Swindon Manager Ian Holloway Calls for FA Cup Extra Time Abolition

Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway, who took charge of the club in October, has advocated for the removal of extra time from the FA Cup following his team’s elimination from the second round via a penalty shootout. Swindon was defeated 4-1 by fellow League Two club Accrington Stanley in the shootout, after their Saturday match concluded with a 2-2 scoreline after 120 minutes of play. Holloway, whose team has secured only two victories in cup competitions since his appointment in October, expressed concern regarding the demanding schedule and physical strain on his squad. “My concern is (after) however many minutes and we’ve got a game on Tuesday,” the former Leicester City and Crystal Palace manager informed BBC Radio Wiltshire. He further questioned, “I don’t know why this competition doesn’t just have penalties at the end of normal time.” Holloway emphasized the “stress on everybody,” noting that “Grant’s (Hall) only just come back, I’ve had to make substitutions there in extra time.” He concluded, “In my opinion, just go to penalties, it’ll be a lot easier.” During the match, Swindon played with ten men for much of the game after Danny Butterworth received a red card in the first half. They subsequently conceded a stoppage-time equalizer to Tyler Walton. In the ensuing penalty shootout, Stanley’s goalkeeper Billy Crellin made four saves against Swindon’s attempts. Despite the defeat, the 61-year-old Holloway expressed optimism about Swindon’s performance, particularly given that the Wiltshire-based club spent the majority of the game a player down following Butterworth’s high tackle on Liam Coyle. Holloway elaborated on his positive assessment, stating, “I think that’s our best performance since I’ve been here.” He added, “I thought we were absolutely terrific after that (red card). Before that as well, I didn’t feel they deserved to go one-nil up but they followed in our things and those sort of things happen.” He praised his team’s effort: “Everybody moved the ball, everybody wanted the ball, we were a handful, we created chances with only 10 men, we scored two with only 10 men and if you ask their manager, he’s a very relieved man in there at the minute.” Swindon currently occupies the 23rd position in the League Two standings, sharing the same points total as bottom-placed Morecambe. The team is scheduled to play away against Colchester on Tuesday, before hosting Fleetwood on Saturday.