Scrapping FA Cup replays was a move made with only one thing in mind – keeping the big clubs happy by reducing the number of games so their poor players don’t get all tired and grumpy.

It’s a common theme running through all football these days: if important decisions about the game need to be made, let’s make sure they swing in favour of the elite, and screw the little teams.

And there is no clearer example of the impact of this replay decision than last weekend’s game between Tamworth and Tottenham Hotspur.

But first some background.

This was the sort of incredible David vs Goliath tie that only the FA Cup generates. Part-timers versus international superstars clashing in a shining example of the pure magic of knockout football.

Everything about the game was entertaining, from the Spurs players having to walk through Tamworth fans to get to the ground, to the officials realising one of the nets wasn’t properly attached to the posts moments before kick-off and the Tamworth players climbing on each other’s shoulders to fix it with duct tape.

It was two different football worlds colliding – the Spurs delegation had to ask for 14 extra chairs because the dugout wasn’t big enough for all their coaches and medical staff. So they were given folding chairs from the Tamworth Social Club to plonk along the touchline.

For many of the game’s smaller clubs, getting to a replay was their equivalent of winning the trophy

But back to the replay issue.

Incredibly, despite the vast, yawning talent chasm between the two teams – one consisting of millionaire internationals and the other part-time teachers and shop assistants – Tamworth held on for a 0-0 draw over 90 minutes.

In the past, that would have been that. Full time, final whistle and everyone goes home to think about the replay. Instead, we had extra time, during which Spurs’ superior fitness and the fact they could bring the likes of Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min off the bench meant they eventually ran out 3-0 winners.

And just like that, Tamworth lost a million pounds in revenue. Yep, that’s what a replay at Spurs’ ground would have meant to the National League team. And when you consider that their club’s entire annual turnover is only £1.4 million, that replay money would have been club changing.

Not only that, but what would a replay at Tottenham’s incredible stadium have meant to the players on a personal level? They have probably never played anywhere like that and probably never will. And that dream was snuffed out just so clubs with mega-budgets can play more Champions League games.

It really does wind me up that the – mostly foreign owned – giants of the English game are being given preference and priority over the minnows, the grass roots clubs that are the heart of the sport.

There was a time, up to about 30 years ago, when the number of FA Cup replays was unlimited. The game would just keep being replayed until someone eventually won. In fact, the record was the tie between Alvechurch and Oxford City, which went to six replays.

And that was, I agree, a bit silly.

But having a single replay was the right balance. It gave minnows something to fight for, whether that was a money-spinning away day or the chance to take their opponents back to their own ground. For many of the game’s smaller clubs, getting to a replay was their equivalent of winning the trophy.

Maybe seeing how much this appalling decision has cost a team like Tamworth will make the football authorities realise the error of their ways.

Yeah right.

Sick of the sight of him

Occasionally football throws up stories that seem utterly unbelievable. Here’s one of them.

On New Year’s Day, Aaron Morley scored a very late winner for Wycombe in their game against Exeter City. The goal came in the third minute of injury time, which was obviously heartbreaking for the away team, who went on to lose 2-1.

In the aftermath of that game, Morley, who was on loan, was recalled by his parent club Bolton Wanderers just in time to face their next opponents. And those opponents were? Yep, Exeter.

I think you can see where this is going.

After a solid performance Exeter were heading towards a hard-fought win until Bolton equalised with just two minutes of normal time to go. Then in injury time it all went pear-shaped for Exeter when the away team snatched a late winner.

And yes, you guessed it, that injury time winner was scored by Morley. Again.

I obviously don’t have the complete history of English football at my fingertips, but I am reasonably confident that must be the first time a team has lost consecutive matches against different opponents thanks to injury time goals scored by the same player.

If it wasn’t true, you wouldn’t believe it.

History isn’t made

Talking of unique moments in football, we sadly missed out on seeing another one during last weekend’s FA Cup clash between Everton and Peterborough United.

With Ashley Young in Everton’s squad and his son Tyler in the Peterborough squad there was a unique opportunity for father to play against son for the first time in the 150-year history of the competition.

But while the senior Young did get on the pitch, coming on as a sub in the 73rd minute, Tyler was left on the bench.

Peterborough boss Duncan Ferguson justified his decision by pointing out that with Everton only leading 1-0 when he went to make his final substitution, he needed to be logical rather than sentimental.

Still believing his team might get something out of the tie, he put on a striker instead of defender Tyler.

“As much as I wanted Tyler to get on, if the game had been 2-0 at that point I would’ve put him on but at 1-0, I had to get a forward on. I’ve got to try and get something out of the game and do what is best for my team,” Ferguson said.

And it’s hard to disagree with that. It would have been very easy to get caught up in the Ashely/Tyler hype and forget that he is a football manager paid to make the right decisions for his club.

Apparently, some of the Everton players had a go at Ferguson after the game for not bringing on the youngster. And that is bang out of line.

Especially as it’s mostly their fault. This was a game against a team two divisions lower. If they had been good enough to get the match wrapped up earlier, then Tyler would have had his moment and we would all have seen a bit of history made.

E-mail: James.calvert@timesofmalta.com

X: @maltablade