The English Football League insists the decision to scrap FA Cup replays was made by the Football Assocation and Premier League.
That's despite the FA claiming they had been 'discussing the calendar for the 2024-25 season with the Premier League and EFL for well over a year' in their latest statement.
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The FA's response came after heavy criticism from fans, pundits and clubs alike, who accused the governing body of leaving clubs outside the Premier League without much-needed revenue as a result of replays from the first round proper being removed.
Now, the EFL has hit back at the FA's claims that the body played a part in making the controversial decision, claiming the decision 'marginalises' clubs outside the top flight and 'threatens the future of the English game'.
The statement read: "The EFL wishes to clarify further its position in respect of yesterday’s Premier League and Football Association bi-lateral announcement over the removal of FA Cup replays and the role of the League’s representatives on the Professional Game Board (PGB).
"The agreement which now sees the abolition of replays from the competition format was agreed solely between the Premier League and FA. Ahead of the deal being announced there was no agreement with the EFL nor was there any formal consultation with EFL Clubs as members of the FA and participants in the competition.
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"In September 2023, the EFL did initially discuss with Clubs potential changes to the FA Cup format but only as part of a wider and more fundamental change to financial distributions. As is now clear, there has been no movement in this area since September.
"This latest agreement between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just a further example of how the EFL and its Clubs are being marginalised in favour of others further up the pyramid and that only serves to threaten the future of the English game.
"The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the Governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their footballing partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues directly affecting our Clubs.
"A separate issue is the role of the EFL representatives on the Professional Game Board (PGB) in agreeing to the 2024/25 overall fixture calendar. PGB is there to make technical decisions across the game as opposed to key policy decisions such as competition changes or formats.
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"Any decisions taken on the calendar involving EFL representatives are in no way an endorsement of the joint deal agreed between the FA and Premier League that imposes changes to the FA Cup competition format in isolation.
"As part of the discussions the EFL representatives did challenge the position and were told that Clubs would be comfortable with no replays.
Tranmere Rovers Chairman Mark Palios slams the FA for not consulting EFL clubs over scrapping FA Cup replays
"They were effectively advised that, as a result, of it being an FA competition, the fixture list needed to be agreed as presented. It is also important to note that this matter was not discussed by the FA Cup committee, a separate group that oversees the competition across the professional and national game."
A number of EFL and non-league clubs have also released statements to say they were not consulted ahead of the announcement, also slamming the FA and Premier League's decision.
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That includes League Two Tranmere Rovers' executive chairman Mark Palios, who rung up talkSPORT's White and Jordan show to express his dismay at the situation.
"There are two issues here," he said. "One is the actual decision itself and what it means for the competition, the fans and the lower league clubs.
"The second element to it is, and you could actually say [this] is more important, is the governance issues and the way in which it was decided.
"That's the position we really need to start to look at, especially in the light of the Independent Regulator about to go through parliament, because unbeknown to people, when you see the governance that's been in play here, the bill that's currently drafted only allows to EFL and the EPL to raise the backstop rights.
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"Now, I would argue the EFL doesn't represent the 72 clubs.
"I think the FA threw the EFL under the bus on the basis of saying 'well we agreed it with the Professional Game Board' and who sits on the Professional Game Board but the chair of the EFL [Ricky Parry].
"Yet, there was no consultation with the EFL clubs over something which I think it relatively important."
When asked about how he feels about the 72 clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two having no part in discussions, Palios replied: "Well, I think it's outrageous.
"I can only speculate the reason for it was they felt they might have had a lot of opposition. That's the whole point of consultation, to get the views of people!"
On Thursday, League One's Peterborough United chairman and talkSPORT regular Darragh MacAnthony asked for the EFL to 'have some minerals' and challenge the FA and the Premier League on their decision.
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The changes, which also include all rounds being played on weekends and a rescheduled final before the end of the Premier League season, will come into effect from next season and run for a minimum of six seasons.
The Premier League has also agreed to pay up to an additional £33million for grassroots football.