After 15,000 empty seats at a Wear-Tees derby, Stuart Rayner asks what must be done to revive the FA Cup

IT was a big derby between local rivals who had not met for three years. Home morale was high after an inspired upturn in form. Not that they knew it then, but a glamorous fifth-round visit from Arsenal awaited the winners.

Just over 33,000 people turned up to watch Sunderland play Middlesbrough on Sunday.

For some clubs, a crowd that size would be cause for celebration. For the Black Cats, it ought to be a little bit embarrassing.

To armchair fans all the pre-match talk about the passion of the North East’s footballing public must have looked like the ground itself – a bit empty – when they watched ITV’s game of the day. More than 15,000 seats were unfilled.

Capping Middlesbrough’s allocation at only 3,000 on safety grounds exaggerated the problem, as did the all-ticket status and the cameras.

Even under those circumstances it would be a very disappointing crowd for a Premier League game between the two.

Sunday’s was Sunderland’s smallest attendance since September’s win over Stoke City side – a Premier League match which clashed with the Great North Run, featuring a home side yet to win all season and the top-flight’s least attractive opponents.

It was another unwelcome reminder the FA Cup is not what it was.

Sadly, it was not the only one.

Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rogers showed their contempt for the once-great competition, while Newcastle United’s lukewarm display somewhat undermined pre-match talk about taking the competition seriously.

West Bromwich Albion manager Hodgson admitted the seven players he left out against a Norwich City side featuring 19-year-old debutant Jed Steer would have played had it been a league fixture.

Rogers made ten changes from the Swansea City side beaten at Sunderland. They lost at Bolton Wanderers too, largely thanks to an error from reserve goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel.