Clubs Call on Government to Save FA Cup Play-Offs: Impact on Smaller Clubs and Football Culture

London (Reuters)

The “Fair Game” group and clubs from across the country called on the government to intervene after it canceled the FA Cup play-offs.
More than 20 club presidents have written to the British government, after the Football Association announced last month that the replay system would not be implemented from the first round onwards, due to schedule are full games.
Smaller clubs say play-offs are a major source of income, while conservatives say scrapping the system would reduce the charm of the world’s oldest knock-out competition. -world.
The English Club Association, which runs the second, third and fourth divisions, said they had not approved the changes, and that the English Football Association and the Premier League had agreed to them.
The FA said the new schedule had been approved by a committee comprising representatives from the English Premier League and the English Club Association, and was approved by the FA after consulting with representatives from the National League and level competitions. lower.
Four-time FA Cup winners Bolton Wanderers are one of the clubs to sign the letter sent to the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Fraser, supporting calls for the change, which previously required the approval of most clubs. any changes to the competition.
The letter said: “We want to save the FA Cup. love us all. You have failed our clubs as well as the fans.
There are currently no play-offs from the fifth round onwards, but the abolition of this system from the first round has angered the clubs at the bottom of the pyramid.
Mark Robins, who led second-tier Coventry City to the semi-finals, described the move as a huge blow, and there was sympathy from Premier League coaches.
Manchester United coach Eric Ten Hag said the change was “very sad for British football culture”.
Niall Cooper, CEO of the “Fair Game” group, said that the anger about the decision was huge at all levels.
He explained, “The new governing body must intervene to stop these ideas that harm the history of the game.”