Notts County: English football 'set to lose part of its soul'
The Magpies become latest side to criticise abolition of FA Cup replays
Notts County are the latest club to criticise plans to scrap FA Cup replays next season, claiming English Football is set to 'lose a part of its soul'.
The Football Association announced on Thursday it had reached an agreement with the Premier League on the future format and funding of the competition, which would include all replays from the first round being abolished.
In a statement issued by the Magpies this afternoon, the club has said the decision takes away a 'huge element' of what makes the FA Cup so universally revered. It said:
"We share the immense disappointment, frustration and sadness expressed by clubs, supporters and organisations following the news that the format of the FA Cup will be changing next season.
"Over the course of its 153-year history, the FA Cup has established itself as the world’s most treasured domestic competition thanks to the incredible stories it has produced – not only of drama on the field, but also of fortunes being transformed thanks to lucrative and high-profile progression through the rounds.
"The abolition of replays, therefore, takes away a huge element of what makes the FA Cup so universally revered while also significantly impacting the potential for clubs to generate much-needed additional revenue at a time when the pursuit of financial sustainability should be everyone’s top priority.
"As the world's oldest professional football club, and past winners of the FA Cup, we're very sad to see that English football is set to lose a part of its soul."
A number of EFL clubs have criticised the changes and insisted they were not consulted, with the FA releasing a statement on Friday saying it understood those concerns and would share details with them about how any shortfall in lost replay revenue may be made up.
However, the EFL said this was just the most recent example of how the league and its clubs were being sidelined, with the Premier League clubs having also decided to halt discussions over a new financial settlement with the EFL.
"This latest agreement between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just a further example of how the EFL and its clubs are being marginalised in favour of others further up the pyramid and that only serves to threaten the future of the English game," the EFL's statement on Friday afternoon said.
"The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their footballing partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues directly affecting our clubs."