Sheffield United boss's honest verdict on big FA Cup rule change after "big boys" admission

Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, has admitted that as a “traditionalist” he would have preferred the FA Cup format to change the same after today’s confirmation that replays have been scrapped from the first round onwards. The decision, which the EFL has described as "frustrating and disappointing", will come into force from next season.

The move to abolish all replays from the first round proper onwards is part of a new agreement between the FA and the Premier League which will see up to an extra £33million going to grassroots football from the top flight each season.

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The FA had already scrapped replays from the fifth round onwards and said the move to ditch them altogether had been agreed "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions". The FA said all rounds would now be played at the weekend, with the fifth phase having moved to midweek for the last five seasons.

Sources at the EFL have suggested that the league was not involved with discussions about the decision and Wilder, speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Burnley this weekend, said: "The game is dictated and dominated by the big boys and they don't want FA Cup replays do they. There'll be an argument they're bringing all the money in. What does that do to non-league clubs getting the fairytale draw in round 3 at home and the financial implications and getting a draw at a big club.

“There' s been clubs that have had FA Cup runs and replays that have benefited themselves for the next three, four and five years. With my pathway and history I've been at both ends of the scale and for me it's a great reward for lower-league clubs to allow them to earn that replay and go to a bigger club or have that game at home. I am a traditionalist but the game is moving on and people are trying to push against more minutes in a game.”

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Trevor Birch, the former United CEO who is now in the same position at the EFL, said today: "Whilst the league had previously been involved in discussions over the future of the calendar, these were predicated on the agreement of a new financial deal with the Premier League for EFL clubs which has not progressed.

"This is frustrating and disappointing given the calendar is a shared asset across football, and as we have consistently said a whole game approach is required to find solutions to complex fixture scheduling challenges.

"Our domestic calendar has been put under extreme pressure by the expansion of UEFA competitions and ultimately this represents another lost traditional revenue stream for EFL clubs at a time when the financial gap between the biggest clubs and those further down the pyramid is growing bigger than ever. We will now be discussing the implications for EFL clubs and seeking appropriate compensation arrangements."