DO you remember the days when the crowds at Challenge Cup ties were significantly higher than those of the regular league matches?

The prestige, the tradition, high hopes of being on the road to Wembley, allied with that stomach-churning, heart-racing feeling that only sudden-death knock out football brings, always brought out the floating fan.

There was always a special buzz about on cup day - even the supporters songbooks were different as most would weave Wembley, or should that be Wem-ber-lee, into their backing.

In the 1970s and 80s it was not uncommon for clubs to put an extra 5p or 10p on the admission price for cup ties.

How the times have changed.

Nowadays the reverse is the case to a point where the Challenge Cup gates are now an embarrassment and a poor reflection on what is our game’s most prestigious of competitions.

A look down the figures from last weekend underline that with just 3,317 watching Castleford knock out Salford with only two matches out of eight breaking the 4,000 barrier.

Why has the Challenge Cup suddenly become such a hard sell?

It is not as if the Challenge Cup – despite some early attempts at the start of Super League to denigrate it – has lost its appeal.

Saints supporters, who got used to regular visits between 1996-2008 yearn for a Wembley return as much as they do Old Trafford. The desire is still there, but that does not come across beyond our own community.

The non-rugby league aficionado, casually flicking the sixth round games on the television on Saturday and Sunday, to see banks of empty seats will have been given the clear impression that this competition lacks appeal and, sadly, given the paucity of coverage of rugby league some of those will have also drawn the conclusion that the sport itself is on its knees.

You almost get the feeling that television games are now chosen, not simply on the basis of the quality of rugby, but on how few empty seats there are likely to be.

Maybe that is why the television companies diplomatically steered clear of the Huddersfield Giants v Leeds game which saw the holders eliminated. Were they put off by the sight of less than 5,000 rattling around in the Galpharm?

Truth is empty seats don’t look good for the game in what is its first national terrestrial television exposure of the season.

Let us get one thing straight before we look for prescriptions – this is not simply a Challenge Cup issue.

Prior to the changing of Super League system last year the all-pay Super League games were also relatively poorly attended.

This is not about the competition, but recognising that people now pay for their rugby differently to what they did in the 1980s.

Back then it was a minority who had season tickets, now they are the norm.

And it is clear having paid a wodge of money ahead of the season there is a reluctance to shell out again on all pay home dates, especially if the game is on television.

There are some quirks – there are some fans who will go to away games, league and cup, but won’t pay for a home game not covered by their season ticket.

It is not easy but surely we are moving towards a time when Challenge Cup games should be counted on the season ticket.

This, and a move to a more a condensed programme and earlier May final, would do much to restore the image of the cup.