Coventry’s late win over Premier League side Wolves and Manchester United’s extra time victory over rivals Liverpool are just two examples from this weekend of why the oldest domestic cup competition is alive and well and should be cherished, not changed.
News emerged last week that the FA plan to scrap FA Cup replays from the third round onwards and have all ties settled in one game.
But doing away with replays kills a lot of the romance of the FA Cup and denies teams from outside of the Premier League the chance of a famous upset as well as much needed extra revenue.
Here is a five point plan to save the FA Cup:
1. Keep replays
Replays are a key part of what makes The FA Cup great and unique - especially in the early rounds. Hereford 2-1 Newcastle from 1972, Tottenham 3-4 Man City from 2004 and of course Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal from 1999. Those games all tick the box in favour of replays due to entertainment. For lower league sides there is the financial reward too with more money from gate receipts and potential TV money too. This money is vital for clubs lower down the leagues.
2. Cap ticket prices
Football is an expensive sport to watch and when you cannot guarantee that a Premier League side won’t make 11 changes for an FA Cup game you run the risk of paying to see a reserve side - and nobody wants to pay £30 to see that. So cap tickets at £20 for adults and between £1 and £5 for juniors and pack the grounds up and down the country.
3. Play (most) games at 3pm on a Saturday - including the final
The TV blackout rule in England restricts games being broadcast at 3pm, but put a stop to games being played on Friday and Monday nights. TV games can be played on Saturdays and Sundays with the majority of games taking place at 3pm on a Saturday - and this includes the FA Cup final.
4. Don’t hold the semi-finals at Wembley
Wembley in the national stadium and playing there should be reserved for international games and finals only. Getting to Wembley should be an achievement, a day out for fans. Something different, something special. There is nothing special about making a pilgrimage to a ground you played at a month earlier. Semi-finals should be played at neutral grounds and decided based on who makes the semi-finals. Grounds in London (Emirates/Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), Midlands (Villa Park) and North West (City of Manchester/Anfield). Alternatively, use the Principality Stadium in Cardiff for both semi-finals, but save Wembley for the final only.
5. Give the winners of the FA Cup a Champions League place
If you want Premier League sides to take the competition seriously in the early rounds then dangle a proper incentive in front of them - a Champions League place. The Champions League stopped being exclusively for ‘champions’ a long time ago, so why not reward the FA Cup winners with a place at Europe’s top table and not to fourth (or fifth) place in the Premier League.
In conclusion...
The FA has the biggest and best Cup competition in the world and the most unique thing about it, its history. And you can't buy history.
You can buy everything, you can buy a new cup tournament for Premier League teams, you can buy a tour of Asia or America, you can do all of these things that bring in money, but you can’t buy the FA Cup.
And that is why it is so special and the FA should be very careful about changing it.
Read more:
Manchester United and City kept apart in FA Cup semi-final draw
