Topic: The FA Cup.

[skipper757]

Do it like Coupe de France then.  When a side gets drawn against a side 2 or more leagues above them, the lower league side automatically hosts.  They can play in their own stadium or use a nearby bigger stadium (if they draw a big name).

Lower league side gets the chance for the upset but still could get more gate receipts too.

You don’t have to institute this rule early (keep replays then too) but introduce it when Championship and PL teams enter the draw, so a team like Maidstone gets the best of both worlds if they draw an Ipswich/West Ham/Arsenal etc

[MH41]

The FA cup has long lost it's 'magic' and tradition. And it's unfair to solely blame the PL clubs.
I can't even tell you what time the final is played at anymore, the games are spread out over several days, and the draws are usually gimmicks, rather than the Monday lunchtime draw on the radio!
Lower league teams rarely play full strength teams either, and that should tell them where even their priority lies.
They are all living for a lucky draw. But even that is unfair on the ones that draw less attractive draws, or teams from the same league. So, in essence, smaller clubs are looking for more money. Could something not be arranged that the revenue is split between all clubs, rather than just those who are fortunate with their draw to get a big club?
Would that not be a more evenly distribution of revenue?
It could be done at the end of each round for all the teams that participated in it?

[jillcwhomever]

Shocker of a decision. The more they change, the more they remove the soul of the sport.

Those who run the game don't care about the soul of the sport, it's just another business now. Soon we will have finals or league games played in different countries with those at FIFA getting ever richer of the back of the game; and the fans getting pushing aside. Football is just a money earner now for so many different entities within the sport. 

[Statto Red]

The FA are mostly to blame for the way their own competition is seen right now.

The FA insist final is played with a tea time kickoff, [although last season was an anomaly, with a 3pm kickoff], the final should always be 3pm kickoff Saturday.

Then ticket allocation for the final, both finalists get 25k tickets each in a 90k stadium which is ridiculous, & a recipe for touts when clubs with big following get to the final.

Semi finals being played at Wembley, they should be held at neutral stadium elsewhere, as it was not that long ago, my choice would be Millenium stadium in Cardiff.

 

[Armchair expert]

Quite funny on Twitter as it seems everybody (Evertonians mainly, despite their club ignoring the FA Cup for nearly 30 years) are blaming not only the 'Sly 6' despite from what I've heard is that all 20 PL clubs voted this through but also one particular manager for saying we have too many fixtures regarding football in general
 
I'm sure you can all guess who that manager is

Up the FA Cup scrapping reds....

[Keith Lard]

The FA cup has long lost it's 'magic' and tradition. And it's unfair to solely blame the PL clubs.
I can't even tell you what time the final is played at anymore, the games are spread out over several days, and the draws are usually gimmicks, rather than the Monday lunchtime draw on the radio!
Lower league teams rarely play full strength teams either, and that should tell them where even their priority lies.
They are all living for a lucky draw. But even that is unfair on the ones that draw less attractive draws, or teams from the same league. So, in essence, smaller clubs are looking for more money. Could something not be arranged that the revenue is split between all clubs, rather than just those who are fortunate with their draw to get a big club?
Would that not be a more evenly distribution of revenue?
It could be done at the end of each round for all the teams that participated in it?

I always thought that the national FA’s across Europe should strike an agreement to give the winner of the main domestic cup competition a Champions League place. Would have an immense positive impact on this format of football, which is weirdly under appreciated these days yet used to be so loved.

I also think it’s damn sad that they’re doing away with replays … it’s purely to the benefit of elite football clubs. If elite clubs can’t get the job done in the first game, then I’d rather enjoy a full reserve team and reserve manager doing the replay rather than scrapping them completely. If you supoort a club at a lower level, this just feels sad and takes one more thing away to dream about.

[oojason]

'EFL Statement: FA Cup Replays' - www.efl.com/news/2024/april/19/efl-statement--fa-cup-replays


'The EFL wishes to clarify further its position in respect of yesterday’s Premier League and Football Association bi-lateral announcement over the removal of FA Cup replays and the role of the League’s representatives on the Professional Game Board (PGB).

