Exclusive:
Following the FA’s decision to end replays last week, a thousand people rallied together in a demonstration to ensure the survival of local communities.
Football fans have backed our campaign to bring back FA Cup replays to help local communities.
A thousand supporters took part in a pre-match protest at AFC Wimbledon’s League One game against Walsall, where one giant banner spelled out the message: “Save our FA Cup.”
We launched our crusade alongside Fair Game, which represents 34 clubs, after the FA decided to end replays last week.
The move will hit smaller clubs and their communities hard, denying them vital cash from gate receipts and TV deals when they are drawn against bigger teams.
FA bosses claim clubs will not lose out as there will be more televised games in the early rounds of the competition.
But Fair Game chief Niall Couper said: “They’ve read the room wrong.”
Niall, who was at the Wimbledon demo, added: “This shows the grass roots element of football and how important it is to local communities.”
Dons fan David Saker, 72, watched his team beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final in 1988. He was at the protest with wife Laraine, 69, son Andrew, 43, an grandchildren Jack, 10, and Amelie, six.
He said FA Cup replays have been ”a massive thing” for his community, adding: “This decision risks destroying the history of the competition.”
The demo was set up by Hector Weir, 15, who urged other fans to back our campaign.
Sign the petition at tinyurl.com/yc782h5z
