The Football Association's decision to scrap FA Cup replays from the first round onwards from next season and move the final to the penultimate weekend of the Premier League campaign has been met with strong criticism, with the process described as an 'absolute disgrace'. The change was agreed in a deal between the FA and the Premier League, with the FA's chief executive Mark Bullingham claiming it would secure 'a strong format for the future'. The Premier League argued that change was necessary due to the expansion of European fixtures.
Mark Palios, former FA chief executive and executive chair of Tranmere Rovers, condemned the decision. 'The process is an absolute disgrace, a deal concocted in the corridors of power,' he said. 'This is not just about the cash, it's about the enjoyment experienced by fans of lower league clubs. This deal reflects the unrestrained march of mammon in football and it will destroy the game.' Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game, added that scrapping replays 'deprives lower league clubs of a much-needed source of revenue' and called it 'another nail in the coffin for the already crumbling football pyramid'.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder noted that the new format suits the biggest clubs, saying 'the big boys don't want FA Cup replays'. He highlighted that some clubs have benefited financially from replays for years. FA statistics show 228 replays over the past decade, with 19 featuring an EFL club away at a Premier League side and 12 drawing crowds over 25,000, meaning at least one EFL club per year gains substantial revenue from a replay.
Frank May, chair of non-league side Cray Valley PM, whose recent home replay against Charlton Athletic proved transformative, said: 'Denying lower league clubs the chance to get that feeling again shows just how out of touch the FA, and especially the Premier League, are with the non-league game.' The EFL also expressed disappointment, with chief executive Trevor Birch stating that the league had not been part of the agreement and that 'a whole game approach is required to find solutions to complex fixture scheduling challenges'.
