Blackpool boss questions 'integrity' of FA Cup in passionate rant as Nottingham Forest await victors

Neil Critchley has questioned the integrity of the FA Cup and admits Blackpool have added motivation to beat Forest Green Rovers following the recent saga. The tie was due to be played on Saturday, December 2 however the game was postponed because Forest Green fielded an ineligible player in their first-round replay against Scarborough Athletic.

In an amendment to the rules, Blackpool's match with Forest Green will be decided on Tuesday night, with there being no time for a replay. The Tangerines have four League One fixtures from December 23 to January 1, and so the decision was made to offer the potential of extra-time and penalties.

"Ideally we would have liked to have played it when it was due to be played," began Critchley.

"The schedule is the schedule, we're ready and we want to play in the competition, we want to play tomorrow night and we want to win. However through my opinion, the FA's incompetence from something happening on the fourth of November, and us not being alerted until the first of December, they have disrupted us as a football club.

"It's not just the players, and staff it's everyone at the ground, all of our supporters and now we're being made to play a game when we shouldn't be having to play this game. As yet we've still not had an apology for that which I find absolutely outrageous to be honest with you.

"If people would have shown a bit of humility, held their hands up and apologised it's easier to accept. It's almost as if we're in the wrong a little bit then you feel very aggrieved. I can assure you we are more than doubly determined to win tomorrow night and get to play Nottingham Forest away in the third round.

An away tie at Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest awaits the victor of the second round tie. A date and time had already been set for that match despite there being still two matches to be played, and that tie will take place on Sunday, January 7 at 2.00 pm.

Asked if more efforts have been made towards ensuring the third-round tie is played on the original weekend, Critchley responded: "Yeah, very much so. That's actually been said to us that at the third round they try to keep clear because it's an important day in the football calendar.

"How you can decide that our game which is a second-round game and it is the first game is going to be played till the finish with extra-time and penalties is beyond me. It just smacks of changing the rules or making them up as you go along just to suit yourself. Surely the integrity of the competition has to be in question?"

A discussion point amongst lower league clubs is the future of FA Cup replays, amid reports that they could soon be a thing of the post. It was reported in October 2023 by the Daily Mail that FA Cup third and fourth round replays would be scrapped potentially from next season because of the expanded Champions League and the new international football calendar.

Another change to what Blackpool are used to is that VAR (video assistant referee's) could be in place for their match with Forest. The Reds because they are a Premier League club have the technology at their ground could use it, however should the tie be taken to a replay at Bloomfield Road, then it would not be permitted to be used.

"In terms of the competition, the rules are the rules and they have to be there and abide to from the start," said Critchley. You can't just change them through the competition. I think there's a few things that need to be looked at. VAR is in some cases at some grounds, well I just don't see how that can be right.

"It's the haves and the haves not. Just because you're a bigger football club and you've got the technology and the money to have VAR, that might be a decision that goes for you or against you that could cost you or help you make an enormous amount of money in this competition.

Because we're lower down the football pyramid and we don't have it then how can that be right? It baffles me. I'm sure they'll have a reason for it, I don't know what that is.