English football is in uproar after the FA and Premier League struck a deal to scrap FA Cup replays due to the expansion of the European competitions from next season.
The FA did not discuss the controversial move with the FA Cup Committee and lower-league clubs are aghast as replays are a huge financial aid.
Here, Lincoln City CEO Liam Scully discusses how the new was received at his club and their disappointment at the decision.
When it was announced FA Cup replays were to be scrapped, we at Lincoln City were surprised. We found out this information by press release. That is not normally how the football family communicates decisions.
We all have question marks over the governance of this and how we reached this point. The fact we have not had a debate or discussion is the biggest concern for us. We had talked about the football calendar in meetings but certainly not been asked to vote.
At Lincoln we believe in the importance of caring for the wider ecosystem of the game. In 2021, for example, when playing the Isthmian League side Bowers and Pitsea in the first round, the club donated its share of gate receipts to them knowing how much difference it would make.
In terms of Lincoln, the football club and our recent history is synonymous with the FA Cup. In 2017 we were the first post-War non-League team to reach the quarter-finals (only losing to eventual winners Arsenal). We built a training ground on the back of the financial proceeds.
Nathan Arnold scored a 91st-minute winner in a third-round replay at home to Ipswich. They were in the Championship at the time and we were in non-League, but a few years later we were playing each other in League One. The replay was the catalyst to get us up the divisions.
We have to be careful we don’t just talk about the club, but also the local community. These games are also pay-days for local businesses. Teams at our level survive on a lot of goodwill and the fact we can dream of these moments — with replays — is incredibly important.
The most visible and tangible legacy is our new training ground, majority-funded by that run. Without that, this club would be a very different place. We nearly went from non-League to the Championship in four years, only losing in the play-off final. The replay made that possible.
The true legacy is the fanbase, as we went from an average 3,000 attendance to 9,000 now. A cup run captures hearts and minds. This competition has 150 years of legacy and history, it’s a heritage item. We should be aware of that.
Our behaviour and actions now have to be exemplary. We’re disappointed. While we feel slighted, it’s our job now as clubs and members to engage with the powers-that-be and look to find solutions. But there will need to be remedies as this situation is not acceptable.