Fan fury over FA Cup kick-offs for TV

FANS have been left furious by the FA Cup fixture schedule after the broadcast picks for the fourth round of the competition were revealed.

Newcastle, Aston Villa and Manchester City supporters will all have to travel to London for night matches after the TV companies announced their pick of games for the fourth round.

Toon fans will have to travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday, January 27, for a 7pm kick-off with Fulham and will have no way of getting back to the North East after the game.

Meanwhile, City supporters face a similarly inconvenient journey down to Tottenham after ITV chose their game for a 8pm showing on Friday, January 26.

Villa fans also face a late-night trip to London that Friday for their 7.45pm kickoff at Chelsea even though the game hasn’t yet been selected for TV. However, that scheduling is down to the two clubs being unable to play the tie on another day that weekend due to fixture pile-ups and policing concerns.

Fans up and down the country were appalled at the latest perceived instance of TV companies ignoring their concerns. The Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust said: ‘A 7pm kick-off leaves supporters with no option of catching a train home with the last train for Newcastle departing Kings Cross at 9pm, leaving thousands now looking for accommodation in London with only two weeks’ notice.

‘The financial and logistical burden imposed on travelling supporters by TV companies is shocking in an industry reaping huge profits. It is always the fans who pay the price.

‘The loyalty of supporters is once again being taken for granted…. We urge the incoming football regulator to ensure that significant changes are put in place to ensure fans are priorities when it comes to TV scheduling of games.’

Villa have no option but to play Chelsea on the Friday night as Fulham are also at home but have to play on the Saturday because they have a Carabao Cup semifinal with Liverpool the previous Wednesday. Fulham, Villa and Newcastle all have Premier League games the following Tuesday.

The 7pm kick-off on the Saturday night for Fulham v Newcastle might be as a result of Fulham playing on the Wednesday night and, in European competition, there is an agreement not to play on a Saturday lunchtime after a midweek fixture. Tottenham v City is the main attraction and was ITV’s first pick over Chelsea v Villa on Friday 26. Friday night games have proved to be the ratings winner — even if match-going fans are left unhappy.