My favourite stat about the FA Vase is that in every single Final since the first one in 1975 at least one of the two Vase Finalists were competing in it for the first time ever.
And this season is looking as if it will keep up that tradition, with only two of the remaining 32 clubs ever having played in a Final in the past. In Hebburn Town’s case, that past is actually in the future as they are involved in the oft-postponed 2019/20 Final not being contested until 3rd May 2021.
In fact. more than half of the clubs still in this season’s competition have never even been beyond the 4th Round of the FA VAse before.
The FA Vase really is the only national competition in the world where any club that enters it has as much chance as anyone else of actually winning it. It truly is the most egalitarian of football competitions.
Hebburn Town host one of the 11 clubs appearing in the FA Vase 4th Round for the first time, Liversedge, and the only other club to appear in a past FA Vase Final, West Auckland Town, also face opponents appearing in the 4th Round for the first time.
Their opponents, North Ferriby, are actually competingin the FA Vase for the first time ever and are the last debut club still standing.
As a consequence of so many clubs still in the competition having record runs, and half a dozen others equalling their best runs, there will be at least three clubs appearing in the 5th Round for the first time ever.
Fakenham Town host Binfield, Mulbarton Wanderers take on Hanworth Villa, and Long Eaton United entertain Westfields hoping to repat the 2-1 victory between the two clubs in 2004/05 season.
That is one of only three ties in this season’s 4th Round that involve clubs which have met each other in the competition before. Christchurch beat United Services Portsmouth 3-0 in the 2017/18 campaign, whilst Stourport Swifts beat Walsall Wood 3-1 in the same season, although Walsall Wood did win 2-1 in their first encounter 30 years ago.
There was actually another tie that pitted two clubs together who’ve met in the competition before, but as Stowmarket Town has sadly withdrawn from the FA Vase, Cobham won’t need to try to repeat their 5-2 win of the 1998/99 season to reach this year’s 5th Round for the first time.
There are still half a dozen Step Six clubs amongst those still involved in this year’s FA Vase, and they all have higher level opposition to face. As the competition’s highest scorers, Mulbarton Wanderers should fancy their chances against Hanworth Villa. However, their visitors are the second highest scorers so that should be an entertaining tie (commentator’s curse notwithstanding).
Malvern Town and Walton & Hersham are the only two Step Six clubs drawn away from home, travelling to Congleton Town and Leighton Town respectively. On paper they have the biggest challenge to progress, but both actually defeated Step Five opponents in the last round.
Four ties involve clubs who would have faced each other in League action had the seasons not been curtailed. Stourport Swifts versus Walsall Wood is one of them, as well as Anstey Nomads against Wellingborough Town, Bridgwater Town versus Tavistock and Plymouth Parkway against Clevedon Town
That final tie that will see at least one club which has progressed beyond the 5th Round in the past exit this year’s competition.
Full tie-by-tie previews of all 16 ties can be found in the following tables:
Tie No. 1 | Shildon | Warrington Rylands |
League Status | Northern League 1 | North West Counties League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | SEMI-FINALS | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Last beyond R4 in 2012/13 | First time in R4 in third campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 12.30pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 2 | North Ferriby | West Auckland Town |
League Status | Northern Counties East League 1 | Northern League 1 |
Step | 6 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | RUNNERS-UP |
FA Vase Form | In debut Vase campaign | Went beyond R4 in both last 2 seasons |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 12.30pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 3 | Hebburn Town | Liversedge |
League Status | Northern League 1 | Northern Counties East League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | FINALIST | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Went beyond R4 in both last 2 years | First time in R4 in what is the club’s 40th campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 4.30pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 4 | Stourport Swifts | Walsall Wood |
League Status | Midland Football League Premier | Midland Football League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | QUARTER FINALS |
FA Vase Form | Twice gone beyond R4 in 19 campaigns | Once gone beyond R4 in 31 campaigns |
Notes | Won 3-1 in 2017/18. Game now scheduled for Friday 16th April at 7.45pm | Won 2-1 in 1990/91. |
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Tie No. 5 | Congleton Town | Malvern Town |
League Status | North West Counties League Premier | Hellenic League 1W |
Step | 5 | 6 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Once beyond R4 in 26 campaigns, 17 years ago | Third time in R4 in 40th campaign, but first time in 44 years |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 5.0pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 6 | Long Eaton United | Westfields |
League Status | Midland Football League Premier | Hellenic League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | First time in R4 in 35th campaign | Fourth time in R4 in 36th campaign |
Notes | Won 2-1 in 2004/05. Kick off now 4.30pm on Saturday 17th April | Winner will make history for club by reaching R5 for first time. |
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Tie No. 7 | Anstey Nomads | Wellingborough Town |
League Status | United Counties League Premier | United Counties League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Once beyond R4 in 45 campaigns, 25 years ago | First time in R4 in 15th campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. |
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Tie No. 8 | Mulbarton Wanderers | Hanworth Villa |
League Status | Eastern Counties League 1N | Combined Counties League Premier |
Step | 6 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | First time in R4 in third campaign | Third time in R4 in 11th campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Winner will make history for club by reaching R5 for first time. |
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Tie No. 9 | Leighton Town | Walton and Hersham |
League Status | Spartan South Midlands League Premier | Combined Counties League 1 |
Step | 5 | 6 |
Best Vase Run | QUARTER FINALS | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Twice beyond R4 in last 3 years | First time in R4 in 5th campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick-off now 6.0pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 10 | Lancing | Flackwell Heath |
League Status | Southern Combination League Premier | Hellenic League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | Round 5 |
FA Vase Form | Second time in R4 in 41st campaign | Once beyond R4 in 42 campaigns |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 12.30pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 11 | Fakenham Town | Binfield |
League Status | Eastern Counties League 1N | Hellenic League Premier |
Step | 6 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | First time in R4 in 30th campaign | Third time in R4 in 13 campaigns |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 12.30pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 12 | Stowmarket Town | Cobham |
League Status | Eastern Counties League Premier | Combined Counties League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Went beyond R4 last season for 1st time | First time in R4 in 44th campaign |
Notes | STOWMARKET TOWN HAVE WITHDRAWN – WALKOVER FOR COBHAM | Won 5-2 in 1998/99. |
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Tie No. 13 | Sutton Common Rovers | Hadley |
League Status | Combined Counties League Premier | Essex Senior League |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Went beyond R4 last season for first time | First time in R4 in 12th campaign |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Kick off now 4.15pm on Saturday 17th April |
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Tie No. 14 | Plymouth Parkway | Clevedon Town |
League Status | Western League Premier | Western League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | QUARTER FINALS | QUARTER FINALS |
FA Vase Form | Went beyond R4 last season for first time | Last beyond R4 in 1992/93, seven campaigns ago |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. |
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Tie No. 15 | United Services Portsmouth | Christchurch |
League Status | Wessex League 1 | Western League Premier |
Step | 6 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 4 | Round 5 |
FA Vase Form | First time in R4 in 30th campaign | Once beyond R4 in 30 campaigns, 12 years ago |
Notes | Kick off now 12.0 noon on Saturday 17th April | Won 3-0 in 2017/18. |
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Tie No. 16 | Bridgwater Town | Tavistock |
League Status | Western League Premier | Western League Premier |
Step | 5 | 5 |
Best Vase Run | Round 5 | Round 4 |
FA Vase Form | Once beyond R4 in 20 campaigns | Second time in R4 in 16th campaign, last time 15 years ago |
Notes | No previous FA Vase meetings. | Game now scheduled for Friday 16th April at 7.45pm |
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