11 January 2024 , 19:59
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Angry football fans have been left “appalled” by the FA Cup fixture list.
Newcastle, Aston Villa and Manchester City will all have to travel to London for night matches after the TV companies announced their pick of fourth round games for broadcast.
Furious Newcastle supporters will have to travel to Fulham on Saturday, January 27, for a 7pm kick-off and will have no way of getting back to the North East after the game. City fans face a 400 mile round trip to Tottenham after ITV chose their game for a prime time showing on Friday January 26.
Villa fans must travel to Chelsea for their fourth round tie which has also been scheduled on Friday, January 26, but that is because of a crazy fixture headache which means it cannot played any other time. The Chelsea-Villa game is not currently scheduled to be on TV but the Football Association said more details could follow as only the main picks have been confirmed. ITV could have the option to show it on their streaming service ITV X or ITV 4.
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Fulham’s game with Newcastle is at 7pm because ITV could not show it earlier as BBC have Ipswich vs Maidstone at Lunchtime.
It is only scheduled to be on ITV X and ITV 4 with ITV’s main channel showing the hugely popular Masked Singer. But they did the same with Liverpool v Wolves last season and it drew in a peak audience of more than three million.
Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust said: “A 7pm kick off leaves supporters with no option of catching a train home with the last train for Newcastle departing Kings Cross at 9pm, leaving thousands now looking for accommodation in London with only two weeks’ notice.
“The financial and logistical burden imposed on travelling supporters by TV companies is shocking in an industry reaping huge profits. It is always the fans who pay the price.
“The loyalty of supporters is once again being taken for granted…. We urge the incoming football regulator to ensure that significant changes are put in place to ensure fans are priorities when it comes to TV scheduling of games.”
Villa have to play at Chelsea on the Friday night as Fulham are also at home but have to play on the Saturday because they have a Carabao Cup semi final with Liverpool the previous Wednesday. Fulham, Villa and Newcastle all have Premier League games the following Tuesday.
The 7pm kick-off on the Saturday night for Fulham-Newcastle might be as a result of Fulham playing on the Wednesday night and in European competition there is an agreement not to play on a Saturday lunchtime after a midweek fixture.
Tottenham and City is the main attraction and was ITV’s first pick and Friday night has proved to be the ratings winner - even if match-going fans are left unhappy.
ITV are also showing West Brom v Brentford or Wolves while they also have Liverpool v Norwich or Bristol Rovers in their Sunday picks.
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BBC have Ipswich v Maidstone on Saturday, January 27, and are also showing Eastleigh or Newport against Manchester United on Sunday, January 28, at 4.30pm.