LONDON - Minor league Farnborough Town's dream FA Cup fourth-round tie with holders Arsenal has been switched to the London club's Highbury ground.
A meeting of fire, police and safety officials and Farnborough representatives yesterday agreed that the club's 4900-capacity ground was unsuitable to hold the match and the FA agreed
to their request to switch it.
The game will now take place at Highbury on Sunday, January 26.
As a result of the switch, British Sky Television has decided not to screen the tie live and instead will show the Gillingham v Leeds United game.
While Farnborough will lose out on £265,000 ($812,400) in television fees, they stand to collect more than that from their share of the gate receipts at Highbury, which holds 38,000.
"I think it's the right decision," said Graham Westley, Farnborough's manager and chairman.
"We thought long and hard before asking to switch. We felt that we couldn't stage the fixture at home.
"But we are choked that TV are not going to take it.
"It's not about the money. It should be televised for the sake of everybody. I think the game deserves top billing."
Farnborough, who were formed only in 1968, will take heart from the last time they faced a top-flight team in the FA Cup, 13 years ago.
They switched their home tie with West Ham United to Upton Park and drew 1-1, losing the replay at the same ground 1-0 only after an 89th-minute winner.
* Teenage midfielder Michael Tonge scored twice in a late six-minute spell to give Sheffield United a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal yesterday.
They now travel to Anfield for the second leg on January 21 with real belief that they can reach their first major final since 1936.
- AGENCIES
