OPINION: Blackpool have every right to feel aggrieved as late FA Cup calls cause fixture mayhem ahead of Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Port Vale games

On Friday evening, Blackpool were informed that their FA Cup second round tie at Bloomfield Road would not be going ahead on Saturday afternoon.

This was due to a FA investigation involving visitors Forest Green Rovers and their use of an ineligible player in their previous outing in the competition against Scarborough.

The Gloucestershire club admitted the charge, but will remain in the competition, with a resolution announced on Wednesday night. Forest Green will now take on non-league Scarborough on December 12, in what will be the third game between the two, before the winner of that fixture meet Blackpool on December 19.

It’s safe to say that the Seasiders have been left frustrated throughout the entirety of the process, and now they face an even more hectic Christmas period through no fault of their own.

Of course, some people will be questioning why Forest Green’s first round tie is being replayed once again, especially when Barnsley were expelled from the competition for the use of an ineligible player. There must’ve been clear differences between the two cases, and for whatever reason it must’ve been deemed unfair to either kick out the League Two side or not give Scarborough another chance.

The resolution is what it is; the major problem is the time the whole process has taken. The initial replay between Forest Green and Scarborough took place on November 14, so why did it take over three weeks for the ineligible player issue to be flagged publicly?

To inform Blackpool an hour before the official statement went out less than 24 before the game was due to take place is ridiculous. So many people would’ve been impacted by that decision- not just in footballing terms either.

Obviously the Seasiders have missed out on an opportunity to play their second-round tie on a Saturday afternoon, which will mean a loss of revenue for the club.

With the investigation announced, you would’ve expected it to be swift, but it took another five days for the next step to be communicated.

When the resolution was made public, it would’ve felt like a slap in the face for Neil Critchley and his staff. At this busy time of year, planning ahead is crucial. Since the postponement they were aware another match was coming, but not knowing when it’d be played would’ve been a nightmare. Now, they have discovered it comes during an already packed period.

Starting with the Cambridge game on December 16, Blackpool will face six games in 17 days- and once again it must be emphasised it’s through no fault of their own.

This end result all comes from the time it took to make a decision on the original match. Surely the investigation should’ve been dealt with in a swift manner like the Barnsley one - meaning the replay could’ve been organised ahead of the Seasiders’ second round game.

Even if a little longer was required to conclude; it shouldn’t have taken that length of time, even if it only meant an earlier midweek game not as close to the Christmas period.

Blackpool have expressed their “bitter disappointment” and we’ve definitely not heard the last of this.