I can't believe that the crowds for this weekend's semi finals are going to be so bad.

Also, I don't buy into the view that it's due to fans being reluctant to part with more money on top of their season tickets. After all, 20+ years ago we had more competitions during the season - Lancs' & Yorks' cup, John Player/Regal trophy - and in those days semi finals had been held at grounds such as Old Trafford, Maine Road and Elland Road. Ok, they didn't sell out (I don't think so anyway) but there was always a decent turn out.

I'm buzzing for this Saturday, can't wait for the game...hope there are many more at both ends of the ground who feel the same and a decent sized crowd turns up.

If we get to the final each season ticket holder gets 2 final tickets.

So that's approx 20,000 tickets.

Why don't the club allow fans who are not ST holders who have attended the semi or quarter final to get 1 ticket each? Would that help or make no difference?

Would make no difference, there's never a problem getting Wembley tickets.

So what offer will entice both sets of fans who turn up to produce average gates of 15,000 to turn up for a semi?

I just do not get it.

Why the 15k who turn up to home games don't - to a man - desperately want to be at a Semi final, beats me.

Well there are at least twenty of us going, the same number that went to wembley last year.The Challenge cup should be our games showpiece tournament,we shouldnt let it go the same way of the FA cup.

At least with the FA cup, even with the scandal of semi finals at Wembley, we still manage to all trudge to Wembley for them if our club gets there.

I'm yet to see an embarrassing attendance at an FA cup semi.

If it was free entry to all what do people think the attendance would be?

Marketing of the semis is non existent as far as I know- would promotion of the semis make a difference?

Great idea!

It has been poorly advertised/marketed, especially as they have had the (ridiculously) long break between the quarters and semis to get something sorted. But at £18 a ticket minimal marketing should be required anyway. Hudds is a decent stadium, everyone gets a seat, everyone is covered if it rains, there's decent parking, it's a decent kick off time - that eliminates a lot of excuses you hear. Can anyone enlighten me as to any other reasons people might have, because quite frankly I am baffled why this looks like it's going to be so poorly attended. I know we put 50 in to Leeds the other week, but Leeds have got better and we still have key injuries, plus form goes out the window for a game like this anyway.

I do think it has a lot to do with the current state of the economy, but it is pretty sad really that the few times our great game is shown on national TV it's in front of empty stadia.