Peterborough United co-owner slams FA over Cup changes which will inflict more financial pain on lower division clubs

The FA have reduced their flagship competition prize fund to 2017-18 levels because of the financial issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic and replays have gone to ease the pressure caused by a late start to competitive fixtures.

But MacAnthony believes those decisions will just inflict more financial pain on those clubs most in need of help.

MacAnthony used the latest edition of his ‘Hard Truth’ podcast to say: “It’s terrible news for the lower division clubs.

“To cut the potential to earn money at a time when clubs need to improve cashflow makes me wonder what on earth is going on with the football authorities.

“I was hoping to hear about a financial bailout package from the EFL this week, but all we’ve been offered so far is an advance on our January TV money which we’d budgeted for anyway.

“Bills are due now. The VAT is due, the deferred player wages are due and clubs are about to go through a time that will be choppy financially so the last thing we needed was more bad news.

“If we get to the fourth round of the FA Cup it can be worth about £350k to us, but we would get much less now and we will probably have to host games with reduced capacity crowds. The incentive of windfalls from replays has also been removed.

“If we were to achieve the impossible and hold Liverpool or Manchester United to a draw at our place the £1.7 million we would expect to make from a replay has been taken away.

“That sort of money is life-changing for clubs in the lower divisions. I’ve waited 15 years to draw one of the biggest clubs and knowing my luck this season will be the one where we draw Liverpool and we have to play it behind closed doors. We only budget to make £50k from the FA Cup every season so anything above that is a bonus, but the FA have just made life a lot harder.”

A first-round win in 2019/20 would have earned £36,000, but next season that has been reduced to £22,629.

Second round win prize money has been cut from £54,000 to £34,000, and a third-round win now worth £82k compared to £135k