Questions emerge over Tottenham’s FA Cup advantage

Matt Stead

There is ‘growing opposition’ from some clubs left in the FA Cup to Tottenham’s effective home advantage.

Spurs still have a chance of reaching the semi-finals of the competition despite their 2-2 draw with Rochdale on Sunday.

They face Sheffield Wednesday or Swansea in another winnable tie in the quarter-final, and would then play a semi-final and potential final at Wembley, meaning they will be ‘effectively granted a home fixture’.

According to The Times, there is ‘angst’ (although the headline says ‘anger’) among some of the clubs left in the competition at the possibility of Spurs playing two knock-out matches in the ‘neutral’ venue – their temporary home.

Chelsea face Leicester in the quarter-final but ‘have no problem on this occasion’, possibly owing to the likelihood of them playing at Wembley when Stamford Bridge undergoes similar works to the ones keeping Tottenham out of White Hart Lane.

Matt Hughes writes that there have been ‘some rumblings of discontent’, but no complaints as yet. The FA believe the matter to have already been ‘resolved’, having held a board meeting with leading Premier League clubs before the start of the season, where no ‘objections’ were raised.

If they reach the semi-final or final, Tottenham will not be treated as the home team, and a coin toss will be used to decide which team uses which dressing room.