The National League has written to its clubs saying they support abolishing FA Cup replays from next season’s first round but could retain them in the competition’s qualifying rounds.
In another sign of the growing divisions within the game, the National League is understood to be supporting the FA and Premier League’s stance on scrapping replays in direct opposition to the position taken by the EFL, which openly condemned the move when it was made. announced last week.
In a letter to all 24 National League clubs, chief executive Mark Ives backs the controversial decision to abandon first-round replays, saying there is not enough room in the schedule to accommodate them.
Non-league clubs experience match congestion problems in the same way as those at the elite levels of the game, with many of them competing in a wide variety of cup competitions and suffering more postponements due to bad weather in the winter.
Ives has also reportedly said that replays could be retained in the qualifying rounds, although the decision will be made this summer following talks between the clubs.
The National League has backed the FA and Premier League in the decision to scrap FA Cup replays from the first round, putting them at odds with the EFL.
National League club Aldershot Town knocked out Stockport County League Two in a second round replay in December.
National League Eastleigh took League Two Newport County to a third round replay
There are six qualifying rounds for the FA Cup beginning each August before the first round proper begins, when clubs from Leagues One and Two enter the competition, in November.
Ives’ letter is also believed to confirm that the National League had known that replays had been abolished for several weeks.