Peterborough United have hit out at the decision to schedule their FA Cup third-round tie at Everton on a Thursday evening.
The game will kick-off at 19:45 GMT on 9 January – only the second ever meeting between the two clubs, and first since a League Cup game in 2006.
Peterborough say they accept the game had to be moved because of Liverpool’s home tie on Saturday, 11 January but playing on Thursday will mean supporters having to take two days off work and leave children behind because of school.
A club statement said: “We feel a better solution could have been found to ensure all our supporters who wish to travel to the game would have been able to do so.”
Manager Darren Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: “It’s a disappointing decision, it’s a strange one, very little consideration for our fans.
“We knew with Liverpool being at home and Everton being at home, they couldn’t play on the same day and I was wondering whether it would be on the Sunday.
“To put it on a Thursday night is a strange decision, a poor decision – for our fans, very poor. There’s no trains back after the game and it’s going to limit how many fans we take, it’s a bad decision.
“I get that obviously they’ve got to make decisions in terms of the television and all the rest of it but why not the Friday night then? They don’t give any consideration to smaller clubs and that’s been going on for quite a while now.”
Peterborough are also concerned that playing the game on Thursday could also potentially mean a smaller home crowd, reducing the revenue for both clubs.
“Whilst we understand there are logistical challenges, we do not feel the supporters have been considered in this approach,” said chief executive Dawn Airey.
“We have made our feelings very clear to the decision-makers at the top of the game and want to assure our supporters that we are just as disappointed as they are about when this game will take place.”
Peterborough beat Newport County and Notts County to reach the third round, raising the possibility of 18-year-old Tyler Young playing against his father Ashley, who is with Everton.
The Peterborough Independent Supporters Trust have also condemned the switch to Thursday.
Spokesman Adi Mowles told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: “I was gobsmacked (when I heard). Sunday wouldn’t have been ideal, but would have been acceptable compared to the Thursday.
“It’s a disgrace, there’s no other word for it. All your cynical thoughts about the FA, you just hope maybe aren’t right, but they are. They are just money-making for the big clubs, they don’t care about the little clubs.”
Meanwhile, Peterborough’s hopes of winning the game have suffered a blow with the news that striker Kwame Poku will be out for three months because of a hamstring injury.
“It’s bad, bad news for us,” said Ferguson. “He’s been the best player in the league (this season) in many people’s opinion and we have to get on with it. He’ll be back around March time.”
