FA Cup Replays

[bigmart]

They have been scrapped from next season, inevitable it would happen but a sad day for the cup and especially the lower league teams.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

It is inevitable with the premier league's influence over the fa.
Money tslks.
And with the European cup changes.
And the pay off.
Yes inevitable.

no more Southampton 's
no more Oxford city's.

it's a wonder the league cup survives.

 

[bigmart]

The club have issued a strong statement condemning the changes.

 

[Sparky]

Tranmere Rovers condemn the disgraceful decision taken by The FA and the Premier League to change the format of the FA Cup, including the scrapping of replays.

There was no consultation with Football League clubs, National League clubs or grassroots clubs to whom the competition represents not only their best opportunity to create life-long memories for supporters but also a hugely important source of income. We also understand that FA Council members were not consulted about the changes.

The decision, and the way it was taken, demonstrate a total lack of respect for the football pyramid and its fans. Football belongs to all of us and decisions should not be taken in back room deals in which only the very wealthiest clubs are allowed to participate. It is yet another eloquent example of the 19th-century governance that means that football simply cannot regulate itself and needs the Independent Football Regulator to have real teeth.


We condemn the changes wholeheartedly and urge The FA to suspend them immediately until all stakeholders in the game are properly consulted.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Well said, Nicola. What was decided was bad but they way it was decided stinks.

The FA has trashed its own competition, which was probably the best club competition in the world. Our only hope is that the government appoints a football regulator to sort out the mess that the FA and EPL have caused and the damage done to EFL and grass roots clubs.

 

[drwhoman]

Well said, Nicola. What was decided was bad but they way it was decided stinks.

The FA has trashed its own competition, which was probably the best club competition in the world. Our only hope is that the government appoints a football regulator to sort out the mess that the FA and EPL have caused and the damage done to EFL and grass roots clubs.

I agree with this. To some extent to deal with the greedy desire of the European authorities to increase the number of games in that sphere. As we know, that area of the game is not transparent and, as has been proved in the past, is probably corrupt. The whole thing stinks of money love as is also evident in the pandering to Middle Eastern potentates. Just appalling.

 

[drwhoman]

I agree with this. To some extent to deal with the greedy desire of the European authorities to increase the number of games in that sphere. As we know, that area of the game is not transparent and, as has been proved in the past, is probably corrupt. The whole thing stinks of money love as is also evident in the pandering to Middle Eastern potentates. Just appalling.

The fact that the EFL was not involved or consulted with the decision says it all. The CEO of the FA has the hide to say it is a good move. Just complete self serving spin. Reminds me of Johnson and Britain moving into the sunlit uplands after Brexit!

 

[Am on mobile]

Its all about the big boys. The Premier league don't give a flying butterfly about the rest its always been the same. Greedy little ba#####rds and i hate them all 2 fingers to all the top teams

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

All the furore coming out of the EFL clubs is pure political posturing, the bottom line being money (as Birch has said so outright), and it’s all part of the bigger picture, namely the unresolved funding deal between EPL and EFL. The fact that some are using some kind of rose tinted romance of the cup to further this argument is just that - a means of pushing the financial argument.

Giant killing isn't being abolished, only replays. In fact it could be argued the chances of a giant killing increase slightly in a one-off game with penalties, if needed. Some evidence of that already in the FA Trophy and Vase, where replays have also been abolished in recent years.

For every once in a blue moon memory-making FA Cup replay, there are dozens if not hundreds of instantly forgettable replays played in front of low crowds. There is nothing instrinsically appealing about a replay, but there is plenty of appeal about David taking on Goliath, and, every now and then, actually slaying the giant. I’d have quite happily come away from, say, the Dell and Vicarage Road having won a one-off tie on penalties. Or even all those low key ties we’ve ended up losing in a replay over the years…

So this’ll all quickly blow over, when (but only when) the EFL and its clubs are happy with the financial aspects. Only the luddites will still be harping on it for years, if not decades, but at least it’ll be a diversion for them from moaning about, say, the name of the Champions League after all these years, lol

Anyway, the FA has this morning punched a hole in some of the bleatings about lack of consultation and the financial implications with this statement:

“We have listened to the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and would like to outline the approval process which was undertaken for the 2024-25 professional game football calendar.

We have been discussing the calendar for the 2024-25 season with the Premier League and EFL for well over a year.

Removing Emirates FA Cup replays was discussed in the early meetings and all parties accepted that they could not continue. The discussions then focused on how to make all of our competitions stronger, despite having fewer dates available and wanting to maintain player welfare.

The changes to the Emirates FA Cup achieve this by returning it to a weekend competition on every round, and ensuring that we have exclusive broadcast slots in an increasingly congested calendar.

To clarify, we have also increased the number of Emirates FA Cup matches that will be broadcast in the early rounds, which will lead to additional guaranteed broadcast revenue for EFL and National League teams. Additionally, we review the prize money annually for the competition, together with representatives from the EFL and Premier League and will do the same for the 2024-25 season.

