FACupFactfile Facts & Stats in 2018 FA Cup Final Programme

To follow are all my FA Cup facts and stats that were included in the 2018 FA Cup Final programme, plus as many again that could not be accommodated.

If you would like to use any of these facts & stats in your club’s own programme then please seek permission from @FACupFactfile on Twitter beforehenad

 

How Odd!

Seven hundred and thirty-seven clubs participated in the 2017-18 FA Cup. An unusually odd number of entries caused by Bostik Isthmian League One South side Guernsey opting out of participating so they could ‘focus on the league’. As a consequence there were an odd number of ties in the Extra Preliminary Round, too, 185 in total. And the last club drawn out of the hat in that odd 185^th tie? None other than the appropriately named Toolstation Western League Premier Division club Odd Down!

 

Berko’s Dozen

In the Extra Preliminary Round Berkhamsted ran riot and won 12-1 at fellow Spartan South Midland Premier Division side Stotfold. That result is the largest margin of victory away from home in the FA Cup in the 21^st Century. Six different players were on the scoresheet for the Comrades that day. Skipper Jon Munday and Stacey Field both netted hat-tricks, alongside a brace apiece from Alex Campana and Tom Carter and goals from Dan Jones and Frankie Jowle.

 

Lightning At-Tack

Flackwell Heath beat fellow Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division side Burnham 5-0 in the Extra Preliminary Round with Liam Tack scoring their opening goal. The significance of that goal? Well it was timed at 7.51pm on the 4^th August, and is the earliest in any season an FA Cup goal has ever been scored, beating the record set just last season on the 5^th August by Thame United’s Lynton Goss.

 

Shaftesbury Shock

Goals from Charlie Browne and Danny Finnigan (in extra time) gave Toolstation Western League Premier Division club Shaftesbury a 2-1 victory at Exmouth Town of the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League Premier Division in the Extra Preliminary Round. The goals earned the Dorset club its first FA Cup victory for 67 years. The Queen was still known as Princess Elizabeth the last time Shaftesbury won a game in the FA Cup!

 

Just Like Buses

You wait 130 years or more to play your first FA Cup match and then two come along at once. Chipping Sodbury Town of the Toolstation Western League were formed in 1885 and Framlingham Town of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League were formed in 1887. Both clubs entered the FA Cup for the first time in 2017-18, and both won their respective opening ties 3-1, to then play again in the competition just two weeks later in the Preliminary Round.

 

 

 

No Victor Victoria

Hallmark Security North West Counties League Premier Division side Northwich Victoria were knocked out of the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round for the first time ever in their 109^th campaign. To rub salt into the wound the exit came at the hands of local league rivals 1874 Northwich in a replay.

 

Fawley Awful

A 3-2 loss at Combined Counties Premier Division side Farnham Town means it is now six FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round defeats for Fawley of the Sydenhams Wessex League Division One in the six FA Cup campaigns they have had. They are now second in the list of clubs who have failed to go beyond the Extra Preliminary Round in any of their FA Cup campaigns. Five seasons ahead of them, with the all-time record of 11 Extra Preliminary Round defeats in just 11 FA Cup campaigns, is a Birmingham based club named Headingly, who achieved their record run of consecutive losses in the 1920s/30s.

 

Pitt Start

Several players scored four goals in one FA Cup match this season but Ollie Pitt, of Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division outfit Brimscombe and Thrupp, had the stand-out four-bagger. In his side’s 4-0 Extra Preliminary Round victory over Sun Sports of Spartan South Midlands Premier Division, he scored all his four goals in a 12 minute blitz, between the 12^th and 23^rd minutes of the first half!

 

Wood You Like to Call

When the two captains joined the referee for the toss of the coin and pre-match handshake ahead of an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie he could have been forgiven for doing a double-take. Twenty-nine year old Shane Wood was the captain of Spartan South Midlands Premier Division side Leverstock Green whilst his younger brother Jack Wood, twenty-five, was captain of Aylesbury United of the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South East. It was the younger sibling who ended up with the family bragging rights in the end, as the Ducks of Aylesbury won 4-1 in a replay.

 

Seven Mins Four Pens

When Southern Counties East League side Erith Town went 2-0 up at home in their Preliminary Round replay against their higher level opponents, Whyteleafe of Bostik Isthmian League One South, thanks to a Ryan Golding penalty in the 38^th minute of the first half, no-one could have anticipated what would come next. Three more penalties would be awarded and all three would be scored before half time! Two converted by Sam Clayton of Whyteleafe to level things up before Sam Golding slotted home his second spot-kick to give the home side a 3-2 lead. Of course Whyteleafe eventually equalised causing the tie to require even more penalties to resolve it. Erith Town triumphed 4-1 on penalties, meaning Whyteleafe actually scored more penalties in normal time than they did in the shoot-out!

 

 

New Faces

Before the 2017-18 FA Cup had begun Kettering Town of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division held the record for most FA Cup goals scored (870) and most number of different clubs faced in FA Cup matches (175). Unsurprisingly the Poppies added to their record goals tally (now 879) but more surprisingly they remarkably managed to be drawn against four teams they’d never faced in the competition before. Evo-Stik Northern Premier League One South side Romulus were beaten 3-0 in the First Qualifying Round. Then Kidsgrove Athletic from the same division were defeated 2-0 in the next round and fellow league members Basford United beaten 3-2 in the round after that. Finally Kettering Town lost 1-0 in a replay at another new opponent, Nantwich Town from the Premier Division of the same league.

 

You’re having a Wath

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League One North side South Shields beating York City of Vanarama National League North by four goals to two is one of the FA Cup upsets of the season. However, for the Minstermen of York City the shock is even greater than just that defeat itself. It is the first time the former Football League club has been knocked out of the FA Cup at the Third Qualifying Round stage of the competition since they lost 4-1 at Wath Athletic in the 1925-26 season!

