An FA Cup hero is the latest star to join our crusade to save the magic of the world ’s oldest football tournament.
Paul Stewart, 59, played alongside Gary Lineker in one of the most memorable finals of all time. He scored as Spurs beat Nottingham Forest in 1991 despite Paul Gascoigne being stretchered off.
The 2-1 victory gave the North London side a then-record eighth FA Cup win. Paul spoke out as fans’ groups warned the decision to axe lucrative replays would devastate communities.
“They should get these replays back on,” said the former England star. “English Football League clubs have been devastated by this. I go around them as part of my work. They were not consulted properly.
“Replays are the opportunity to get big days for them and to help grow the communities around them. It is completely unfair to do this to clubs that are struggling, to help the rich elite.”
Paul provides safeguarding advice to all 72 clubs in England and Wales. The former Blackpool, Man City and Liverpool midfielder first revealed to us in 2016 his childhood sex abuse ordeal at the hands of his late coach Frank Roper.
Dad-of-three Paul was determined to turn his nightmare into something positive for the game. Now he wants the FA to think again on replays and bring them back for the sake of the fans, and smaller clubs across the land.
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He joins former England stars Peter Reid and Malcolm Macdonald, the families of Three Lions legends Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton, and the son of 1966 hero Nobby Stiles in backing our campaign to save the cup’s magic.
The Football Supporters Association, which has around 600,000 members, will also ask FA bosses to think again at an FA Council meeting on Friday. And Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, is said to be considering a letter from Fair Game, the campaign group of clubs working with the Mirror on our crusade.
The FA said: “We had to find a solution to our calendar congestion. We will make sure no club loses out financially.”
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