so we would still get to go on some good trips.

Yeah I remember Everton going mental about getting into the CL in 05, lasted 2 qualifying games against Villareal.

I don't think we are anywhere near ready for the CL! Would much prefer to win a trophy, and then have a little run in the Europa League which is probably the tournament we should really be aiming for.

Yeah I remember Everton going mental about getting into the CL in 05, lasted 2 qualifying games against Villareal.

They'll still be telling their kids and grandkids about the day in 30 years time, truly one of the greatest in their history.

Absolutely, was glad they failed that year after the Marcus Bent goal.

FA Cup, definitely. Big day out at Wembley, watching your team lift one of the most coveted prizes in English football...would be brilliant.

Any normal English football fan would say the FA Cup.

FA Cup by a mile.

Bring back Bearsey and stripes.

and the F.A. cup.

Nothing beats actually winning something.

An FA Cup win for me as long as I have breath in my body.

Nothing wrong with 4th place mind, but it's no choice comparing the two.

FA cup just.

Sad that its come to this really. 4th place is an opportunity to go up to the next level or losing the qualifier and being forgotten instantly.

Either way FA cup is remembered mote than4th place.

Even if people would prefer to win the FA cup, its difficult to claim its a bigger achievement in terms of difficulty/challenge.

obviously win a the fa cup, thats a trophy. Do you get a trophy for getting knocked out in the group stages of the CL......

Even if people would prefer to win the FA cup, its difficult to claim its a bigger achievement in terms of difficulty/challenge.

No denial there. As a fan though I want the euphoria in seeing my team lift a trophy, not the technicality of barely qualifying for something.

Here's one for you, England to win the World Cup or saints to win the PL ?

Saints to win the Premier League. I'm a Saints fan first, and an England fan a distant second.

I was having a similar conversation in the pub the other day but would like to put this question to the average prem footballer.

Would they like to win the the FA cup once of have one season playing in the champions league in the group stages only. We would assume they would not win any other major trophy in their career. (i.e PL, league cup, Euro's, WC)

Sad thing is I think a significant number would say Champions league. How do you display that on you mantle piece!!!??

As other have said seeing Arse celebrate like that shows everything that is wrong with football.

FA Cup for sure. The trophy is trophy. 4th place is just a money, with no silverware. FA Cup is an ocassion to remember for long long years to come.

Fa cup. 4th place isn't realistic next season. Even if it was fa cup.

FA Cup, absolutely.

This is already closer than I thought it would be. For me it would have to be the FA Cup win - instant success, and we'd still get a place in the Europa League to quench our foreign thirsts. It would also deny a big club a cup...

 

4th place though, would show excellent progression through the club, we'd be a bigger draw for signings, the press would be gushing over us, and then there's the finances of the Champions League...

 

(Thanks mods for the poll...)

This.