Southern League Cup Merthyr Town v Cinderford Town

Tuesday 1st October
@Cinderford_Town
7:45pm Kick Off
The Met Coaches Stadium
BetVictor Southern League Challenge Cup
Adults £6, Concessions £3, Under 16’s £1
THE ABOVE IS FROM THE CLUB'S WEBSITE.
This competition tends to see clubs field a much-changed side from that for league matches. Presumably that is why the admission charges have been heavily cut.So well done, the Board.
I think to try and revive interest in the SL Cup (there was lots of interest years ago), they should play games at the start of the season. At one time, there was a mini-league of four teams for the first round.
The time was when there were excellent encounters in this Cup against such teams as Gloucester City etc when the gates were the same as for league matches.Now clubs are unable to pay to stay out of the competition as Merthyr have sometimes done. However, when notice of withdrawal was not given (by accident) Merthyr went on to win the Cup that year. Unfortunately, I don't think the cash prize is huge.

So we may be fielding a 'much changed' side. I wonder just what that means? To go by the reduced prices, we can expect some fringe players to be given a chance and that's fair enough. But some of us travel a fair way to home games and I for one would not want to make the trip to see the academy side taking the field and getting heavily defeated as has happened before.

I wrote that "CLUBS tend to field a much-changed side." I don't know what the two clubs concerned are going to do in this instance. But this is often the case, even in FA Cup games in the Premiership and Championship, when they have Cup games against lower opposition.I may not agree with it in those cases.
I think all players would have to be on Southern League forms anyway if they are going to play. So an Academy side is not likely.
There aren't really any "fringe players" as such at Merthyr, only a squad, (after that comes the youth team) and the squad is fairly small at present, with injuries, but one would expect some who have been on the bench recently, such as Cameron Clarke, to play.
I take the point you make. That is why I think the SL Cup games should start the season, and create more interest as years ago! Although the competition doesn't seem too attractive for clubs, I don't think clubs should be allowed to opt out as it would seem a snub to the Southern League, in my opinion.
All one can expect is that those who play do their best for the club.And it can give game time for some.So effectively charging "reserve" prices seems fair, appreciating the many fans who come from outside the borough.