I have a question. I have never followed any of the different countries cups very closely at all (FA cup, US open cup, etc). I was wondering if the FA cup is done the same way as the US open cup as far as the bigger professional teams getting automatic bids into the higher rounds. Example being that the MLS teams automatically start out in the 3rd and 4th round and the USL div 1 teams automatically start out in the 2nd or 3rd round. I thought that in the FA cup all teams started out with their name in a boul and were drawn out lottery style and that everyone started in the same round. I could be wrong though. Dont attack I am just asking. I thought the whole point of country cup was so that the "Joe Smoes" got a chance to play against the "Big Dogs". I think that there should be some qualifing rounds for the much lower amatuer teams but after that I think that all the teams should start out in the first round. I know there would be some lop sided games, but hopefully the MLS teams wouldnt play with their normal starting 11 against some amature team. I think it would be much more intertaining this way. Just my thoughts.
No, everyone doesn't start out in the same round. Levels 1 & 2 (Premier League & Football League Championship) start in the third round. Levels 3 & 4 (Football League One & Two) start in the first round. Lower teams start in the qualifying rounds before that. They could call the third round the first round to do what you say, but it's all semantics really.
Another question. Are there any amatuer teams that play in the FA Cup? I didnt think that there are, but I could be wrong about this too.
It depends on how you define "amateur" I suppose. The teams that enter in the early qualifying rounds aren't paying much in wages, if any.
http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/Round-by-Round/Postings/2005/06/FACup_PrelimRound_2005.htm http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/Round-by-Round/Postings/2005/06/FACup_ExtraPrel_2005.htm 85 "extra-preliminary" round matches, then 181 preliminary round matches. 181 x 2 + 85 = 447 clubs trying to get into the first round! 2004 Round Info (from the website): Ryman League Premier Division, Unibond League Premier Division and Southern League Premier Division teams enter at the First Round Qualifying stage. Conference South and Conference North teams enter at the Second Round Qualifying stage. Conference National Division teams enter at the Fourth Round Qualifying stage. Football League One and League Two teams enter at the First Round Proper stage.