The FA Cup is a competition which is deeply embedded in the history of Oldham Athletic.
Over the decades, we have seen the cup’s unique capacity to catalyse a club in providing the platform for a number of our most memorable achievements.
Not only have we experienced the joy of special FA Cup moments, but several of our most notable ties have come during runs which have included replays. Without them, some of our most important days as a club might not have been possible.
It is therefore with enormous disappointment that we learned, along with other clubs across the country, of the fundamental changes announced to the competition’s structure on Thursday.
These changes strike at the very heart of the cup and undermine the unique opportunities it affords clubs like ourselves.
In 2021, we were named as the biggest FA Cup giant-killers of the last 25 years. Our feats in the competition have inspired supporters to follow Oldham Athletic and provided crucial revenue at times when we have needed it most. It is vital that those opportunities are protected.
That the decision was seemingly taken without any consultation with clubs outside of the top division is deplorable in a country which should cherish its unique pyramid structure.
At a time when many are struggling financially, lower-ranked clubs need every mechanism of support, not to witness the gap widen.
We therefore join the increasing number of clubs in calling for the FA to review its decision immediately and undertake proper consultation with the clubs who together help make the competition what it is.
