So Chelsea have to play 6 games in 16 days. If they get knocked out of the Cup they will only be playing 7 games in the whole of April. In April 1912 Barnsley played 12 games in 27 days, which I think is still a record for a football league club. And towards the end of that run we played extra time in the Cup Final down at Crystal Palace on the Saturday, before playing Derby at home in the league 2 days later on the Monday (within hours of returning to Barnsley) and then beating West Brom after extra time 2 days after that on the Wednesday (West Brom didn't have a game in-between the two Cup Final games). What makes it even better is that the same team turned out against Derby that turned out in the 2 games against West Brom. To compare it with Chelsea's plight, getting around the country wasn't as easy (or luxurious) in 1912 and we were up and down to London a couple of times throughout the month. We also didn't have the benefit of a squad as large as Chelsea's or all the medical/physio/nutritionalist/conditioning/etc support that they have. And I somehow doubt that Tuffnell, Utley et al were recompensed to the tune that Lampard, Torres and Terry are for their trouble. Modern namby pamby footballers today, eh? They don't know they're born.
