Wembley semi-finals ‘devalue’ FA Cup, John Aldridge claims

Travel issues will affect the Reds and Manchester City’s planned clash in the capital on the weekend of 16 and 17 April

John Aldridge is not convinced the FA Cup semi-finals should be played at Wembley (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Archive)

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge believes the Football Association are devaluing their own competition by holding cup semi-finals at Wembley.

The Reds and Manchester City are scheduled to meet in the capital on the weekend of April 16 and 17 but engineering works mean there are no direct trains from the north-west.

There has been a growing chorus of calls for the venue to be switched to one more northerly and Aldridge said that was the obvious choice.

“To be honest we’re not stupid, we know they want the semis at Wembley to pay for Wembley, it was always the case,” Aldridge told the PA news agency.

“But logic is logic, come on. Manchester and Liverpool clubs – just play it at Manchester United. It is what it is. In our day the FA Cup was so great as it was about getting to the final at Wembley.

“Alex Ferguson used to get accused of devaluing the competition by putting different teams out but what they are doing is devaluing the competition in many ways to get the money to pay for Wembley.

“For the sake of Manchester City and Liverpool fans there’s not much difference (playing) at Manchester United, which can hold 80,000.”

Aldridge was speaking at a golf day at Royal Birkdale in Southport organised by Forever Reds, the former players’ association which helps raise money for good causes.

“It is all about raising money and awareness of what we do. After Covid the first real fundraiser event was the Christmas one at Anfield where we raised £30,000, which goes to local charities,” added the former Republic of Ireland international, who is chairman of Forever Reds.

“Today is no different. We will raise quite a bit of money and we have lately donated £15,000 to the causes of the Ukrainian people, which we were delighted to do. It is very meaningful at this time.

“The rest of the money goes into a pot for an ex-player who may need it down the road and local causes.”