Leeds United’s stance on FA Cup replay modifications was exposed last week, despite the lack of a statement, with the club opposing the governing bodies’ decision to remove replays.
As a Championship club aiming for promotion or a Premier League club fighting to stay in the division, the Whites haven’t always considered the FA Cup a top priority.
However, as football’s oldest competition, it has been regarded with respect by managers and fans eager to see Leeds add to their single FA Cup victory.
FA Cup replay alterations confirmed; now canceled.
A contentious FA Cup bombshell was delivered last month when the FA reaffirmed their decision to eliminate replays starting next season.
The accord comes after extensive conversations between the FA and the Premier League, with some loud top-flight managers regularly belittling the FA Cup while complaining about fixture congestion.
Angus Kinnear discusses Leeds United’s perspective on FA Cup replay adjustments.
Unsurprisingly, the announcement sparked strong reactions from dozens of EFL and non-league clubs that rely significantly on FA Cup money, particularly a costly replay against a larger team.
Leeds did not issue a statement at the time, however an overview of the most recent Supporters Advisory Board meeting showed CEO Angus Kinnear being queried about the matter, to which he was quoted as saying:
“AK says the club is upset with the FA Cup replay adjustments and how they were implemented.
“EFL were not part of the decision.”
The elimination of FA Cup replays is a nonsense, as it completely benefits the major clubs
If it wasn’t evident from earlier judgments, the regulatory organizations do an excellent job of favoring the larger teams each year.
Only a few managers have made their sentiments regarding replays known, and you can predict who they are since they never stop talking about it – happily, one of them will not be in the same dugout next season to further split his ivory tower.
It’s reassuring to know we’re on the right side of this argument, given that our trip to Plymouth earlier in the season generated a significant amount of revenue.
