Man City snub Grecians' FA Cup request | OneFootball

Manchester City will not provide Exeter City with any additional financial support from Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie, despite a request from the League One club for a larger share of the matchday income.

Exeter, who are facing ongoing financial difficulties, confirmed earlier this week that they had approached the Premier League champions to ask whether they would consider voluntarily passing on a portion of their gate receipts as a “statement of solidarity”.

The fan-owned club — whose supporters’ trust holds a majority stake — will be backed by around 8,000 travelling supporters at a sold-out Etihad Stadium as they take on the seven-time FA Cup winners. Under competition regulations, both clubs are entitled to 45% of gate receipts, with the remaining 10% allocated to the Football Association. Ticket sales are expected to earn Exeter between £250,000 and £400,000.

A statement released by Exeter’s supporters’ trust on Wednesday, and shared by the club on X, explained the rationale behind the request. It read: “In recognition of Exeter City’s supporter-ownership model and the financial realities faced by fan-owned clubs, the club have written to Manchester City to ask whether they would consider voluntarily transferring a portion of their share of the matchday gate receipts to Exeter City … It would have a tangible impact on their finances and would stand as a strong statement of solidarity with sustainable, fan-owned football.”

City have acknowledged the approach but will not deviate from standard FA Cup revenue arrangements. Exeter have been supporter-owned since 2003 and have endured a challenging campaign off the pitch, making two rounds of redundancies this season and relying on £600,000 in loans from the supporters’ trust to help stabilise the club’s finances. Their home stadium, St James Park, also suffered fire damage estimated at £100,000 in November.

The fixture has not been selected for television coverage, denying Exeter a potential broadcast windfall, while the absence of replays from the first round proper removes another possible source of additional revenue.