The Football Association’s sudden plan to introduce radical reform to the FA Cup threatens to rob fans of any repeat of the iconic moments that have made the famous tournament what it is today.
FA Cup replays will be scrapped next season as concerns grow about the impact an increasingly congested calendar could have on player welfare. The move might prove popular with many Premier League managers, but clubs in the lower divisions will miss out on payments that can come from playing a replay against those in the top flight. Many fans fear some of the "magic" that makes the world's oldest national football competition so special will also go missing - as replays have brought giant-killings, epic comebacks and iconic goals that are etched into the memories of supporters up and down the country.
New changes to the format of the FA Cup, including an end to replays and the final being played during the league season, have been met with strong criticism