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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.
 
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originallambrettaman said:
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.
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In response to the Wirral club, the Premier League said "now then, now then, calm down, calm down..."
 
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originallambrettaman said:
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I wonder what the stats on lower league clubs winning ties against bigger clubs is with and without replays. I remember in 2020 when there were no replays a non-league side made it through to the third round and faced Spurs by virtue of two penalty shoot out wins if I'm not mistaken?

I think there's pros and cons to this decision but nostalgia should be taken out of any push back on it. People will always have their fond memories from their youth but it shouldn't be the sole basis for making decisions for the future. Granted like most things in the game this is designed to give more money to the biggest clubs, I think if there's any sort of redistribution of funds that needs to be offsetting any perceived value of replays to lower league clubs (which I think is a bit overstated anyway if I'm honest).
 
SydneyTiger14 said:
I wonder what the stats on lower league clubs winning ties against bigger clubs is with and without replays. I remember in 2020 when there were no replays a non-league side made it through to the third round and faced Spurs by virtue of two penalty shoot out wins if I'm not mistaken?

I think there's pros and cons to this decision but nostalgia should be taken out of any push back on it. People will always have their fond memories from their youth but it shouldn't be the sole basis for making decisions for the future. Granted like most things in the game this is designed to give more money to the biggest clubs, I think if there's any sort of redistribution of funds that needs to be offsetting any perceived value of replays to lower league clubs (which I think is a bit overstated anyway if I'm honest).
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Nostalgia shouldn’t be the sole basis for decisions, but neither should it be ignored.
In this case, regardless, it’s not nostalgia anyway. It’s people seeing what is happening right now and saying that they prefer that to what has been decided for the future.
I’ve no idea on the stats, but I’m happy to trust the lower league clubs to know which is better for them. In this case it seems that most of them do not like this change.
I haven’t seen the rationale but I assume it’s the whole ‘too many games’ excuse, whereas they seem fine to rush around Europe or even further afield playing games when it suits.

I hope all lower league clubs boycott the FA Cup…but that’s just me…I like a good protest!
 
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dennisboothstash said:
Nostalgia shouldn’t be the sole basis for decisions, but neither should it be ignored.
In this case, regardless, it’s not nostalgia anyway. It’s people seeing what is happening right now and saying that they prefer that to what has been decided for the future.
I’ve no idea on the stats, but I’m happy to trust the lower league clubs to know which is better for them. In this case it seems that most of them do not like this change.
I haven’t seen the rationale but I assume it’s the whole ‘too many games’ excuse, whereas they seem fine to rush around Europe or even further afield playing games when it suits.

I hope all lower league clubs boycott the FA Cup…but that’s just me…I like a good protest!
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Fair enough, I actually do wonder if the clubs are reacting a bit in the heat of the moment. I know if we went to the Etihad and held Man City through the game and got to 90 minutes, I'd rather we press on and flip a coin in penalties as to whether we beat them and go through rather than trust that we can bring them back to the MKM and catch lightening in a bottle for a second time to get past them. If you catch one of those big sides on an off day it's better to press on while you have them on the back foot rather than gamble you'll get them on an off day for a second time.
 
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SydneyTiger14 said:
Fair enough, I actually do wonder if the clubs are reacting a bit in the heat of the moment. I know if we went to the Etihad and held Man City through the game and got to 90 minutes, I'd rather we press on and flip a coin in penalties as to whether we beat them and go through rather than trust that we can bring them back to the MKM and catch lightening in a bottle for a second time to get past them. If you catch one of those big sides on an off day it's better to press on while you have them on the back foot rather than gamble you'll get them on an off day for a second time.
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the point is lower league clubs with small grounds who get a home tie want the ability to fight for a draw and gain a big money payout with an away tie at a much bigger ground - ie part of the romance of the FA Cup - unfortunately the bigger clubs want to dump their opponents after the first date
 
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charon-the-ferryman said:
the point is lower league clubs with small grounds who get a home tie want the ability to fight for a draw and gain a big money payout with an away tie at a much bigger ground - ie part of the romance of the FA Cup - unfortunately the bigger clubs want to dump their opponents after the first date
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How often does that actually happen though? Surely just as often they get the away tie at the bigger clubs ground in the original tie?

