Neil Critchley criticises Blackpool's treatment and the lack of transparency since FA Cup postponement

The postponement was made due to an FA investigation concerning the visitors to Bloomfield Road- relating to the use of an ineligible player in their previous outing in the competition against Scarborough Athletic.

David Horseman’s side admitted the charge, but will remain in the competition, with a resolution announced on Wednesday night.

Forest Green will now take on non-league Scarborough on December 12, in what will be the third game between the two, before the winner of that fixture meet the Seasiders on December 19- which leaves Critchley’s side with six games in 17 days.

"The statement came out at 8.30pm, I found out just before that- we had been waiting all day,” the Blackpool boss explained.

"It’s just hugely frustrating. We’ve written to the FA, so let’s wait and see if we get any acknowledgement of our concerns. The lack of communication has been really poor in my opinion. I don’t think it’s been handled correctly.

"We’re disappointed because we’re the innocent party in this saga and we’re going to be the ones that suffer. Forest Green have made a mistake, they get to play again, and Scarborough get an opportunity to go into the next round, but through no fault of our own we’re going have to play a game at a time when we don’t want to. We feel really aggrieved by it all.

"The first match was November 4, and apparently that’s when the ineligible player played, but we’ve not found out until December. That strikes as incompetence to me.

"If we had pulled out of the game on Friday evening then the sanctions we would’ve faced would’ve been huge. We’ve not had an apology and there’s been a lack of transparency for what’s taken place. As a football club we’ve been disrespected, it’s been totally out of order.

"I can accept mistakes, but then you’ve got to hold your hands up. We’ve written to the FA to express our disappointment of the situation- whether we play the game or not we don’t know yet, we’ll see what happens.

"We were ready to play the first game, and if it’s on the 19th then we’ll be ready. The ideal time would’ve been last Saturday, and we would’ve done if they had done their job properly.

"I feel we’ve been wronged as a football club, and when that happens you stand up for yourself.

"Everyone’s got a busy schedule coming up, and it is what it is. That’s not the problem, it’s the way the episode has played out and how we’ve been disrespected.

"Forest Green have made a mistake; so did Barnsley, and they paid the price. This situation is slightly different I believe, but there’s been a lack of communication. It’s like they’ve swept it under the carpet. There should’ve been a lot more clarity.

"The FA have had a committee investigating Forest Green, but who investigates the investigators.”