FA Cup - Extra Preliminary Round

The Football Association has today announced that the Extra-Preliminary Round of the FA Cup is to be played on Saturday 6 August, two Saturdays earlier than last season.

We can only say that this announcement is highly disappointing, leaving clubs in the position of either starting their season with an FA Cup match, which is hardly desirable, or starting league matches either the Saturday before, i.e. the last Saturday in July, or in the following midweek.

It is too early to say what the CCL will do and it is likely that any decision about the start date of the season will now be made at the next Board meeting on 13 June. In the meantime, clubs have been invited to express their view on the matter, in particular when they would now like to begin playing league matches in the light if this news, which takes no account whatsoever of the needs of Step 5/6 clubs.