[Football] FA Cup Replays.

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Look at Spurs in the third round. Were second best all game, went to ET and spurs then were fitter so able to out last them and win in ET, meaning non-league Tamworth missed out on going back to to Spurs with a draw. Think of the money they would have made.

Pens at 90 mins would have meant we would probably have gone out on pens at the weekend...

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Agreed, maybe they could make no replays from round 5 but still keep them until that point?

No.

Will we ever agree about anything?

My money is on 'no'.

 

[Washie]

Pens at 90 mins would have meant we would probably have gone out on pens at the weekend...

I never advocated for pens at 90

 

[Bodian]

If people had a big interest in watching the replays, they'd still be around, because big interest = big money.

But in reality there was usually massive drop-offs in attendance.

Is that actually the case? Not doubting you - but it's not something I was aware of - is it evidenced somewhere?

And I guess there may have been a difference between one replay and 2-3 replays? I can see there would be drop off on the 2nd/ 3rd replay - but on the first one?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I never advocated for pens at 90

No, I was merely musing.

 

[Chicken Run]

I tend to agree. People tend not to like change, but this is a good thing IMO.

I do wish the FAC winner was given a UCL place and the runner up a Europa League spot though. I know that's not in the FA's hands, but if it was, you'd see interest in the cup absolutely skyrocket.

Normally i’d agree but on reflection this years competition to date seems to be taken a bit more seriously in terms of team strengths

 

[Brovion]

I used to love replays in the FA Cup but times change. These days there just seems to be SO much football that I quite like the Cups being different. Have come around to the idea that the jeopardy of it all being decided on the day adds to the drama.

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same. Years ago they used to have unlimited replays. If the tie was drawn you'd have a replay. If that was drawn you'd have another replay at a neutral ground. If that was drawn you'd have another, and you'd keep on having replays until someone won. (The infamous 'Ron Challis' replay against Palace was a 2nd replay at Stamford Bridge, and I think the all-time replay record was four). I remember when they scrapped multiple replays and introduced the, shock horror, penalty shootout I thought it was 'The End Of Football As We know It', and I would have been apoplectic at the thought of scrapping replays altogether.

And yet when they did scrap them my views had changed and I just went 'Meh, probably a good thing'. It does undoubtedly add to the drama and yes, it does reduce fixture congestion. Also I've noticed that clubs take the FA Cup a bit more seriously; you don't get the 'Eleven changes' thing that used to be pretty much the rule, especially for big clubs and especially in the earlier rounds. (It does happen but not so much IMO). Ditto fans seem to be more interested and the stadia seem to be fuller.

The scrapping replays hasn't been all good of course, I did really feel for Tamworth when they played Spurs, they'd deserved their day out in London, but overall I think it's been a positive move.


EDIT: Just googled it and the all-time replay record was actually five! In 1971-72 Alvechurch and Oxford City played six games: the original tie and five replays!

 

[Simster]

Normally i’d agree but on reflection this years competition to date seems to be taken a bit more seriously in terms of team strengths

They certainly have, but that is reflection of where they are in the league. Note that Ipswich played a second string at Forest, as did other relegation threatened clubs earlier in the season.

Every team still in the FA Cup except PNE is between 3rd and 12th in the Premier League. No danger of relegation or winning the league, so why not go for it? It is refreshing that those clubs are trying to win it, rather than blatantly prioritising a European place of whatever sort. (Or maybe they are, but not at the cost of throwing away FA Cup success, which is at it should be). And Preston themselves are firmly mid table so this is their season too.

 

[rippleman]

Look at Spurs in the third round. Were second best all game, went to ET and spurs then were fitter so able to out last them and win in ET, meaning non-league Tamworth missed out on going back to to Spurs with a draw. Think of the money they would have made.

Apologies as I haven't read the entire thread yet.

This is a significant issue; the damage done to lower league / non league clubs by the revenue loss from a replay. I would therefore like to suggest that if a L1 downwards club takes a PL or Championship club to extra time (and subsequently loses), there should be a way of paying financial compensation.

If the big club is at home, the small club should get an additional 25% (??) of the gate receipts.

If the small club is at home it's trickier to come up with how to compute the "compensation". Maybe based on the value of the away tickets sold (eg 3000 @£30 = £90K). Trivial and insignificant to PL or Championship side. (Its about 3 weeks JPVH wages)

This was just an EPL stitch-up and I'm sad we were party to it. It wasn't so long ago when we were that "small club" in dire straights and struggling to survive. How easy it is to forget eh?

 

[Eeyore]

Replays for the first three rounds, I think. Thereafter as is now.

Even as a kid, I did wonder that replays were not a great thing. When Arsenal won the cup in 1979 they played ten matches. Ironically, Sheffield Wednesday, who they beat in the third round after four replays, played 9 matches in that cup.

 

[Eeyore]

Of course, a radical proposal could be as follows:

No FA Cup replays from the third round onwards EXCEPT for any team outwith the Div 1 & 2 who would be playing away to the Div 1 opposition.

Seems a bit left field, but would, like many ideas, seem normal after a while.

 

[The Optimist]

Look at Spurs in the third round. Were second best all game, went to ET and spurs then were fitter so able to out last them and win in ET, meaning non-league Tamworth missed out on going back to to Spurs with a draw. Think of the money they would have made.

Tamworth potentially benefited from no replays by getting through the previous two rounds on penalty shootouts. Had there been replays they might not have got to the 3rd round

 

[dsr-burnley]

Perhaps they should give each team the option of replay or no replay. If both vote for replay, no problem; if both vote for no replay, then it's penalties. (Maybe extra time could be on the options list too.) But if one votes for replay and the other no replay, then the one willing to play a replay goes through.

They could make it a "sealed bid" system if they like. Votes to be given in a sealed envelope to the ref and opened at full time!

 

[Birdie Boy]

Of course, a radical proposal could be as follows:

No FA Cup replays from the third round onwards EXCEPT for any team outwith the Div 1 & 2 who would be playing away to the Div 1 opposition.

Seems a bit left field, but would, like many ideas, seem normal after a while.

There is no Div 1 or Div 2...

I like the idea of no replays from 5th round, it is fairer on the lower league clubs.

 

[Eeyore]

There is no Div 1 or Div 2...

I like the idea of no replays from 5th round, it is fairer on the lower league clubs.

To me the Premier League is still Division One. It stops it from being seen as a separate entity in my mind.

Albion are a Division One team.