Exeter City hoping to book their spot in FA Cup third round

IF the first round of the FA Cup was anything to go by, then certain results across the country added plenty of weight to the argument that replays should not be scrapped from the competition.

This is the first year that replays are no longer part of the FA Cup ’s rich 153-year history, a decision, in the words of Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell, that was made “by people higher up, for people higher up” – and who are we to disagree?

Exeter have their own story to tell on FA Cup replays – it was that goalless draw with Manchester United and subsequent replay at St James Park that helped save the football club back in 2005 – but the Grecians are not alone. In fact, I dare say that every club outside of the game’s elite will have a romantic FA Cup story to tell.

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In round one, National South side Weston-super-Mare missed out on a lucrative replay with Bristol Rovers after their tie finished 1-1 at the Mem after 90 minutes. Matt Taylor’s side went on to win in extra-time, but there were several other ties that finished level after 90 minutes, only for the underdog to be put down in extra-time, rather than get the replay they had earned and deserved. Frankly, it’s a nonsense - and Caldwell doesn’t like it either.

“Replays are a big thing for the football pyramid in terms of finances,” the Exeter boss said. “You’ve seen over the years the drawn games that give them that lucrative tie away from home, or whatever it is, and it actually saves some football clubs in terms of the finance that it provides.

“I don’t agree with that, I think there could have been space made elsewhere. I don’t agree with Premier League clubs playing all over the world (post and pre-season) and creating more money for the clubs that have the most money.

“I still believe, in England, they have a brilliant football pyramid that should be protected and looked after and this is one of those decisions that hasn’t done that.

“I think it’s a decision made by the people higher up that has only benefited the people higher up and I think we have to protect the football pyramid as much as we can and too many decisions now aren’t doing that, in my opinion.”

Caldwell is certainly a traditionalist at heart, but then again, he is one of the few that have actually lifted the FA Cup, as club captain of Wigan Athletic when they beat Manchester City 1-0 in the 2013 final.

Today. Exeter are at the second round stage and welcome his former club Chesterfield to St James Park with the carrot of a place in Monday’s potentially lucrative third round draw tantalisingly hanging in front of their noses.

“It’s a brilliant competition,” the Scot said. “I think it’s a competition that has been devalued a little bit in recent years because of Champions League and the kind of the football looking at it as a lesser competition than other competitions within the season.

“Obviously, taking the replays out, I think is a huge mistake and a massive blow for lower league clubs but it’s still a really special competition that I take very seriously and, like I said, hopefully we get a run where we can face some of the bigger clubs, some Premier League clubs, whether it’s at SJP or away. It would be a really special occasion, so we’ll do everything we can to try and get us there.”

Easier said than done, of course, and Exeter go into the game with several players nursing knocks and niggles.

“It’s that time of year when it gets cold, the effects of the season start to take its toll on the group,” Caldwell said. “Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, I think, for the next eight weeks, we face that proposition, so the squad is stretched and everyone is fighting to be ready.

“Reece Cole’s training fully, now. We’ll assess him and keep talking to Michael (McBride) and see where his progression is. Physically, he needs to get up to a speed and be ready to play. But he has been full training for probably four or five days now, so it’s great to have him back.

“It’s because he’s had such a stop-start season we want to make sure that, this time, when he comes back, he comes back and stays in the team right until the end of the season.”