The agreement which now sees the abolition of replays from the competition format was agreed solely between the Premier League and FA.  Ahead of the deal being announced there was no agreement with the EFL nor was there any formal consultation with EFL Clubs as members of the FA and participants in the competition. 

In September 2023, the EFL did initially discuss with Clubs potential changes to the FA Cup format but only as part of a wider and more fundamental change to financial distributions. As is now clear, there has been no movement in this area since September.

This latest agreement between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just a further example of how the EFL and its Clubs are being marginalised in favour of others further up the pyramid and that only serves to threaten the future of the English game. 

The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the Governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their footballing partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues directly affecting our Clubs.

A separate issue is the role of the EFL representatives on the Professional Game Board (PGB) in agreeing to the 2024/25 overall fixture calendar. PGB is there to make technical decisions across the game as opposed to key policy decisions such as competition changes or formats.

Any decisions taken on the calendar involving EFL representatives are in no way an endorsement of the joint deal agreed between the FA and Premier League that imposes changes to the FA Cup competition format in isolation.

As part of the discussions the EFL representatives did challenge the position and were told that Clubs would be comfortable with no replays. They were effectively advised that, as a result, of it being an FA competition, the fixture list needed to be agreed as presented. It is also important to note that this matter was not discussed by the FA Cup committee, a separate group that oversees the competition across the professional and national game.'

[Barneylfc∗]

Replays do make a mockery of particularly the 3rd round.

How?

Championship clubs don't want replays either.

Non league clubs love replays so much they've got rid of them for their own competitions.

How do you know this when it appears EFL clubs weren't consulted?
I'd imagine having a replay in the FA Trophy against Rushden and Diamonds isn't the same as earning a replay away to a Premier League club in the FA Cup.

[Fromola]

How?

Because half the clubs in it at that stage are more bothered about avoiding a replay than actually winning the game.

How?
How do you know this when it appears EFL clubs weren't consulted?
I'd imagine having a replay in the FA Trophy against Rushden and Diamonds isn't the same as earning a replay away to a Premier League club in the FA Cup.

Premier League clubs won't want replays at all. Championship clubs on the whole won't want replays. Most of them already make loads of changes to the FA Cup. Leagues One and Two might but predominantly based on whether they've got a big earner financially.

I get it's different for non league clubs.

The way the whole FA Cup is organised is shoddy nowadays. With the exception of non league clubs that do well (like Maidstone this season and without any replays) the League Cup is a better competition these days.

[mikey_LFC]

If the argument for replays is financial and the English pyramid as a whole can earn more from the new European setup through the top clubs earning more and passing down a higher amount to the pyramid in a more sustainable and balanced manner than relying on a cup draw and replay, then what’s the problem?

[Fromola]

This is the first baby steps to changing things.

Next League Cup final will be overseas.

Then we will see PL games played China, Middle East and USA that will happen in the next 15/20 years imo.

It's a consequence of UEFA and their shitty more games more games mentality.

But things do need to change over time. You used to play replays on and on until you got a winner - should they not have scrapped making it one replay only? Or the idea of travelling down to Wembley for a cup final drawing the game, going home without a winner and then coming back again the next week. Sometimes things change because they're just not practical.

[Barneylfc∗]

Because half the clubs in it at that stage are more bothered about avoiding a replay than actually winning the game.

Premier League clubs won't want replays at all. Championship clubs on the whole won't want replays. Most of them already make loads of changes to the FA Cup. Leagues One and Two might but predominantly based on whether they've got a big earner financially.

I get it's different for non league clubs.

The way the whole FA Cup is organised is shoddy nowadays. With the exception of non league clubs that do well (like Maidstone this season and without any replays) the League Cup is a better competition these days.

Without looking at 100 games to get the data, I would make a guess that most Championship clubs make changes because they are more desperate to get into the Premier League due to the money involved.
I would also guess that there are less replays nowadays involving Premier League teams and those in leagues below than there were 30 years ago. I would put this down to the growing financial gap between the Premier League and everyone else.

