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FA slam door on Cup's rogue venue-switchers

This article is more than 21 years old

The lucrative and controversial loophole that allowed Farnborough to switch their fourth round FA Cup tie against Arsenal to Highbury has been firmly closed by the FA's Challenge Cup committee.

From next season, no club will be able to benefit financially from such a switch and those who move for the wrong reasons could be barred from the competition the following year.

Despite losing out on Sky's television money Farnborough's decision, for security reasons, to move their game from their Cherrywood Road ground (capacity 4,900) to Highbury (capacity 38,500) greatly increased their share of ticket and programme sales.

But next year all clubs entering the competition will be required to state on the entry form their ground's maximum capacity. This must be accom panied by a commitment from the club, and a declaration signed by the local safety authority or police force, that the capacity will stand, no matter the opposition.

If a cup tie still had to be switched it would go to the nearest suitable neutral venue, rather than the opponents' home ground. "If games are still moved, any excess money earned by the participants would go into the central pool," said the FA's Paul Newman. "Entry to the competition for the team drawn at home could also be refused for the following year."

But at yesterday's meeting the committee refused to countenance the idea, promoted by Arsenal's vice-chairman David Dein and manager Arsène Wenger, to scrap replays. "The committee took the view that replays are part of the fabric and romance of the FA Cup competition and should not be removed," said Newman.

Seven Premiership clubs have applied to host the Uefa Cup final in 2004 or 2005. Aston Villa, Southampton, Manchester City, Sunderland, Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle have all put themselves forward, with the decision due later this month.

The Liechtenstein FA are planning checks at all borders to prevent ticketless England fans from entering the principality ahead of the European Championship qualifier on March 29.

England have been given just 900 tickets for the match, to be played at the 3,500-capacity Rhein Park Stadium in Vaduz. "This is a very small country and we do not want to be overwhelmed," Roland Ospelt, managing director of the Liechtenstein FA, said.

England will use the occasion to unveil their new kit, which will include a single gold star to symbolise England's World Cup success in 1966.

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