A final insult: United could win the league minutes before City and Stoke contest FA Cup
Insult: Despite the grand surroundings, Wembley could be playing second fiddle to events at Ewood Park
Harry Redknapp led the protests as he voiced his sadness that Saturday's FA Cup final would be overshadowed if Manchester United win the title moments before the teams walk out at Wembley.
Other FA Cup legends also spoke of their regret that the grandeur of the occasion was suffering in the face of a decision to switch the final to a day when there are also four Barclays Premier League fixtures.
United kick off at 12.45pm at Blackburn needing only a point to clinch their record 19th title, a game screened live on Sky which will hold the nation's attention as Manchester City and Stoke prepare for their biggest day for decades.
'It's a shame,' said Redknapp, Portsmouth's FA Cup-winning manager two years ago. 'Cup final day used to be the day of the year when I was growing up. The streets were empty, everybody was watching, it was the thing.
It should be a massive one-off day that everyone is looking forward to watching. It's not got the importance it did have, that's for sure.'
Stoke are seeking only the second major trophy of their 148-year history, 39 years after winning the League Cup, and City are trying to claim their first silverware since a 1976 League Cup success.
Fans who might normally follow the progress of the finalists from their hotels on the journey to the national stadium and a pre-match walk on the Wembley turf will instead be engrossed in the exploits of Sir Alex Ferguson's team and three other Premier League games, all scheduled to kick off at 12.45pm.
It is yet another kick in the guts for the FA Cup, a competition which has suffered a series of blows this century since United were encouraged to withdraw in order to take part in FIFA's World Club Championship in Brazil in 2000.
Tottenham manager Redknapp's comments were echoed by Stoke boss Tony Pulis, who said: 'I was brought up in the Sixties. The live games then were few and far between and the FA Cup was such a special day in the English football calendar. Although I'm Welsh, I'd rush to that telly. It was a special occasion for everybody in my family.'
The FA Cup final has been moved from its traditional slot on the last day of the domestic season to accommodate the Champions League final at Wembley on May 28.
UEFA insist the host stadium is not used for two weeks before their own showpiece event, which this year will be contested by United and Barcelona.
Jim Montgomery, Sunderland's goalkeeping hero of the 1973 final victory over Leeds, said: 'I find it scandalous the final isn't going to have the stage to itself. The whole nation should be tuning in at 10am, savouring the build-up and watching Wembley Way getting busier by the minute.
'Instead, thousands will be heading for their own games and will miss it. That saddens me.'
Lawrie Sanchez, scorer of Wimbledon's winner against Liverpool in 1988, echoed those sentiments, saying: 'The final should have a day of its own. I'm concerned that the world's oldest cup competition is in danger of becoming second rate. Its status needs protecting.'
The FA admit the competition needs revitalising and ordered an internal review last year to suggest possible changes to the format, which will go before a board meeting a week on Thursday.
Among some of the suggestions have been more midweek rounds, fewer replays, regionalising the draw, seeding the draw and moving the final to a 5.30pm kick-off to maximise the television audience and make it more attractive to sponsors.
The Premier League insist they have done all they can to help the FA Cup final by either moving their games to lunchtime kick-offs or to Sunday and that it is an unfortunate coincidence that United's title quest might reach its climax on the same day.
