BURNLEY fans might not agree, given the fervour generated from recent years' FA Cup runs. But exactly when did the FA Cup officially become relegated to a 'second-rate' tournament?

Certainly Manchester United's enforced absence from the competition when, following FA pressure, they sent out the wrong signal to every other Premiership club by competing in the World Club Championsip in Brazil instead.

Ever since that fateful decision in 1999, many top-flight managers have dropped the FA Cup down their list of priorities.

Sam Allardyce has been the main man to stick his head above the parapet this season, insisting something had to be sacrificed in order to avoid a player 'burn-out' that might well threaten Bolton's Premiership place.

And there lies the other reason for the power shift. Once a manager would give his right arm for a shot at leading his side out of the Wembley tunnel. Now he has both those arms tied behind his back by boardroom accountants who see the annual £20m cash injection from the Premier League as the bottom line.

As Allardyce himself said: "It might not be romantic - but it's a hell of a lot more romantic than going bust!"

So it seems the only way to raise the FA Cup back to its rightful place as a flagship tournament is to compete by raising the prize money.

The 20 per cent in gate receipts taken from every game in the competition must mean the FA is already sitting on a tidy pile of cash.

Selling television rights to the BBC and Sky adds to the pot - and that's not even including a sponsorship deal struck earlier this year, with FA Partners Umbro, McDonald's, Carlsberg, Nationwide and Pepsi all paying a whopping £20m for a four-year deal.

Yet even after this, the cup winners still only receive a paltry £2m, with the runners-up earning half that amount.

Is it any wonder the FA Cup has slipped down the pecking order?

The FA therefore must act and put the spice back into the competition by rewarding those who progress handsomely.

However, they also need to address the fundamental cash crisis that is facing far too many lower league clubs, including Burnley.

Round three winners win £50,000; round four £75,000 and round five £150,000.

Even quarter-final winners earn just £400,000 each.

Television coverage can, of course, add to this. But since TV companies invariably concentrate on the bigger teams from the third round, when the fees go up from £50,000 per club to £265,000, the gulf between the haves and have-nots just gets wider and wider.

Considering the Clarets £5m debt is not considered to be among the worst in Division One, it's another alarming statement.

The FA constantly claims to have the game's best interests at heart. Let it show that by making the FA Cup something worth fighting for again.