Tamworth boss blasts ‘annoying’ rule change that denied minnows ‘massive amount of money’ after giving Tottenham FA Cup scare

"It's annoying because we've got enough free Tuesdays to add a replay, but I guess it seems like Spurs and the big boys haven't got any more dates, so I guess that's why it was cancelled", he added.

"It's a shame for non-league teams, it would have been an unbelievable day out."

The non-league side put in a heroic display against Premier League Tottenham, holding them to a goalless draw after 90 minutes.

Tamworth, who sit 16th in the National League, are 96 places below Spurs in the football pyramid.

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The part-time team, whose players only train twice a week, matched their top-flight opponents at their 4,000-capacity Lamb Ground.

Spurs eventually prevailed 3-0 in extra time through a Nathan Tshikuna own goal and strikes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson.

Under new FA Cup rules introduced this season, replays from the first round proper onwards have been scrapped following an agreement between the FA and Premier League.

The change means lower-league clubs can no longer earn valuable replay revenue against top sides.

In exchange for the scheduling changes, the Premier League will provide up to an additional £33million per season for grassroots football.

The agreement will remain in place for at least six years, though it was not well received by EFL and non-league clubs when announced last year.

Tamworth chairman Bob Andrews revealed the club desperately needed the potential replay income for ground improvements.

"The money from this game is going to help us develop the ground itself. We need better dressing rooms, we need a stand down the bottom end - we need various things," Andrews told Radio 5 Live.

Despite the historic occasion, which Andrews called "the biggest day in the club's history", the missed opportunity for additional revenue has impacted Tamworth's development plans.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham defended the changes, saying they would "strengthen" the competition.

"The Emirates FA Cup is our biggest asset and generates over 60 per cent of our revenue to invest in the game, so it is critical to secure a strong format for the future," he said.

Bullingham added that the new schedule "ensures the magic of the Cup is protected and enhanced" while providing "a much-needed player break before the start of the next season."