Unit Five.

Cwpan Cymru

'Da ni eisoes yn gwbod bod bobl Cymru ond efo diddordeb yn Pêl-droed Lloegr, ag yn gweld Cymru fel ychydig mwy na Walessssshire. Dydi o felly ddim yn ein synnu bod Ffeinal Cwpan Cymru ddim yn derbyn torf fawr. Ond, ydi o'n gwneud synnwyr fod y gêm yn cael ei chynnal am 6:55 ar nôs Wenner mor bell a phosib oddi-wrth gartref un o'r timau sy'n chwarae? Mae hyn yn rywbeth sy'n gofyn am dorf isel, a dynna'n union a gafwyd wrth i'r Bari gipio'r gwpan yn erbyn yr hên elynion o TNS. Dim ond 1,020 a droiodd i fynny, gyda llawer o gefnogwyr y Bari a fyddai fel arall wedi mynd i fynny i Wrecsam yn methu heb gymryd amser o'r gwaith. Torf oedd hon oedd yn llawer is na'r 2,600 a ddaeth i'r rownd derfynnol rhwng yr un timau ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl. Y tro hwnnw, chwaraewyd y gem ar b'nawn Sul gan roi cyfle i gefnogwyr y ddau dim deithio i'r gêm.

Beth bynnag oedd y rheswm - y BBC eisio'r gêm ar Nôs Wenner, neu eisio osgoi'r play-offs, doedd hyn ddim yn ddigon da. Os mai osgoi'r play-offs oedd y bwriad, roedd hynny yn ffwlbri - ychydig iawn o gefnogwyr Bari, TNS na Cynghriar Cymru yn gyffredinnol oedd gan unryw ddiddordeb yn Leyton Orient, Blackpool, Reading na Walsall. Fel mae'r ffigyrau yn dangos, ag eithrio cefnogwyr y timau oedd yn chwarae, ychydig o Gymry o gwbl oedd a diddordeb. Yn y gêm ar Ddydd Sul teithiodd tua 30,000 o gefnogwyr Reading a 25,000 o gefnogwyr Walsall i Gaerdydd a cafwyd torf o 50,496 (= prin dim cefnogwyr lleol). Yn fy marn i dylid fod wedi chwarae'r gêm yn Aberystwyth ar b'nawn Sadwrn nau Sul. Byddai hyn yn rhoi cyfle i gefnogwyr y ddau dim deithio i'r gem, gan ddenu cefnogwyr niwtral o Aberystwyth, lle mae mwy o ddiddordeb ym mheldroed Cymru na Wrecsam.

We already know that most Welsh people are only interested in English football, seing Wales as little more than Walessssshire. It is little wonder therefore that the Welsh Cup usually attracts measly attendancies. But does it make sence that the game is held at 6:55 on a Friday night as far as possible from the home of one of the participants? This only asks for a small gate, and that's exactly what the result as Barry beat off old rivals TNS to win the cup. Only 1,020 turned up to see the match, with many Barry supporters who would have otherwise attended deciding not to take a day off work to come up to Wrexham. This gate was clearely lower than the 2,600 who saw the final between the same sides a few years back. That game was played of a Sunday, giving bothe sets of supporters the chance to turn up.

Whatever the reason - the BBC wanting the game on a Friday Night, or wanting to avoid a clash with the play-offs, it wasn't good enough. If it was avoiding the play-offs they had in mind this was stupidity - very few Barry, TNS or Welsh football supporters in general had any interest in Leyton Orient, Balckpool, Reading or Walsall. As the figures show, excluding the supporters of the teams involved, very few Welsh people were interested. In the Sunday match around 30,000 Reading and 25,000 Walsall supporters made the journey to Cardiff, and there was a crowd of 50,496 (= very few local supporters). In my oppinion the match should have been played at Aberystwyth on a Saturday of Sunday. This would give supporters of both sides the chance to travel to the match, and attract neutral supporters from Aberystwyth where there is a greate interest in Welsh Football than Wrexham.