The calendar for next season was approved last month by the Professional Game Board, which consists of four EFL representatives and four Premier League representatives and then by the FA Board, which includes Premier League, EFL, National Game and grassroots representation. This is the process we undergo every year to approve the calendar.

We understand the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and we will be sharing more details with clubs very shortly to explain the additional revenue opportunities in the early rounds.

We will keep this under review as the new calendar begins to ensure that EFL and National League clubs do not lose out.”

EDIT - so any claims the FA didn’t consult with the EFL seem wide of the mark. Instead, any lack of consultation appears to have been between the EFL and its member clubs. So no surprise MP was one of the first out of the blocks yesterday!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I still stand by my earlier comments about the scrapping of replays. Re the decision process, the fact that MP and NP seemed unaware seems to imply that EFL clubs were not consulted - or at least their views were ignored.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

The EFL was clearly part of the decision making process so, if the EFL’s representatives within that process didn’t properly establish or reflect the views of their member clubs, the blame for that rests firmly with the EFL.

Replays might have stood half a chance if enough fans could be bothered to attend them. But too often they attract below-average crowds, even when admission prices are reduced. That apathy is also a factor in why I think the furore will soon blow over once the financial differences are resolved.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

The EFL was clearly part of the decision making process so, if the EFL’s representatives within that process didn’t properly establish or reflect the views of their member clubs, the blame for that rests firmly with the EFL.

Replays might have stood half a chance if enough fans could be bothered to attend them. But too often they attract below-average crowds, even when admission prices are reduced. That apathy is also a factor in why I think the furore will soon blow over once the financial differences are resolved.

It's always good to hear an alternative view, whether or not I agree. Thank you, O4.

" .... once the financial differences are resolved" is what worries me. Why wasn't the financial package part of the deal? Why was no analysis of the financial impact of scrapping replays done? Or if it was done, why wasn't it published? It will now be "take it or leave it", as the EFL and the smaller clubs have lost whatever bargaining power they may have had. The cynic in me says "the furore will soon blow over" when we and the other smaller clubs realise there is not much they can do about it.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

In case we’re at cross purposes, I haven’t given an opinion on whether I agree with the scrapping or not. Fwiw I’m not fussed either way. I’m only either explaining or opining on what’s actually going on here.

If the EFL clubs and smaller clubs’ opinions haven’t been properly reflected in the decision-making process then that can only be the fault of their respective representatives within that process. And it’s those representatives who should have already chewed over the financial implications and all the other relevant detail before giving their approval to the change.

If EFL clubs don’t believe the EFL representatives in the FA’s decision making process have properly reflected their views then they need to hold them to account.

As for the finances specifically, there seems to be a couple of levels to this. First, the competition-specific opportunities, which the FA touched on in today’s release. Those opportunities will have been in the pipeline a while and will already have been chewed over as far as possible by the EFL’s and others’ representatives, so it’s not something that’s just landed today. The second level to all this is the wider impasse between EPL and EFL in thrashing out a funding agreement, which seems to have been taking forever, and which I suspect is driving some of the political posturing that’s been seen over the last 24 hours. Once all this has played out is when I think the furore over replays - which, by itself, would be a strange hill for any footballing politico to choose to die on - will blow over.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Ha! Just seen a tweet from the always-excellent Nigel Adderley from earlier today:

“The EFL's Rick Parry is on both the FA Board and the Professional Game Board - I'd be interested to hear about the level of consultation there was with his 72 clubs on a fundamental change to the calendar baring in the mind the reaction of many he represents...”

No wonder MP is off on one!

 

[ONIGP]

For any arguments in favour of the scrapping of FA Cup replays, just remember Tranmere 4 Southampton 3 would not have happened.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

For any arguments in favour of the scrapping of FA Cup replays, just remember Tranmere 4 Southampton 3 would not have happened.

Precisely.

Even in the unlikely event that we won the initial tie after extra time, having been completely battered for ninety minutes, the victory would not have come close to the significance of the replayed game, which was one of the greatest matches in our or the competition's history.

 

[ONIGP]

Exactly. I, a

Precisely.

Even in the unlikely event that we won the initial tie after extra time, having been completely battered for ninety minutes, the victory would not have come close to the significance of the replayed game, which was one of the greatest matches in our or the competition's history.

Exactly. I, and many others, would not have witnessed one of the greatest ever sporting comebacks unfold. What happened that night was incredible and still matters.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Yes, great memories, but good luck convincing anyone that a once in blue moon occurrence, when pitted against the routine apathy attached to hundreds of others, can ever come close to winning the day!

Anyway, further comment on what’s really going on here:

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yes, we can replace the 'routine apathy' of FA Cup replays with the thrill of an additional Conference League group fixture, or a Far East tour on 25th May.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

I’m more interested in which arguments might win the day, rather than cheap or empty soundbites.

The romance is simply being used as a front for more fundamental arguments about power and money. And I include our own owners’ tuppenceworth in that.

And it’s quite ironic that EFL fans, while typically deserting replays in their droves, are now playing the victim card. Another reason why they’re on a loser, imho.