Devising the CC-FF Knockout Cup has been interesting this year.
I've settled on the following convoluted format:-

Stage One
---------

Nine groups of 11 teams, one group of 12 teams.
Groups A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J
Top seven qualify for Stage Two, plus the best two 8th placed teams (**)

(**) To compensate for inequal group sizes, for the purposes of calculating 
the best 8th placed teams, results against the bottom team in 12-team group 
will be discounted.

Each fixtures occupies only one week as opposed to the usual two.

Fixture order:
Round 1      25-Sep-06 to 01-Oct-06
Round 2      09-Oct-06 to 15-Oct-06
Round 3      16-Oct-06 to 22-Oct-06
Round 4      23-Oct-06 to 29-Oct-06
Round 5      30-Oct-06 to 05-Nov-06
Round 6      06-Nov-06 to 12-Nov-06
Round 7      13-Nov-06 to 19-Nov-06
Round 8      20-Nov-06 to 26-Nov-06
Round 9      27-Nov-06 to 03-Dec-06
Round 10     04-Dec-06 to 10-Dec-06
Round 11     11-Dec-06 to 17-Dec-06
   
** the dates for the single week Stage One matches may change if 
International fixtures cause too many games to get rearranged.
                                           
Stage Two
---------

12 groups of six teams
Groups A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L
Top two qualify for Stage Three, plus the best eight third placed teams

(8th placed teams from the Stage One will not be placed in groups with
teams they have already played)

             1  2  3  4  5  6
             -----------------
Group A      A1 D3 E3 H5 I5 X8
Group B      B1 C3 F3 G5 J5 X8
Group C      C1 B3 G3 F5 A6 J7
Group D      D1 A3 H3 E5 B6 I7
Group E      E1 J2 I3 D5 C6 H7
Group F      F1 I2 J3 C5 D6 G7
Group G      G1 H2 A4 B5 E6 F7
Group H      H1 G2 B4 A5 F6 E7
Group I      I1 F2 C4 J4 G6 D7
Group J      J1 E2 D4 I4 H6 C7
Group K      A2 D2 E4 H4 I6 B7
Group L      B2 C2 F4 G4 J6 A7

Fixture order:                                   
Round 1      18-Dec-06 to 31-Dec-06
Round 2      01-Jan-07 to 14-Jan 07
Round 3      15-Jan-07 to 28-Jan-07
Round 4      29-Jan-07 to 11-Feb-07
Round 5      12-Feb-07 to 25 Feb-07

Stage Three
-----------

(3rd placed teams will be placed in the first available slot
provided their opponents are not a team from their Stage Two Group)


Knockout Phase

12-Mar-07   26-Mar-07  09-Apr-07  23-Apr-07   07-May-07
   to          to         to         to          to
25-Mar-07   08-Apr-07  22-Apr-07  06-May-07   20-May-07

A1 v X3    } ________ }
                      } ________ }
B1 v L2    } ________ }          }
                                 } ________ }
C1 v K2    } ________ }          }          }
                      } ________ }          }
X3 v J2    } ________ }                     }
                                            } ________ }
D1 v X3    } ________ }                     }          }
                      } ________ }          }          }
E1 v I2    } ________ }          }          }          }
                                 } ________ }          }
F1 v H2    } ________ }          }                     }
                      } ________ }                     }
X3 v G2    } ________ }                                }
                                                       } ________ 
G1 v X3    } ________ }                                }
                      } ________ }                     }
H1 v F2    } ________ }          }                     }
                                 } ________ }          }
I1 v E2    } ________ }          }          }          }
                      } ________ }          }          }
X3 v D2    } ________ }                     }          }
                                            } ________ }
J1 v X3    } ________ }                     }          
                      } ________ }          }          
K1 v C2    } ________ }          }          }
                                 } ________ }
L1 v B2    } ________ }          }
                      } ________ }
X3 v A2    } ________ }