‘Big worry for the future of the FA Cup’ – Concerns have been raised over the attendance for Sheffield United v Cardiff.
The FA Cup’s traditional charm is being challenged by significant format changes for the 2024/25 season, including the removal of replays and scheduling third-round matches on non-traditional days like Thursday nights, which has led to fan dissatisfaction.
This season marks the 144th edition without replays, a controversial decision reflecting broader concerns about the competition’s prestige and its comparison to less prestigious tournaments like the Carabao Cup.
Cian Ashford scored the only goal of the game in the 19th minute, sending Championship strugglers Cardiff through and dumping second tier high-flyers Sheffield United out, where the attendance was notably low, confirmed to be 6,126, and exemplifies the impact of these changes on the atmosphere and fan engagement, highlighting a potential decline in the competition’s appeal.
Commentator Ian Darke (@IanDarke) posted via Twitter: “That 6,000 crowd at Sheffield United tonight is a big worry for the future of the FA Cup. Years of managers picking virtual reserve teams has sadly led to a lot of fans saying: “ If you don’t care, why should we?“.
That 6,000 crowd at Sheffield United tonight is a big worry for the future of the FA Cup. Years of managers picking virtual reserve teams has sadly led to a lot of fans saying : “ If you don’t care , why should we ? “
— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) January 9, 2025
Good on the few Cardiff fans that made the long journey to Sheffield tonight for the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United.
There was only 6,000 in attendance at Bramall Lane tonight, organising this game for a Thursday evening just shows how little fans are thought of when… pic.twitter.com/onls7mz6sU
— The Away Fans (@theawayfans) January 9, 2025
‘Big worry for future of FA Cup’ – Twitter users give their reaction amid concerns raised over the attendance for Sheffield United v Cardiff…
@Baldulent: Pretty sure a lot more than 6,000 would have gone had it been at 3pm ko on Saturday.
@edward_w97: This is how one of the landmark weekends in the calendar now begins, on a Thursday night, in a not even 20% full Bramall Lane. 32 ties, only 9 are at 3pm on Saturday. You have no right to still market this as the greatest cup competition in the world when you’ve done this to it.
@TheDB30: Playing all Championship ties on a Thursday night for overseas TV, scrapping replays without consulting 97% of its participants, semi finals at Wembley taking the shine off the final. Is it any wonder people are losing the will to give a rats arse about it?
@KyleRJCurran: Who wants to go and watch a boring FA Cup game on a Thursday night ? It should be on a Saturday at 3pm like the tradition
@dharvey4: Give the winners a Champions League place, that would change things
@HJJ92_: 39k at Goodison tonight vs mid table L1 opposition
@chelsea_podcast: It is also the watering down of the competition! This all started when the BBC stopped all day coverage of the final. And it is also to do with the financial side of things now sadly! In the 90s winning the FA Cup was far greater than finishing in the top 4 for example. I think an extra Champions League spot should be awarded to the winners of the competition
@_stonyd: Thursday night football just a weeek after New Year doesn’t help at all
@MarkVanMan72: TV companies don’t help.
@Daren0109: Go back to Saturday 3pm kick off ffs, that 6,000 crowd would be 20,000 plus on a Saturday.
@trevk37: Lot there in the wrong, Thursday night, just for TV, those two being the main ones, weather and a 7pm ko easily didn’t help, FA just helping devaluing their own competition as the clubs have done, clueless.
@Markmoorhouse2: Meanwhile Sheffield Wednesday have Sold out the Coventry away end with over 5k fans in the FA Cup this Saturday & no premier league in 25 years WOW🤔
@RedAlert1963:
Your missing the point Ian
The FA are to blame
Matches Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday
Various kick off times
Semi Finals at Wembley
Final 5pm Kick Off
The FA ruined their own competition
It was the best
Now no different to the League Cup
So sad
@Simon_Stokes7: Get the majority of games at 3pm on a Saturday, the semi finals not at Wembley and the final at 3pm on a Saturday and you’d get your FA Cup back.
@heyit5sam: How on earth can you blame the clubs 😂 making Cardiff travel to Sheffield on a Thursday night. That’s using up 2 days annual holiday for people who work. But it’s the fans fault for not showing up 😂 ALL these games should be Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Nobody to blame bar the FA
@Col00156481: The 3rd Round of the FA Cup on Saturday at 3pm, was one of the greatest football days in the history of football. I think that day needs to be brought back, I doubt it will. Now it’s diluted so much, it means nothing. Very sad.
@thebillster1: Stop thursday night games. All games 3pm saturday, all tv games at 12pm 5pm sat, and 12pm 2pm 4pm sunday with lowest ranked teams. And a 7-4 rule. 7 first team, with over a number of league apps per round, increasing each round, and the 4 either reserve or youth players.
@McBobbyBruce: 3 x 3rd round games on a Thursday night leading up to what used to be a great weekend of FA Cup football????
@jackalhall: Correct Ian. Premier teams especially would rather finish 15th than go on a cup run. Everyone just assumes big teams are gonna win it. I doubt we’ll see likes of Pompey, Wigan, Coventry & Wimbledon win it again. Football is so boring now
@Blades_Mad: Or the FA disrespecting their own competition by putting game at 7pm on a Thursday night. They encourage clubs to treat them as pre season friendlies
@AntSSimo19: Do agree but the FA have to look at themselves in how they’ve sold out the competition in allowing the big clubs to dictate to them. And allowing 7pm KO’s on a working day is frankly ridiculous. Vast empty terraces is a shocking look for their competition.
@capenhurstkid: Nothing says the magic of the FA cup like Sheffield Utd v Cardiff on a thursday night televised with zero public transport for the away fans to get home. Point missed.
@1walt4it: Absolutely no reason for this game to be played on a Thursday night. Erosion of the cup being played out in front of our eyes.
@CraigLadson: Moving the game to a Thursday night didn’t help. The FA devalued the competition to keep 6 so called big teams happy.
@AdamRedman80: Awful KO times, no replays, Wembley Semis which nobody enjoys (neutral ground semis were almost as/more entertaining than the final), VAR killing the joy (see Coventry), the final being played whilst the season is still on, untraditional sponsors. It’s a different competition!
@daneshaw8: 7pm on a Thursday. The logistics for the away fans. The 150 Cardiff fans that made that trip tonight deserve a free ticket to their next fa cup game! The Fa have killed this competition. I will put my house on one of the top 6 winning the fa cup for the next 15 years.
@TuftyMUFC: Proves that fans don’t matter when they stick games on a Thursday night.
@JamieCapewell: It’s the Fa that have ruined the competition not the managers, fans or clubs. 3 matches Thursday nights, 2 Friday night, 19 matches Saturday with 8 different kick off times, 7 matches Sunday with 4 different kick off times & 1 game Monday night. Semi finals at Wembley, no replays
@MPH1982: Sticking it on a Thursday night doesn’t exactly help the situation
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