No FA Cup replays from Rnd 1

[Sheffield Harrier]

"The FA Cup is our biggest asset," said FA chief executive Mark Bullingham.

Well, behave that way then.

"The FA says the move to eliminate them from an earlier stage has been made "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions". How many sides in round 1 and 2 are in UEFA competitions?

It just stinks. Non-league battles for a draw away at a league 1 side but slip out in extra-time or penalties and lose the chance to bring the league side back to their tight, little ground.

4th, 5th and Q finals to no longer be played at same time as Premier League games. That's a crumb of comfort.

But the FA Cup final is on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season. Good grief.

But the Premier League has bribed the FA with £33 million quid for grassroots football so it can demand what it wants really.

Anyone else sick of the premier league?

[harry211]

Disgraceful.

Not sure who would organise it - but there should be protests over this. German fans would have reversed the decision by now!

[tonythescout]

An absolute shambolic disgrace. It is a complete disregard to clubs like ourselves.
{expletive deleted} modern football.

[ograzebrook]

This should spark protests until they change it back. Disgraceful.

[Phil]

This weekends Man City v Chelsea game will go 'down in history' according to the sycophantic BBC advert running this week.

I hope it ends up as a 0-0 borefest.

[garthrockett]

Disgusting but not a surprise. The premiership pay lip service at the moment with second and even third string sides entered through the rounds.
At some stage (European Super League?) Premiership sides will decide not to even enter the FA Cup.

A simple protest at this stage is for all pyramid sides below the Premiership to not enter the FA Cup next year, though I doubt the EFL would support national league or other non leagues.
Given the organisational shambles The National League is I suspect they will merely voice protest in the press and then put up with it.

[Jasper]

Simple really. The FA true to form. To put it politely they couldn't care FA about the FA Cup. Enough said and yes it is predictable unfortunately.

[Krasnyi]

Non-league clubs should threaten to boycott the competition unless this decision is reversed.

You know what? I wish the ‘big six’ would just piss off to their sterile super league and give us our game back.

[garthrockett]

Maybe if those 'big clubs' moaning about replays put out their full strength teams in the FA Cup they wouldn't have to play said replays??

[PIRATE OF ZARAGOZA]

Well done to Tranmere Rovers for this statement.

https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2024/april/club-statement-fa-cup-replays/

[ograzebrook]

Well done to Tranmere Rovers for this statement.

https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2024/april/club-statement-fa-cup-replays/

Well done Tranmere! Leading what I hope is a charge involving many more to come...

[Northern Harrier]

Tranmere, Accrington Stanley, Grimsby and Peterborough have all now released similar statements..

[harry211]

Brown was noticably cool in his interview, and given Lane does not seem your usual football man - I can't see us doing similar.

Add Wimbledon to that list, by the way.

Disappointingly the Football Supporters Federation's statement was very very lukewarm.

[Medieval]

Well done to Tranmere Rovers for this statement.

https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2024/april/club-statement-fa-cup-replays/

[garthrockett]

A quick Google search this morning and both Chester and Endsleigh condemn the changes in no uncertain terms.
Maybe impetus is growing?