FC UNITED of Manchester hit out at the Football Association yesterday after being told they have no choice but to play their FA Cup first round tie on a Monday night.

FC United take on Chesterfield on November 9 live on TV. But the rebel supporter-owned club opposed the move, highlighting that it goes against the club’s “historical opposition to changing kick-off times from their traditional slots as this can be inconvenient to fans.”

With one of the seven core founding principles of the club stating that “the Board will strive wherever possible to avoid outright commercialism,” FC United felt they had no alternative but to refuse to agree with the move to play on a Monday night.