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Canary73

Premier League clubs to discuss scrapping FA Cup replays

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As part of their 'new deal for football' agenda. More here in the BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62965782

Although its not their competition and need approvals from the FA etc., they are brokering their deal to allow finances to filter through to lower tiers as a carrot. This is from a league that claims it does not need regulating. Cup runs can be lucrative to smaller sides and in some cases keep them in existence. Hopefully it will get rejected and if these sides don't want replays then either A) let the lower placed league side determine where the tie should be held or B) expel them from the competition - for at least two seasons with some other potential drawbacks to be determined. 

 

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36 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It would diminish the 'magic of the FA Cup' a little, but it probably is (tin hat on) the easiest way of cutting down on fixture congestion for Premier League clubs. Either that or scrapping the League Cup, or at least not having Premier League sides play in it.

Another example of trying to move away from the history of the FA Cup 

Fixture congestion has never been a problem for 3/4 of The Premiership 

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45 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It would diminish the 'magic of the FA Cup' a little, but it probably is (tin hat on) the easiest way of cutting down on fixture congestion for Premier League clubs. Either that or scrapping the League Cup, or at least not having Premier League sides play in it.

No way! Keep both main cup competitions going and bring back the Full Members Cup, Texaco Cup and Hospital Cup too. 

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World Cup in Qatar is ok, but FA Cup replay for lower league teams to earn some revenue, isn't?  Had enough of this BS really.

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Well, the German Cup does it quite well - in the first round or two lower-league teams always get home advantage. You do get some who will move it to a nearby larger ground to maximise revenue, add temporary seating, or even switch it with the bigger team. Possibly more chance of a cup-set or two if the smaller team decides to fight on their own turf.

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9 minutes ago, daly said:

Fixture congestion has never been a problem for 3/4 of The Premiership 

Well, true, only the ones who compete in Europe.

However, FA Cup replays only benefit lower League teams anyway because of the money.

A happy medium could be a system which I believed has been utilised in the FA Trophy: both teams can agree to the possibility of extra time if the scores are level after 90 minutes. I suppose you could extend that to playing penalties as well to completely eliminate the possibility of a replay.

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My hometown club Burton Albion are a classic example of how the FA Cup can be transformative for a small club. Ben Robinson the chairman used to be my Dad's home insurance broker.

When I was growing up, Derby County were a Premier League/Championship yoyo club, and Burton were in the Beazer Homes 2nd division, which was something like the 9th tier or English football.

Im not quite sure what division they were in when they drew Man Utd in the early 2000s, but they were definitely non-League.

They managed to hold them to a 0-0 draw at Burton (they were sponsored by The Sun for that one game) and earned a replay at Old Trafford. Burton took what I think is still the largest ever away following at Old Trafford and the club made an estimated £3-5m from that one game alone.

That money was transformative, and not long ago Burton Albion played Derby in the Championship, a prospect that would have been thoroughly laughed at when I was at school. 

Though I dont follow Burton, I generally consider their rise to eventual championship status as being solely down to that game.

That's what it can mean to clubs lower down the pyramid. But who cares about them right?

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1 hour ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It would diminish the 'magic of the FA Cup' a little, but it probably is (tin hat on) the easiest way of cutting down on fixture congestion for Premier League clubs. Either that or scrapping the League Cup, or at least not having Premier League sides play in it.

Another way of cutting down fixture congestion for the top clubs (because let's be honest, it's only really the top 6 that have this problem) would be to push back on the constant expansion of European competitions. We didn't have complaints about "fixture congestion" when there were 24 teams in the top flight unlimited replays in the fa cup and two legged League cup ties as the European competitions were limited to 3-4 teams and they were straight knockout cups...

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1 hour ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It would diminish the 'magic of the FA Cup' a little, but it probably is (tin hat on) the easiest way of cutting down on fixture congestion for Premier League clubs. Either that or scrapping the League Cup, or at least not having Premier League sides play in it.

They do apparently have a proposal for the League Cup too but that wasn’t mentioned in the article.

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21 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Well, the German Cup does it quite well

Yup, the world has fond memories of the German Cup - what's it called again?

In fairness, they do pretty much everything well from my perspective.

Edited by Google Bot

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Just now, Google Bot said:

Yup, the world has fond memories of the German Cup - what's it called again?

