The scrapping of replays in the FA Cup from the First Round on had an entirely predictable effect, and to the near-exclusive detriment of the non-league clubs involved.
Last season Bexhill United won their Extra-Preliminary round (1st time they'd won an FA Cup match), and there was a proper pile-on. Crappy silver-foil FA Cups at the ready! Why is this being killed?
My team (Orient) benefited after a 2-2 draw at Boreham Wood and win on penalties but it stinks. Likewise, the fact that for no good reason (as far as I can see) kick off was 2pm on a Sunday. Throw in the endless postponements now in L1 due to international breaks and an awful TV deal and EFL football, certainly in L1 and L2 is sadly becoming far less attractive.
Last season Bexhill United won their Extra-Preliminary round (1st time they'd won an FA Cup match), and there was a proper pile-on. Crappy silver-foil FA Cups at the ready! Why is this being killed?
My team (Orient) benefited after a 2-2 draw at Boreham Wood and win on penalties but it stinks. Likewise, the fact that for no good reason (as far as I can see) kick off was 2pm on a Sunday. Throw in the endless postponements now in L1 due to international breaks and an awful TV deal and EFL football, certainly in L1 and L2 is sadly becoming far less attractive.
I’m just going to leave this here, if that’s not too cheeky.
https://open.substack.com/pub/martincloake/p/the-great-fa-cup-replays-controversy?r=1e4se&utm_medium=ios