That says to me that the prize money/distribution should be improved (and sounds like they're looking at fixing that if it isn't just lip service) if the real motivation is to play for a draw. If a side was up 1-0 are they going to let a goal in late just to get the replay?
 
SydneyTiger14 said:
I wonder what the stats on lower league clubs winning ties against bigger clubs is with and without replays. I remember in 2020 when there were no replays a non-league side made it through to the third round and faced Spurs by virtue of two penalty shoot out wins if I'm not mistaken?

I think there's pros and cons to this decision but nostalgia should be taken out of any push back on it. People will always have their fond memories from their youth but it shouldn't be the sole basis for making decisions for the future. Granted like most things in the game this is designed to give more money to the biggest clubs, I think if there's any sort of redistribution of funds that needs to be offsetting any perceived value of replays to lower league clubs (which I think is a bit overstated anyway if I'm honest).
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It's irrelevant whether the lower league clubs won or not, it's the replay that matters for them, regardless of the result.

There were 25 replay games in this years FA Cup, ten of them were non-league clubs, who generated enough money from those single games to keep them going for a couple of years. A cup run for a lower league or non-league club can often be the difference between staying in business, or generating enough cash to compete in a particular league.

It's not that long ago, when a cup run would directly result in City being able to fund bringing in an additional player, purely down to that additional income.
 
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originallambrettaman said:
It's irrelevant whether the lower league clubs won or not, it's the replay that matters for them, regardless of the result.

There were 25 replay games in this years FA Cup, ten of them were non-league clubs, who generated enough money from those single games to keep them going for a couple of years. A cup run for a lower league or non-league club can often be the difference between staying in business, or generating enough cash to compete in a particular league.

It's not that long ago, when a cup run would directly result in City being able to fund bringing in an additional player, purely down to that additional income.
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I definitely get the value of the replay which is why I said it sounds like the bigger issue is the distribution of funds which it sounds like they are looking at (but who knows if that will be enough). I suppose my point is if those lower league clubs instead progressed to the next round would that not give them even greater funds than a replay? Except of course in the rare situation that replay takes them to Old Trafford/Anfield/etc.

I just had a glance at the Third Round this season and outside of Bristol City going to West Ham and then Forest in the Fourth Round, there's no example of a lower league side going to a PL club's ground in the replay. It didn't happen last season either.

I completely take the point that the fixture, regardless of who its against or which ground its at, brings in additional money, but that comes back to my point it's a broader issue with funding. It's a poor state of affairs if playing for a draw outweighs trying to win the game.

Contrast with Marine in the 20/21 FA Cup winning their First Round game on pens and their Second Round game in extra time and drawing Spurs in the third round. Morecambe won after extra time to set up a game at Stamford Bridge.
 
SydneyTiger14 said:
Fair enough, I actually do wonder if the clubs are reacting a bit in the heat of the moment. I know if we went to the Etihad and held Man City through the game and got to 90 minutes, I'd rather we press on and flip a coin in penalties as to whether we beat them and go through rather than trust that we can bring them back to the MKM and catch lightening in a bottle for a second time to get past them. If you catch one of those big sides on an off day it's better to press on while you have them on the back foot rather than gamble you'll get them on an off day for a second time.
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We’re not a lower league club

If was the Chief Exec of one then I’d probably prefer a replay to give us enough cash to keep going or build on, while at the same time giving regular fans a fun day out and hopefully give non regular fans a reason to become regular

Of course they didn’t want to know what lower league clubs thought, which is why they didn’t consult them before they announced the decision…that is a disgrace
 
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