No cup replays

[pgbee]

No replays in FAC from round 1 onwards. FA sold out even more tradition in the interests of expanded Champions League, well they can do one!

[jerroll]

No replays in FAC from round 1 onwards. FA sold out even more tradition in the interests of expanded Champions League, well they can do one!

in other words sod the small clubs that might get a payday like Exeter did that time against Man Utd!

[Roy57]

The only way this should even be considered is it a second division of lower league ranked team drew either a championship of premier league side either 100% or min 80% of attendance and TV rights if covered should go to the lower ranked side, don't know exact figures but when Maidstone drew at home and then had replay at Ipswich, for them from next season to loose out on the revenue on the replay could be the difference in some clubs surviving or not.

[Masuka]

Just makes you sick to your stomach. I feel a great sense of despair with the FA Cup being scaled down. The bigwigs at the FA have no interest in football or the traditions that come with it. They are probably being paid off by the big Prem clubs to do away with these replays.
Replays can be priceless to small clubs financially wise, and also provides the fans with another FA Cup day out.
It is such a shame but we can do nothing to stop the way things are heading.

[rudebwoyben]

The only way this should even be considered is it a second division of lower league ranked team drew either a championship of premier league side either 100% or min 80% of attendance and TV rights if covered should go to the lower ranked side, don't know exact figures but when Maidstone drew at home and then had replay at Ipswich, for them from next season to loose out on the revenue on the replay could be the difference in some clubs surviving or not.

Maidstone didn’t have a replay against Ipswich Town!

[wearebees]

Sounds like no consultation at all. This hasn't been based on the majority, just what a few of the big boys want. What gets me the most is that the PL aren't even in the early rounds, yet it's all been done for them. It's good to see clubs and chairman aren't holding back on their views, the Peterborough and Accrington chairman as usual very vocal.

[WillesdenBee]

I understand why this looks bad. However I can’t name 2 clubs that have made big money from fa cup replays in recent years off the top of my head. Most of the big money made in fa cup runs has been from clubs getting results rather than replays.

[pletch99]

Ultimately, I believe the decision to scrap replays will lead to more small teams going through.

This is based on the chances of winning a penalty shoot out being rather higher than that of winning a replay against a bigger side.

This isn't an argument in favor of this decision, I think it stinks. I wonder what the sentiment will be when one of the big boys loses a shoot out to a "minnow"

[becbee]

What annoys me most is the quote from the FA that it's been made "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded EUFA competitions". What possible relevance does that have to rounds 1 & 2 of the FA Cup when the Prem clubs aren't even in the FA Cup?

I can see no possible relevance to stopping replays for R1 & R2, where a non-league club might be very happy to have the chance to earn a replay against a bigger club instead of going out on penalties.

The whole thing stinks but would at least been understandable had it just been from R3.

[John Hunt]

I think it is odd that there are replays up to a point in time and then they stop.

To my mind either have every round with a replay or every round without. That includes semi finals and finals.

Are replays before the first round proper a good or bad thing for the sides involved?

If there were no replays in finals in years gone by there would have been no marvellous goal from Ricky Villa.

The magic of the most magical competition in the world eroded by greed again.

Such a shame.

Bring back Cup Final Grandstand, and all it's quirkiness.

[becbee]

I agree that Cup Finals should be decided on the day. I'm old enough to remember when there were F A Cup Final replays, they were played away from Wembley and they were anti-climatic. I also think the Wembley Final is devalued by the semis being played at Wembley. But that's not going to change.

You will never get Cup Final Grandstand back, that belongs to an era where the F A Cup Final was the only club match televised live so was a big occasion even for people who otherwise weren't interested in football.

Ultimately the Powers that Be don't care about clubs other than the Big Clubs. As evidenced by NL season finishing on 20th April so that 2 foreign clubs can play at Wembley.

[thebeekeeper]

I understand why this looks bad. However I can’t name 2 clubs that have made big money from fa cup replays in recent years off the top of my head. Most of the big money made in fa cup runs has been from clubs getting results rather than replays.

I suppose it depends what you define as 'recent years', but in the last decade you've got Cambridge United's replay at Manchester United, Wycombe at Aston Villa, Shrewsbury at West Ham, Newport at Tottenham, Rochdale at Tottenham, Rochdale at Newcastle and Shrewsbury at Liverpool.

I think because there were no replays during the covid-impacted seasons of 19-20 and 20-21 - and because there haven't been many good ones in the last year or two - it feels more infrequent.

But I reckon it's less about the high profile money-spinners and more about the constant drip of TV money from replays / well attended replays at teams one or two tiers higher, which help keep clubs in the black.

Also, if we think about further down the pyramid, there are plenty of scenarios like Cray Valley's replay at Charlton this season, which will have been huge financially for a club of that size. Horsham's replay with Barnsley is another good example from this year.

[letchbee94]

Ultimately, I believe the decision to scrap replays will lead to more small teams going through.

This is based on the chances of winning a penalty shoot out being rather higher than that of winning a replay against a bigger side.

This isn't an argument in favor of this decision, I think it stinks. I wonder what the sentiment will be when one of the big boys loses a shoot out to a "minnow"

I get what you trying to say, if a small club is at home then there is better chance of winning on day (with extra time or penalties) then having to go away against a better team at their own ground.

Fa cup semi finals should defeintly go back to neutral grounds.

[pgbee]

Apparently in France and Germany , the bigger club is always away from home so the smaller one gets more gate money.

[rudebwoyben]

Apparently in France and Germany , the bigger club is always away from home so the smaller one gets more gate money.

But seeing that the away side gets 45% of the gate receipts in the FA Cup, it’s actually usually more lucrative for a small club to get an away draw.
Also, I want to see Barnet play at the big grounds.