Easy. DFB-Pokal. 😉

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19 minutes ago, cornish sam said:

Another way of cutting down fixture congestion for the top clubs (because let's be honest, it's only really the top 6 that have this problem) would be to push back on the constant expansion of European competitions. We didn't have complaints about "fixture congestion" when there were 24 teams in the top flight unlimited replays in the fa cup and two legged League cup ties as the European competitions were limited to 3-4 teams and they were straight knockout cups...

True, but we all know it comes down to money. One Champions League game probably generates as much money as an entire FA Cup run.

And the intensity of modern football is much higher than it used to be, so it's tough to compare to several decades ago.

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4 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

True, but we all know it comes down to money. One Champions League game probably generates as much money as an entire FA Cup run.

And the intensity of modern football is much higher than it used to be, so it's tough to compare to several decades ago.

FA Cup needs a huge boost on the winners cash prize with a Champions League place to boot. It all went **** up when Man Utd pulled out years ago. 

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1 minute ago, CANARYKING said:

Back in the day we had a tie that needed a number of replays, anybody know ?

Frank Butcher Spinning GIF - Frank Butcher Spinning Bow Tie - Discover &  Share GIFs

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Would be a shame if this happens, a lot of non-league clubs getting a TV deal for a home fixture that ends in a draw, then enjoying a PL club away day can completely revolutionise the club with the sudden windfall. It's part of the magic of the cup. 

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Yet another example of foreign, particularly US, ownership. They are doing the same with F1.

If it isn't top professional sport, then it doesn't exist.

Wait for the expansion to 48 clubs in the CL with 6 teams from the top nations.  Squads of 40 all costing £100M each player. Stay in the top six in your own domestic league and have a separate CL squad if necessary. Change the rules if one of them doesn't make the top 6.

I know he isn't a foreign owner but Daniel Levy has said he plans to make Spurs self financing in the next few years. If that comes at the cost of the FA Cup why would they care?

New rule. Top 6 teams go straight through to the last 8. Two wild cards, preferably Real and Bayern to make up the other two places.

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13 hours ago, CANARYKING said:

Back in the day we had a tie that needed a number of replays, anybody know ?

There was one against Leeds in the 70's I think that went to 4 or 5 matches, including toss ups to decide who got home advantage after the second replay.

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The FA Cup has been chipped away at ever since the formation of the PL. Which was largely facilitated by the FA.

Isn't it ironic🎶

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Just to say had there been replays then our magical night as Spurs in 2020 may not have existed. 

People focus on the financial side but on a 1v1 one off game you are more likely to get a proper cup tie.

It isn't just the top 6 either who prioritise other competitions, even Championship clubs field weakened teams against lower league opposition. The magic has gone now and it makes sense to me to streamline the competition.

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You have to have replays only way smaller clubs can get more money to keep them alive. Times are hard for lower league or non league clubs. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Money is killing the game of equal chances for all.

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I think I'm right in saying that over 750 teams enter the FA Cup. Already many teams are knocked out while others are progressing with dreams of getting to the 1st round proper where they could get a bye against the binners.

It's all a shame but whatever benefits the rich clubs must be for the good of the game....

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19 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

The FA Cup has been chipped away at ever since the formation of the PL. Which was largely facilitated by the FA.

Isn't it ironic🎶

 

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There's plenty that could be done in an attempt to get the FA Cup relevant again, you just get it under the nose of younger supporters who are very subjective in following trends.  What's "cool" in football is very much dictated by social media influencers and companies like EA Sports.

The FA could potentially wrangle up deals with content creators to allow them exclusive access to clubs and other events around games, run an eSports campaign alongside it and go heavy into those domains to create a buzz and prestige which is synonymous with the competition and also reaches it's peak at the final.

This tired old formula of boring BBC coverage hoping to broadcast a giant killing doesn't really stir much emotion for people.  But if you get a glimpse of the realities of these teams competing and the characters exposed from the lower leagues thanks to the allowed exclusives from youtubers and such like, who knows.... It may just light a spark for a small percentage of the millions who see it.

What the prem league and champs league can't offer is a more candid view of the players as they are so heavily wrapped in PR bandages.  The FA should really promote the somewhat alternative, broader spectrum available.

Edited by Google Bot

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