Many Southampton fans have been reacting as their postponed FA Cup third round clash with Shrewsbury Town has been rearranged and will now be played next Tuesday.
The rescheduling means that the Saints’ Premier League clash with Leeds United will also have to be moved – rather epitomising how the landscape of this congested season is shaping up.
Despite the obvious reasoning for the original postponement as the League One club suffered a virus outbreak, some might have expected Ralph Hasenhuttl‘s side to be handed a bye into the fourth round, in line with what has happened in the Carabao Cup.
Instead, Hasenhuttl will put together what will likely be a rotated side to face the Shrews at St Mary’s to play for the chance to host Arsenal in the fourth round.
It’s safe to say some Southampton fans, many of whom were looking forward to the walkover, aren’t happy with the decision, with one deriding the FA Cup as a “Mickey Mouse” competition…
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC @shrewsweb So why don’t we get a Bye like Tottenham? When their oppo could not field a team because of Covid? (@JokersHand)
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC @shrewsweb Shrewsbury should count themselves very, very lucky. (@Jon_Shapland)
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC @shrewsweb Just give it up – Mickey Mouse bloody tournament these days. #Saintsfc (@saintbillb)
Twitter: Absolute joke, we’ll beat them anyway but how is this fair on all the teams beforehand who couldn’t field a team an… https://t.co/kEUwGevIXj (@Goughy_93)
Twitter: So basically the FA will give byes to anyone that’s a member of the traditional big 6 club? Sound #Sainstfc https://t.co/szm26hMQd0 (@Aydin_Osman96)
I don’t mind playing them but why the Tuesday ?
Surely we can play the Wednesday especially with a 8pm kickoff this Saturday. #Saintsfc https://t.co/gixMsKt6tP
— Josh Richards (@JoshR1988) January 13, 2021
