THE TV schedule for the second rounds of the FA Cup has been released – and fans are not pleased.
The round includes action featuring teams from League One right through to the sixth tier of the English football pyramid.
But some fans are not happy with the fixtures selected for TV coverage, which will be broadcast during the first weekend of December.
One fan went as far as to say: “And they wonder why the magic of the cup is no more,” in response to the selections.
One especially contentious decision was the call not to televise Bolton’s trip away to Swindon Town.
Bolton are challenging at the top of League One and are arguably the most formidable team in the second round, while Swindon are enjoying similar fortunes at the top of League Two.
They have been snubbed in favour of games such as Chesterfield’s hosting of Doncaster Rovers, being televised at 7:30pm on Saturday December 6th.
That match doesn’t inspire much excitement in fans for understandable reasons, with Doncaster’s mid-table start to their League One campaign and the Spireites’ faltering League Two form promising a fairly dull affair.
One brutally honest fan said: “I’m a Chesterfield fan, and having us on TV seems a bit s***. Give it to the interesting ties.
“The little dudes going up against the pros. It’s games like that that make the FA Cup, us against Donny ain’t it.”
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Another selection that inspired frustration was Salford City’s matchup with Leyton Orient.
The League Two outfit, owned in part by celebrity stakeholders Gary Neville and David Beckham, will host a struggling Orient side.
Of two fixtures featuring all-sixth-tier sides, one was selected for broadcast.
Slough Town’s match against visiting Macclesfield will be shown on TNT on Sunday December 7th, but fans of Chelmsford City and Weston Super Mare will have to head to the stadium if they wish to watch their sides battle.
FA Cup second round TV schedule
Friday Dec 5th:
7:30pm – Salford City vs Leyton Orient (TNT Sports 1)
Saturday Dec 6th:
5:15pm – Sutton United vs Shrewsbury Town (BBC Two and TNT Sports 2)
7:30pm – Chesterfield vs Doncaster (TNT Sports 1)
Sunday Dec 7th:
12:30pm – Slough Town vs Macclesfield (TNT Sports 2)
2:30pm – Boreham Wood vs Newport County (BBC Two and TNT Sports 1)
3:30pm – Gateshead vs Walsall (TNT Sports 2)
5:30pm – Blackpool vs Carlisle United (TNT Sports 1)
Monday Dec 8th:
7:30pm – Brackley Town vs Burton Albion (TNT Sports 1)
