England football ltd (like so much of UK ltd) has sold its traditions/culture/morals for money. In this specific case : to UEFA. FA cup R3 IS the FA cup. The romance, the equality, the chance of a small fish earning the money a big fish is accustomed to. There would be plenty opportunities to accommodate domestic cup replays *** if : 1. The English leagues were 4 x 23 clubs, instead of 20 + 3 x 24. 2. UEFA were not trying to ponce off of ever-increasing games per season with hardly any of the entertainment of yore. *** and as a Spurs supporter, I remember 1981-82.
We've played two fixtures a week almost every week since early October. I have no interest in adding more to what there already is. Something else has to give, and I'd suggest starting by axing the needless international breaks that chop up the season with tournaments literally no one asked for.
It should be mentioned that if replays were still in place they may not have got passed Burton in round 2!
It took 8 games in 1981-82 to reach UEFA FINALS in 1981-82. It takes 8-10 today to reach the last 16. So that is 6-8 games immediately DOGE-able. < chairman deedub > I would see what tax reduction on UK football club profits could make UEFA no shows palatable for English clubs. It would also have the effect of reducing money available for transfer/wage fees (which would deflate the overseas club chancers + player mercs) .
Don’t really agree with replays being scrapped but there was no date that this replay could be played as spurs have midweek fixtures all the way up to the 4th round. Although looking at the 90 minute results this weekend, Tamworth were probably the only team that would want a replay. Games like Sunderland v stoke where there were barely any fans anyway aren’t going to do much for either club fitting another game in at a half empty stadium. Might even cost them more in opening the stadium.
So make the replay rules contingent on club finance differentials + actual attendance. Spurs tie : replay. Abovementioned tie : decided on the day.
The European competitions were always two legged. So there were no pointless games. When we won the UEFA cup we played 12 matches (the final was also 2 legs). In the EL (today's version of uefa cup) we will have played 8 games minimum or 10 maximum just to get to the last 16. To win it it's a minimum of 16 games or a maximum of 18 games. It's even more extreme with the CL. Before the Premier league there were 6 internationals during the season. There are now 8 internationals during the season. There used to be around 5 pre season friendlies. Most of these were in Europe. Last season we played 8 and went to Australia. It's outrageous that cup replays have been ditched imo
The solution for the FA Cup has always been simple for me; same division draws don’t play a replay but cross division ones do. Scrapping them completely massively removed a chunk of the magic that makes it the best domestic cup completion in the world.
Coming back to this, it seems the only real issue at stake here is that the lower league club misses out on a windfall that they arguably deserve having held a much bigger team to a stalemate over 90mins. Isn't the easiest solution to just award that money to them as a gesture of goodwill after the game has ended? Fans of the PL club want to see the 'magic of the cup', which is only possible if the tie is drawn away and we get to watch a midfielder balanced on his teammate's shoulders, fixing the goal with sellotape, and a bloke hanging out his bathroom window to watch the game. Fans of the PL club have zero interest in a replay. Fans of the lower league club want the financial windfall of the tie, which can only happen if they are also drawn away from home. So make everyone happy by scrapping the replay and awarding what is life-changing to the smaller club but peanuts to the PL club, after the fixture. Sorted.
Taking away FA Cup replays used to make the FA Cup.Spurs have been involved in so mamy memorable games in their history then along come the brainstrust and its just another cup comp.They've even ruined the Final with bloody penalties.(Remember those games with Man City?)
Disagree...their players and fans have lost out on a chance to support and play at a Premier league ground. It's not just the money...but the experience for lower league players and fans. Premier League Clubs travel to Asia, the Far East, the US, Australia and the middle east as soon as the season is over to play meaningless friendlies yet conplain constantly about playing too much. They go along with UEFA expanding European competitions which mean more games and with FIFA introducing a new club competition which means more games. Then there's the expanded world cup and Euros. Scraping relays is another show of contempt for fans as far as I'm concerned
Aren't they paid lots more for all these extra games RCL......although many players today will be in wheel chairs by the age of 40....!?
On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing their scumbag fans never got to defile our lovely stadium Stick to your plastic pitches on a slope, ****heads
Apparently some of the stuff being chanted at Ange and our players was truly vile. Plus a number of boneheads throwing coins and bits of food.
