On Saturday, Oxford United were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle after a 2-1 defeat against League One leaders, Peterborough United.
It follows elimination from the Carabao Cup in the second round following a penalty shootout defeat against Watford.
Last season, Karl Robinson’s side enjoyed some memorable cup runs. In the Carabao Cup, the U’s eased past West Ham United and gave Manchester City a combative game in the last eight, while their FA Cup run ended after going toe-to-toe over two games with Newcastle United in the fourth round.
But this season, without fans inside the stadiums, is it a good thing that they don’t have the distractions of the cup? The main highlight of the cup games are playing one of the ‘bigger’ sides, as was the case last season. However, without fans, those fixtures will lose a spark.
Revenue wise, obviously the club will lose out. However, the prize money in the early exchanges isn’t that much. In the Carabao Cup, the prize money for reaching the last eight is £25,000, with the winners only taking home £100,000. Naturally, the finances in the FA Cup is higher. Third round winners receive £82,000, with the winner in the fourth round being rewarded with £90,000.
Obviously, during the pandemic, any additional income is a huge bonus, but what is the ultimate goal for Oxford this season? At the start of the campaign, the goal would have been to secure promotion. Without fans, the distraction of the cup competitions isn’t quite as dramatic as previous seasons. As a result, losing out in the cups at an early stage this season isn’t too much of a problem as it can allow the club to focus on the league and their targets, particularly after a slow start.
