Bates, Fayed hit out at FA

13 April 2012

The Football Association today hit back at Ken Bates over the row surrounding the decision to stage the FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Fulham at Villa Park.

The Chelsea chairman and his counterpart at Fulham, Mohamed Fayed, had written angry letters to FA chairman Geoff Thompson expressing their outrage at the kick-off time of 7pm on Sunday 14 April which could cause travel chaos for 40,000 London supporters travelling to Birmingham.

But in a letter circulated to a number of Premier League chairmen today, the FA made it clear Bates's complaints over the travel arrangements and a dispute over money to be paid to the FA for merchandising were unfounded.

Indeed, Fayed has replied to the letter this afternoon and has accepted the FA's version of events and fully accepts the reasons for its decision.

The FA letter makes it clear that all financial arrangements currently in place for the FA Cup have been the same for the last 10 years and that Bates as chairman of the FA Cup Committee is personally responsible for these rules and was fully aware of them.

The letter also makes it clear that two Fulham directors were informed of the venue and kick-off time and that their managing director rang the FA to say they had no problems with these.

Financial payments to clubs have increased by 174 per cent thanks to a new television contract which came into force at the beginning of this year.

All these arrangements were approved by a committee of senior Premier League chairmen including Bates.

Bates had written in his letter of complaint to Thompson about the merchandise: "Quite frankly, this whole financial situation stinks of money-grabbing by the Football Association, which in view of the vast sums being poured into the FA's coffers cannot be justified in any way whatsoever.

"The FA can only govern with the co-operation of the governed and I can see this is heading for an unedifying row unless this trend is reversed.

"The FA staff appear to be a law unto themselves where as they should be simply implementing the relevant committee and FA Board decisions.

"I would like these matters discussed at the April board meeting and if necessary there should be an emergency meeting of the Cup commitee called prior to that Board meeting."

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