It's only four months since Chelsea beat Portsmouth at Wembley, but already the 139th edition of the FA Cup is getting fans out in their droves. ITV.com asked Damon and Simon from The Real FA Cup blog to give a lowdown on the pick of the FA Cup First Round Qualifying games
This weekend the FA Cup hits the 1st Qualifying round and here's where teams with outside chances of giant killing start to show their form. For now, though, the simple matter of £3000 worth of prize money is at stake, a very tidy sum for any non-league club.
Before this week's previews, we should spare a thought for two sets of fans who won't see their team in the FA Cup this season.
Before Ilkeston Town were wound up over a £50k tax debt, Croydon Athletic resigned from the Cup thanks to the cricket match fixing furore surrounding owner Mazhar Majeed.
Cray Wanderers v South Park
ITV's Road To Wembley continues with underdogs South Park and, as we pre-empted last week, they travel to Cray Wanderers. This year Cray, the second oldest club in the world, celebrate 150 years of existence and have reverted to their original chocolate coloured away kit. South Park are three tiers below Cray in the football pyramid but completely dismantled Horsham YMCA in the last round who were two above them.
West Auckland Town v Bradford (Park Avenue)
West Auckland, believe it or not, were the 'First World Cup Winners'. The tournament was the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy and, technically, neither the first nor even a 'World' cup. The teams were only from Europe and there was a similar tournament held the year before.
West Auckland won the first competition in 1909 and, two years later, in the second and final tournament, they hammered Juve 6-1 and remain holders.
There are few clubs in the competition who can claim to be former league clubs and Park Avenue once finished 9th in the First Division - and this wasn't back in the 1800s, it was in 1915 after they got promoted from Division 2.
One of the stars of that team, Donald Simpson Bell, left to become the first professional footballer to enlist for the War effort. He won the Victoria Cross the following year for 'conspicuous bravery' in the Somme where he led a brave/foolish charge across no mans land to take an enemy machine gun post by shooting the soldier and blowing up the gun. He died 5 days later trying the same thing.
Newcastle Benfield v Spennymoor Town
This is worth a quick mention because these two are tearing up defences in the Northern League Division One. Benfield have the tighter defence and have home advantage but, if you're in the north, this has to be the game to go to.
Glossop North End v Mossley AFC
We briefly touched on GNE a few weeks ago with their fantastic pies but we thought we'd give them another shot as there's more than pie to these boys. For a start, they are another former league club.
Secondly, six of their seven FA Cup goals so far have come from substitutes and they've clung on to the cup by the skin of their teeth. In both games they've been losing as the clock hit 90 minutes but twice eeked out the get-out-of-jail goal.
Our favourite GNE story is from club official Jonathan Haggart who had the position, circumstance and sizeable peanuts to live his own FA Cup dream before a recent FA Cup match. You'll be slightly jealous but full of admiration and can read his account here. Mossley are local rivals so this game should have a little edge.
Redbridge v London Colney
As Ford Utd in the mid 90s, Redbridge faced financial ruin until they were saved by, of all companies, Sky Sports. The name changed to Redbridge in 2004 to give the club a more local, community feel. Former Wimbledon and Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth cut his managerial teeth at the Oakside stadium and got the Motormen out of their slide down the football pyramid by finishing 3rd in the Ryman 1st Division North.
London Colney are two steps lower on the pyramid and should be put to bed. BUT, the FA Cup isn't like that and Redbridge's Adam Dennehey tells us they are by no means being taken lightly, especially given Colney's 7-0 win in the league in midweek.
Colney also beat higher opposition in the last round, seeing off Marlow 2-1 despite having their keeper Mark Whittamore taken to hospital with a ruptured spleen. With no other keeper available Whittamore was replaced by an outfield player for remainder of the game. Ironically, and bafflingly, the Colney manager Julian Robinson was sacked after the game!
Once again we'll have a few more games previewed on therealfacup website but go to the FA site for the full fixture list for games near you.
See you back here on Monday to see what happened.
For more on the FA Cup visit the FA Website and check out Damon and Simon's The Real FA Cup for more early round coverage.
Photo courtesy of The Real FA Cup
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