CAST is very disappointed in the news announced today that FA Cup replays will no longer take place from the first round onwards.
At present the FA Cup has no replays from the fifth round onwards, but the FA says the move to eliminate them from an earlier stage has been made "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions".
Quite how the "expanded UEFA competitions" are relevant to clubs like Cray Valley Paper Mills or Charlton Athletic is not explained.
The EFL have issued the following statement:
"Ahead of the deal being announced there was no agreement with the EFL nor was there any formal consultation with EFL Clubs as members of the FA and participants in the competition."
Full statement:
https://www.efl.com/news/2024/april/19/efl-statement--fa-cup-replays/
The Football Supporters Association have issued the following statement:
“It’s clear today’s announcement about the FA cup has not gone down well with a lot of fans up and down the country. Supporters are concerned that the changes to the FA Cup will further diminish what makes the competition enduringly popular – namely its history, heritage and tradition.
“While we recognise the footballing calendar is coming under impossible strain – due to the increasing bloat of FIFA and UEFA competitions – recent surveys of both our members and National Council revealed serious concerns about loss of replays and the impact that could have on the magic of the competition.
“The FA Cup is the oldest domestic cup competition in the world, an asset of national importance, and we have shared those concerns with the FA as its primary custodians.”
The BBC report: