FA Cup or PL saftey

[ross_bamping]

Its a controversial topic, and I'm guessing most people will vote for PL safety, however I feel different. We have had a great spell in the PL, with all the Sanchez and Jol lows and the Woy highs, and I would love for it to stay the same for years to come, but, I would also love to see us win a trophy (forget the Intertoto). After that draw, with the top 4 being drawn against each other, and a further 2 all PL ties, we could have a good chance of reaching the final against an opponent that we have a chance against. Seeing us playing at Wembley would be fantastic, and I'm sure you all think the same. If it meant however losing focus on PL safety though, it seems less desirable. I'm sure a few of you will reference Wigan, and that they are not doing great in the Championship, but they won a trophy. Its a year to take a risk in my opinion, there are a lot of poor teams in the league, and anyone in the bottom half could potentially go down, so a bit more focus on the cup could be an option. I think, unfortunately, we will go down, even with a couple of signings, but I also believe we have a chance of going far in the cup. We'll see what the future holds, but potentially seeing '2013-14 FA Cup winners Fulham' makes me smile.

[Craven Mad]

No question; PL safety.

Stay up. Rebuild squad. Expand the stadium.

Getting stuck in the championship for years would not be worth 1 trophy..

[hovewhite]

My heart says FA cup but head says PL,but I would relly love it if we make wembley
Ka sar sar whatever will be

[Jamie88]

PL safety all the time. I dont want us to go back to the dark days of the 90s!

How about PL safety & a cup final? Thatd be better :)

[Lighthouse]

Every season this topic comes up. I remember being flabbergasted that anybody would be content with a cup winners medal but see the end of our Prem stay. However the way I feel betrayed by the way the club has acted in the last few seasons makes me feel they have allowed all that effort fighting for the Prem and staying there, to be wasted.

However I would still prefer to stay in the Prem. But it is a shame my club doesn't seem to care that much anymore.

[F(f)CUK]

Meulensteen answered this for us by playing our juniors.

[hovewhite]

Played the juniors and still got a result! Genius

[St Eve]

No brainier. Stay up

[Twig]

Every season this topic comes up. I remember being flabbergasted that anybody would be content with a cup winners medal but see the end of our Prem stay. However the way I feel betrayed by the way the club has acted in the last few seasons makes me feel they have allowed all that effort fighting for the Prem and staying there, to be wasted.

However I would still prefer to stay in the Prem. But it is a shame my club doesn't seem to care that much anymore.

I feel just the same way Lighthouse. Our club has squandered a wonderful opportunity to become a consistent premiership force. 

[leonffc]

I'm bored of this constant nonsense.

GO FOR BOTH!!
What will be will be.

[RaySmith]

The club is bound to take the Prem more seriously since it's our 'bread and butter.'

And fans as well, although glad to be able to actually win something, probably mostly think of the long term future of the club, and at least a season in the less than glamorous surroundings of the Championship, with no guarantee of a quick, or even any, return to the  land of milk and honey which is the Prem.

So, I think Rene is doing the right thing by fully using the  squad, and also blooding youngsters, and we have actually managed to stay in the competition too.

[MJG]

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FACUPorRelegation

I have set up a survey on this very question. I have had almost 200 replies from twitter and would like your input as well.
its about seeing if the answers relate to how long you have supported the club, how old you are and where you live.

[K33NY]

Going further in to the cup would ofcourse be fantastic, but not of the cost of the league, if we keep advancing using reserves and youth ok but I dont want to see us risk starting XI for the cup.

[Harold Shand]

I'd rather have the FA cup win, hands down.

[David Allen Crankshaw]

It isn't an either or choice. If we do well in the cup that doesn't mean we give up our Premiership status. Meulensteen put out a weakened side yesterday because of the Swansea game two days later.
We have an excellent chance to reach the last eight and we should go for it. Back in 1975 I was able to see both our semi-finals but couldn't make the Wembley final. I want to see Fulham at Wembley before I fall off the perch. Hamburg was a great experience and I want more.

[epsomraver]

PL safety all the time. I dont want us to go back to the dark days of the 90s!

How about PL safety & a cup final? Thatd be better :)

Dark old days of the nineties, what about the late sixties onwards? however in some respects they were better days as far as the supporters were concerned.

[MJG]

Thanks to everyone who has taken part this morning on the survey i posted. I'm going to close it around lunchtime so I can publish the results.

[Holders]

For me it's a no-brainer and I don't think it's an "either or".

The league is the club's bread and butter and the key to all that we'd like to see in the future (maybe another cup final appearance) and I frankly can't see us winning the cup even if we were to forget the league entirely. I know we got there from Div 2 in 1975 but that was exceptional then, even rarer now and if we do want another visit we need to do so from the springboard of the PL because it's money that builds teams.

I'd like to see us get three points at Swansea to take the pressure off a bit, so that we could play stronger line-ups in the next round and then see what happens.

[BishopsParkFantastic]

We should go for both, FA Cup and premiership survival. Continue with policy of team selection that we have for match against Sheff Utd, and gradually to  build rotation if and as we approach the final. Success is built on confidence (for the players) and supporters will get more excited and behind the team when we start achieving in the league and or FA Cup. Our young, talented players can only benefit and progress at a faster rate by playing in the FA Cup and getting on to the subs bench for 1st team games. I thought Tankovic particularly got stronger and more confident the longer he played against Sheff Utd - he really does look a genuine 1st team prospect for next season.

[DukeTyrion]

I voted for the F.A. Cup.

In the history of the premiership, all teams (except the top 6 elite) have been or will eventually get relegated. I would therefore like to taste the glory of Silverwear and a Wembley final (I was too young in '75) before it happens.