[Redley]

Just do what they do in Germany, seeded for the 3rd round and the top 32 seeds play away to the bottom 32 seeds and then same again for the 4th round.

[Fromola]

Without looking at 100 games to get the data, I would make a guess that most Championship clubs make changes because they are more desperate to get into the Premier League due to the money involved.
I would also guess that there are less replays nowadays involving Premier League teams and those in leagues below than there were 30 years ago. I would put this down to the growing financial gap between the Premier League and everyone else.

If the draw was made so that the lower league club are at home (at least in the 3rd round) and it's straight to pens after 90 minutes then you'll get more shocks.

Cup runs are risky for Championship clubs. Look at Coventry and Middlesbrough. Both reached the domestic semi finals this season and it's arguably cost them a play off place with all the extra games on top of 46 league games. Throw replays in on top of that and it's less helpful. I remember Boro playing Villa this season in the cup and Carrick said the last thing we want is a replay - Villa ended up winning late on.

[Barneylfc∗]

If the draw was made so that the lower league club are at home (at least in the 3rd round) and it's straight to pens after 90 minutes then you'll get more shocks.

Cup runs are risky for Championship clubs. Look at Coventry and Middlesbrough. Both reached the domestic semi finals this season and it's arguably cost them a play off place with all the extra games on top of 46 league games. Throw replays in on top of that and it's less helpful.

Possibly yes, but often a replay can be more lucrative to a club like Shrewsbury or Cambridge who both earned replays at Anfield and Old Trafford in recent years.

This is the prize money for this years competition

Third round proper winners   £105,000
Fourth round proper winners £120,000
Fifth round proper winners £225,000

Winning the 3rd round is worth £105k, but earning a replay in the 3rd round and losing could be worth significantly more.

[killer-heels]

Has Burnham not got anything else better to do with his time?

[RedDeadRejection]

Has Burnham not got anything else better to do with his time?

Got a lot of time for him but yeah, football is his blind spot.

[Legs]

Possibly yes, but often a replay can be more lucrative to a club like Shrewsbury or Cambridge who both earned replays at Anfield and Old Trafford in recent years.

This is the prize money for this years competition

Third round proper winners   £105,000
Fourth round proper winners £120,000
Fifth round proper winners £225,000

Winning the 3rd round is worth £105k, but earning a replay in the 3rd round and losing could be worth significantly more.

Thats why id give clubs the option do you want Man Utd away instead of at home.

They defo could have kept replays in 1st/2nd round as PL/Championship arent in it.

Nothing shocks me though anymore and as ive said fans just allow this bullshit to keep happening lets see how they feel when their team is carted off to New York/Qatar/Delhi for a PL match.

[oojason]

'Clubs threaten FA Cup boycott as Government demands answers over axed replays':-

EFL sides say they would join mass pull-out of competition amid fury over loss of potentially vital paydays as FA branded ‘spineless’

www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/04/19/government-spineless-fa-cup-replays-scrapping  (free article)

[Gili Gulu]

Thats why id give clubs the option do you want Man Utd away instead of at home.

They defo could have kept replays in 1st/2nd round as PL/Championship arent in it.

Nothing shocks me though anymore and as ive said fans just allow this bullshit to keep happening lets see how they feel when their team is carted off to New York/Qatar/Delhi for a PL match.

I'd keep replays for teams not qualified for Europe.

And yes, give the other team the option of switching, if drawn at home and if there's to be no replay.

[4pool]

Would a lower league team have a greater chance of winning at home rather than going away to a big club with greater ground capacity with fewer of your own supporters there?

It seems to me that having a giant killer at home and progressing to the next round earns a side more money than going away with little hope of progressing.

[oojason]

The magic of The FA Cup - never buy a drink at Wembley...

https://twitter.com/SabjiHunter/status/1781736285545111714 (11 second video)



Even the freeloader VIPs can't be arsed to show up...




