English football’s ‘out of the blue’ tear-up of the calendar infuriates fans and blindsides lower-league owners, who say scrapping FA Cup replays and moving the final and was done ‘under a cloak of secrecy’
English football’s decision to scrap FA Cup replays as part of a massive calendar shake-up came “out of the blue”, according to a lower-league club owner.
A new agreement between the FA and the Premier League, which will last at least six years, sees the end of the season’s winter break and the return of all FA Cup rounds to weekends, as opposed to the midweek matches in round five.
However, there will be no more FA Cup replays from the first round onwards, ending a tradition dating back decades, with the 92 league clubs now avoiding extra matches at the end of the draw.
Andy Holt, the chairman of League Two Accrington Stanley, wrote on A chance to change their financial fortunes? Against @EFL clubs?
“I expect nothing less from Masters and Co @premierleague purchasing the game in a format that suits their needs. As usual.’
The Premier League and the FA have agreed to scrap first round cup replays
Andy Holt, the chairman of League Two Accrington Stanley, said the news ‘came out of the blue’
Holt posted on X (formerly Twitter) expressing his surprise and anger at Thursday’s unexpected news
Asked whether Football League clubs had been consulted on the changes, Holt said: “This part of the EFL certainly wasn’t. When deals are done under a cloak of secrecy, they are usually bad.”
He added: “The @EFL are 72 clubs, nothing else. No one at our club, including anyone actively involved in the @FA, knew anything about this.
‘We must actively support the minnows and not deprive them of opportunities. I would also support them if they choose to play away, if that brings them more income.’
He said Thursday’s news came “out of the blue.”
There are currently no repeats from the fifth round, but this is about to change, reportedly due to the expansion of the Champions League.
Other fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction at the end of the replay for big clubs – and how it appears to have been agreed with only a small number of the teams competing for the famous trophy.
Regarding the deal between the FA and the Premier League, one fan wrote: ‘732 teams compete in the FA Cup. Not twenty!’
There were also concerns that the tournament focused too much on the big teams and strayed from the smaller teams that make the FA Cup so memorable.
They said, ‘This really makes me sad. The early rounds of the FA Cup should be in the hands of the minnows, but this decision leaves it up to the elite. Such a pity.’
Another added: ‘Cutting replays of the first round itself is clearly a shame.
‘There are 732 teams competing in the FA Cup. I would like to see consultation with non-League, @WeAreTheFSA and all other stakeholders.
‘To see the FA agree to this in its own league is rank.’
The tournament’s rich history is being called into question by the latest proposals, even though it has survived previous changes over the past 150 years.
‘This is an absolute shame. The oldest and largest cup competition in the world is becoming a lot smaller, purely to appease the rich at the top,” wrote another angry football fan.
‘The exact opposite of the democracy that created the league has made millions of people fall in love with football for more than 150 years.’
Fans have also criticized the decision to cancel future FA Cup replays on social media
While The FA Cup account said it would strengthen the tournament, another said: ‘Strengthen the format’ is management’s ruling to scrap all replays from the first round onwards so the elite can make more money.’
The FA Cup semi-finals take place this weekend, with Chelsea and Man City going head-to-head before Manchester United play Championship Coventry on Sunday.
More to follow…