[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Chimer

It's the numbers though. You need 64 teams in Round 3, that's currently 20 Prem + 24 Champ + 20 Round 2 winners. So you need 40 teams in Round 2, therefore 80 in Round 1 - 48 from League 1 & 2, plus 32 non-leaguers.

Now if you bring the Champ teams in in Round 2, Round 3 becomes 20 Prem + 44 Round 2 winners. So you need 88 teams in Round 2, 24 Champ + 64 Round 1 winners, therefore 128 teams in Round 1, 48 from league 1 & 2 plus 80 non-leaguers. Bit too much of a good thing, maybe?

Also from our point of view, it would put a lot more competent, unexciting clubs we're not really likely to beat into Round 2, standing between us and the possibility of a real Prem money-spinner. OK we might get Rovers or Clarets, but I think on balance I'd vote to leave things alone.

The maths would have to go back a lot further than that, don't forget the FA Cup starts in August. I stand to be corrected but I think any team in the country who meet the criteria of the FA Cup rules can enter