BRADFORD City fans were no doubt transported back to almost exactly three years ago when they heard about their youth team’s FA Cup disaster a few weeks ago.
The teen Bantams had reached the second round and a tie with Accrington Stanley after winning at Blyth Spartans on penalties.
But then things took a turn for the weird.
That trip to the North East had a nasty sting in the tail, as City’s coaching staff accidentally made more than the allotted number of substitutions.
That was only announced several days later, and it meant a tie the Bantams thought was over had to be replayed.
Surely, as Blyth were the ones who had done nothing wrong, City would have to go back there?
Not quite, as Spartans were made to travel all the way down to Brighouse Town (Valley Parade was unavailable) for the second edition of the fixture.
Blyth did win on penalties, so justice was at least served in that respect.
That must be an FA template for when sides break rules in cup ties then?
Well, based on other instances that are the same or similar, it seems the organisation are making it up as they go along.
Back in November 2021, there was a rare instance of the above incident happening in senior football.
City’s first team had drawn 1-1 at home to Exeter in the FA Cup first round, then lost 3-0 after extra-time in the replay down in Devon.
But that was not the end of the story, as the Grecians had got confused around the rules regarding substitutions.
They thought they could bring on a sixth replacement in extra-time, but that would only have been allowed for a concussion, rather than the tactical switch it was.
To recap, Blyth, in this year’s FA Youth Cup, were forced to head to West Yorkshire to replay their tie for something that was City’s fault.
Yet the FA decided on the opposite for Exeter three years ago, making the senior Bantams travel back down there two weeks later for a second replay.
Blyth didn’t get to stay at home, despite doing nothing wrong, while Exeter got a second home chance, despite their clerical error.
City’s CEO Ryan Sparks was furious at the time, telling the T&A: “There’s no right of appeal on the decision – and we would have done so.
“I’ve been contacted by several people in the industry and the overriding opinion is they have no idea why Bradford City are returning to St James’ Park, let alone not playing in the second round.
“Given the nature of the incident and the effort the supporters from Bradford put in to get there and the costs we’ve already outlaid, I believe the game could and should have been played at Valley Parade.”
This time, justice was not served either, as Exeter won the replayed replay 2-1 with home advantage.
Exactly how to measure these things is anyone’s guess, but only two months earlier, Bradford (Park Avenue) were also on the wrong end of the FA’s seemingly haphazard decision-making, with their opponents committing a surely altogether more serious offence than Exeter.
Avenue were thumped 6-2 by Gateshead in the second qualifying round, but the Heed were found to have brought on an ineligible player, as he was not listed on the team sheet, with seven minutes to play.
It was still human error, but miscalculating substitutions in the heat of the moment on the touchline certainly feels more easily done than not signing off the proper paperwork to allow someone to play in a game.
Now what do Peacehaven and Telscombe, Dunkirk, Grays Athletic, and League One Barnsley all have in common?
Well, all four have been booted out of that season’s FA Cup over the last five years for fielding an ineligible player.
What happened to Gateshead three years ago?
Avenue did not even get the consolation of a replay, the FA allowing Gateshead to progress anyway, only receiving a fine as punishment, saying they felt that was the most appropriate punishment in the circumstances.
Director of football at Avenue back then, Martin Knight, fumed: “It’s the most incredulous decision from the FA.
“We haven’t even been offered a replay. It’s a disgrace, a scandal, and the FA won’t let us appeal.”
Knight is no longer at the club, but his reply might well have been unprintable last month, when the West Riding FA (whose governing body is the Football Association) booted them out of the County Cup after their 3-2 first-round win at Golcar United.
That was because the rules of the competition stated that anyone partaking in the game had to be registered as a player with their club seven CLEAR days before the fixture took place.
Avenue were deemed to be a few hours outside of that deadline with one of their players and despite submitting evidence which they felt disproved the West Riding FA, on what seems like a strange rule in the first place given how turbulent the non-league transfer world is, their appeal was rejected.
Having punishments for crimes is no bad thing, but when the FA makes wildly differing interpretations like those listed above, clubs and fans simply have no idea what’s coming.
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