PaddyPower throwing shade as usual - https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1781724226359070991

'Think it probably says quite a lot about both these clubs that there are so many visible empty seats for a cup semi-final'









^ lots of red seats on show in the upper sections of the Chelsea end.










short 15 second video of empty seats at Wembley : https://twitter.com/JwilliamC89/status/1781742812821680147



prawn cocktails must be good at half-time...

[Fromola]

Imagine having replays as the hill to die on when VAR is killing the game.

[oojason]

Imagine having replays as the hill to die on when VAR is killing the game.

Most clubs taking part in the FA Cup do not have VAR.

[oojason]

'[Yeovil Town] Letter to the FA regarding the removal of FA Cup replays' - https://twitter.com/YTFC/status/1782375080351129750


'Following the announcement regarding the removal of FA Cup Replays, we have sent the following letter to the Football Association. 📰

Dear Sirs,

We were first made aware of the proposal to remove FA Cup replays on 18th April 2024 when the announcement was made by the Football Association. We had not been consulted about this either by the Football Association or the National League.

We do not agree with the approach suggested, the provision of replays is a vital source of income for non-league clubs. The FA Cup is intrinsically linked with replays of fixtures and to suggest that they can be removed is contrary to history and the well-being of football as a whole.

The most recent study into the financial impact of the FA Cup was completed by Deloitte for the 2010/11 season and provided in January 2012. For example, the FA Cup revenue represented 70% of Havant & Waterlooville’s income during 2010/11.

There were 12 televised replays during 2010/11 which generated approximately £1.7m in broadcast fees. These fees will have substantially increased given there are an increased number of televised replays and the fixture fees are increased.

There are specific examples contained in the case study:

•Millwall – 2003/04 – Generated £300k in additional television receipts;
•Burton – 2005/06 – Generated £0.5m during a replay with Manchester United alongside £200k for television payments;
•Leyton Orient – 2010/11 – An additional £500k was generated due to the replay with Arsenal (when taken with the home fixture).

The above clearly demonstrates the financial importance of replayed fixtures. It is unfortunate that the FA do not appear to have undertaken any analysis/research.

The FA made a further announcement on 19th April 2024 indicating that the Premier League and EFL were consulted. It is unfortunate that National League clubs (i.e. those impacted) were not consulted.

We would invite the FA to provide a full explanation and to revert to a consultation that properly considers those stakeholders who are most fundamentally impacted by the proposed changes.

We are sending this as open correspondence and encourage fans and other member clubs to send the same correspondence. Yeovil Town’s motto is achieve by unity and the only way to challenge these changes will be if the National League and EFL clubs stand united.

Yeovil Town Football Club'

[Walshy nMe®]

Apparently football shouldn't be "all about money" when it's the top clubs, but all this uproar with replays is "all about the money".

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Apparently football shouldn't be "all about money" when it's the top clubs, but all this uproar with replays is "all about the money".

Ridiculous isn't it. And somehow the blame is being put on the big clubs.

Football should ultimately be about sporting success, and generally lower league clubs are going to have more of a chance of progressing without replays than they do with them. Yet they are all kicking off because they would rather have the money from a replay than actually going through to the next round.

I'll never forget Shrewsbury kicking off that we cost them a windfall by fielding our reserves against them in the replay a few years back, not realising that we actually gave them a huge opportunity to progress and play a money spinning away game vs Chelsea.

[Fromola]

Apparently football shouldn't be "all about money" when it's the top clubs, but all this uproar with replays is "all about the money".

There was a game maybe last season where a big club were at home to a lower league side. The ticket prices were made relatively cheap and the lower league club kicked off because they weren't getting the windfall expected from a big crowd and wanted the prices raised.

[Black Bull Nova]

There have been 5 replays in the last 2 years involving PL clubs, the PL clubs won 4 of the 5 replays and only 2 of the games had crowds over 10k.


I get that 1st and 2nd round replays should go ahead but surely the lower clubs would be better going straight to penalties and giving themselves a nearly 50/50 chance of getting through (and an even bigger pay day possibly)