Coventry City of the Championship reached the semi-final of the FA Cup only to lose to Manchester United on penalties. — AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

Believe it or not, but occasionally, and I mean really occasionally, it might be better to draw a football match than actually winning it.

Bear with me. There’s a method to my madness.

In England, the oldest cup competition is the FA Cup, which is open to all eligible clubs down to Level 9 of the English football league system with Level 10 clubs acting as stand-ins in the event of non-entries from above.

That means, by the time the so called ‘big boys’ of the Premier League get involved, there’s a very good chance some non-league, and lower division clubs, are still in the competition.

So there’s a possibility a very small club may play the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United.

It’s matches like these that produce what’s commonly known as, the magic of the FA Cup.

If that happens, then a draw may be better than a win, financially speaking, of course.

If Liverpool have to travel to a non-league side, and the game finishes in a draw, a reply is held at Anfield.

The potential revenue from this second match, and the television rights that will undoubtedly follow, is a fortune for a non-league club, and probably the type of money that will ensure their survival for many years to come.

That was the case, until now.

In their great wisdom, the people in charge at the English Football Association have decided to scrap replays from the first round onwards next season.

This has angered many, and even UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chipped in.

His deputy spokesman said on behalf of the PM: "David and Goliath fixtures are a part of the magic of the cup and we know that replays have been a welcome source of income for smaller clubs throughout the years."

The reason is fixture congestion, especially for those clubs playing in the later stages of European competitions.

The decision has been slated by lower league clubs.

Fair Game, the coalition of clubs who want greater financial sustainability within English football, hit out with their CEO Niall Couper, saying: “Scrapping FA Cup replays from the first round proper deprives lower league clubs of a much-needed source of revenue. This is a short-sighted move that does nothing to strengthen the game. It is another nail in the coffin for the already crumbling football pyramid.”

And while I agree, there are too many games especially in the second half of the season, this decision is a real kick in the teeth for smaller, and obviously poorer, football teams.

There needs to be a rethink, and I don’t admit to having the answer myself, but if the decision is upheld it could be the end of those clubs struggling financially.

And any magic in the FA Cup will surely disappear. — VNS