By Albatross
November 3 2004

Hartlepool United have announced that they are reducing ticket prices for the FA Cup 1st Round tie with Lincoln City. The reductions are more significant than those for the LDV game with Hull, and the move is certain to go down well with Pools fans. Tickets for the Lincoln game will cost £14 (£7 Concession) for seats and £10 (£5) to stand - a considerable reduction on the regular prices of £17 (£9) and £15 (£8). After plenty of criticism about the small reductions for the LDV tie with Hull a few weeks ago, this is a move that is likely to instead attract plenty of praise.

It may well be that Pools have responded to criticism - but other factors are also in play here. It may be the FA Cup, but we're playing a team that is in a lower division and has a reputation (deserved or otherwise) for playing less than attractive football; also, it's part of a sequence of four home games in five weeks with the potential for a home tie in the LDV making it five in less than six weeks. With less well off and casual fans possibly thinking about picking and choosing their games, reducing the prices for this game makes a lot of sense.

Last night's LDV Trophy win means we will be in Saturday's draw for the Regional Quarter Finals, and especially if Cooper is taking the competition seriously Pools have to be regarded as having a very good chance of progressing all the way to Cardiff. The last eight in the North consists of five teams from Division 2 (us, Tranmere, Wrexham, Blackpool and Oldham), two from Division 3 (Macclesfield and Chester) and Hereford from the Conference - and especially if we are drawn at home you'd fancy our chances against any of them.

The question is, should we be taking the competition seriously? The answer to that will probably depend on how results go between now and the match. Should we get into serious playoff contention then we have bigger things to worry about; if we are still somewhere in the middle then the LDV might be a good consolation prize, while should we be struggling it may provide an opportunity to go for a morale-boosting win. Put it this way - although I won't turn my nose up at the prospect of a trip to Cardiff if we make it, I'm still a long way from getting excited about this competition just yet.