MICKY HORSWILL: Fans love the FA Cup and are desperate for their team to do well. It is still a massive competition for everyone and the FA Cup can be a decent earner. In my opinion it is still a great competition to win.

If the manager sends out a weakened side when the fans have travelled hundreds of miles it’s a real slap in the face. They still charge high prices to see these games and it’s not on to pack the teams with youth players or reserves.

I know some people might say that Sunderland need a player like Darren Bent for the Premier League games and that the cup is less important. They would argue that he should be rested to avoid injuries. But getting a knock is the risk you take in football. When we played through to the final in 1973 it was pretty much the same 11 players in every round. It’s the luck of the draw if you get injured.

Sunderland are struggling in the league and they need a good cup run to get some smiles back on the fans’ faces.

BERNIE SLAVEN: I think that the Scottish Cup is a much more important competition!

When I came to play in England the FA Cup was a very big deal. The crowds were up for it and there was a real buzz, even in the early rounds. But it has been tarnished since Manchester United pulled out in 1999-00.

That was the point when it became clear that if the Cup got in the way of clubs making money then they were prepared to do whatever was necessary to avoid it. So managers play weakened teams, don’t take it as seriously as they once did, and the impact is that fans become disenchanted.

It’s sad but true.

When you look at the attendances and the teams that often line up the competition is being abused and isn’t held in the esteem it was when I was a player.

MALCOLM MACDONALD: You talk about letting the supporters down but I would like to take this debate a stage further.

When the managers pick these weakened sides not only are they cheating the fans they are also letting the players down. My reason for saying that is that players go into any competition wanting to win. So if they are selected in a much-weakened side they are not being given a chance to actually do what they are paid to do, which is try to challenge for honours.

Clubs and managers risk falling out with players over this issue with their better players.

If Joe Harvey had told me ‘I am leaving you out this Saturday because it’s only a cup game’ I would have gone beserk with him. He knew me well enough so it was never an option.

I think there is a risk that players become disaffected and the relationship between player and manager breaks down. No matter what the player is told, if he is dropped then he considers it a blow to his professional pride. Unless you are injured, you want to play, you should demand to play and if I was at Newcastle and Chris Hughton said he was going to rest me I would say “no, I’ll play and I’ll play to win.”

That should be the attitude of every Newcastle player preparing for Saturday’s game.

*Listen to The Legends weekdays 6-8pm and Saturdays from 1pm on 100-102FM Real Radio.

Read their views every Saturday in Northern Echo Sport.

■ The Legends were talking to Andy Richardson