 

Long Way from Home

When you are involved in a regional FA Cup draw you don’t expect to have to endure a 670 mile round trip. But that is exactly what happened to AFC Sudbury of Bostik Isthmian League One North in the Third Qualifying Round when they were paired with Truro City of Vanarama National League South. To make matters worse they were on the wrong end of a 4-1 defeat. Sky Bet League Two side Carlisle United had a similar distance to travel in the Second Round ‘Proper’ when facing Gillingham of League One. A one-all draw required the Gills to have to make the same trip but in mid-week, and a late night return after a 3-1 defeat would have been less than enjoyable. Only League Two side Grimsby Town had a more miserable longer journey with 211 fans having seen their side lose 1-0 at League One Plymouth Argyle in the First Round in between two 346 mile journeys.

 

Cornish Pass Tie

Vanarama National League South side Truro City became the first club from the county of Cornwall to reach the FA Cup First Round ‘Proper’ for 48 years, and only the second ever club to do so. Noah Keats scored the historic goals that won the match at League rivals Hampton and Richmond Borough in the Fourth Qualifying Round. Tyler Harvey then scored the White Tigers first ever FA Cup ‘Proper’ Round goal but unfortunately they were beaten 3-1 at Sky Bet League One side Charlton Athletic.

 

Fourteen Hours

1874 Northwich of Hallmark Security North West Counties League Premier Division played the most amount of football in this season’s FA Cup. Having been involved in four replays in the five rounds they competed in, the club were on the pitch in the FA Cup for a total of 840 minutes (14 hours), eventually losing 6-5 on penalties in their ninth match at Ossett Town of Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One North.

Seven Seconds

Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division side Slough Town lost 4-1 against Sky Bet League One club Rochdale in the FA Cup Second Round. It was the seventh time out of seven Second Round appearances that the Rebels had been thwarted at that stage of the competition. No other club has lost so many times at that stage without ever making it through to the Third Round.

 

The Non-League No Show

When Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division side Hereford lost 2-0 at home to Sky Bet League One Fleetwood Town in a Second Round replay on 14^th December 2017, the loss was felt much wider than within the hordes who follow that phoenix club. The whole of the world of non-league football was in mourning, as not only were Hereford the last non-league club standing in the FA Cup, their defeat meant that only ‘English Football League’ and ‘Premier League’ clubs would be involved in the Third Round. This became the first season since 1950-51 that there were no non-league teams in the Third Round of the FA Cup, and was in stark contrast to the record breaking runs of Sutton United (5^th Round) and Lincoln City (Quarter Finals) in the competition just last season.

 

Hello Neighbour

Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool were drawn to face each other in the FA Cup Third Round at Anfield. It was the eighteenth season the two clubs would meet in the FA Cup, including two memorable FA Cup Finals, a record high for the competition ‘Proper’. Liverpool had won 10 of their previous encounters, but this would be the first season the Reds would be victorious in a Merseyside derby in the FA Cup at home, having been held to a draw on all four previous occasions.

 

Every Cloud

When Sky Bet Championship side Norwich City lost to Premier League Chelsea 5-3 on penalties in their FA Cup Third Round replay it was the fifth successive season that the Canaries had failed to win an FA Cup match. That put the club level with the current winless FA Cup run for fellow Championship side Queens Park Rangers who lost 1-0 at home to Milton Keynes Dons from the league below. It is the second longest winless run in the competition of all 92 League clubs. The good news for Canaries’ fans is that it is also the second longest run without an FA Cup victory in East Anglia! The holder of that particular current record is Championship side and arch rivals Ipswich Town. Their 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield United means it is now eight consecutive seasons without an FA Cup win.

 

Just Gr8

Premier League Swansea City hosted Sky Bet League Two side Notts County in a Fourth Round replay and went on the rampage winning the match 8-1, equalling the club’s highest ever win in the FA Cup, last achieved in the 1913-14 season against Caerleon Athletic in a Qualifying Round tie. The result also equalled Notts County’s worst ever FA Cup defeat last suffered in the 1926-27 season at Newcastle United. Six different players scored for Swansea City in the rout but Sam Clucas was not among them. That was surprising given the last time a club won 8-1 in the FA Cup (Mansfield Town 8-1 St Albans City, four years ago), Sam Clucas scored four of the goals!

Extra! Extra!

When this season’s Quarter Final tie between Premier League sides Leicester City and Chelsea ended one apiece after 90 minutes the game went into extra time rather than what historically would have happened and gone on to a replay. However, even though the ‘no replay’ rule only came into fruition last season, it wasn’t the first time an FA Cup Quarter Final game had utilised extra time to try to settle the tie at the first time of asking, but it had been 70 years since it last happened. Following the end of World War Two vital resources such as fuel were scarce and so clubs were encouraged to play extra time in all rounds rather than go straight to a replay if the scores were level after 90 minutes. The last time this happened in a Quarter Final tie was in the 1947-48 season when Queens Park Rangers and Derby County drew one-all. Unfortunately an extra 30 minutes proved futile and a replay was required anyway. Derby won the replay then, and Chelsea won this season without the need of penalties. That’s a stat for future FA Cup competitions!

 

Not So Gr8

Premier League Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United in this year’s FA Cup Semi-Final. It was the eighth consecutive FA Cup Semi-Final Spurs had lost since beating Arsenal in the 1990-91 last four. That is a very unwanted record of eight straight Semi-Final defeats!

 

^♫ Will Griggs on Fire, Jack Midson’s Higher ^♫

The top individual goal-scorer in the ‘Proper’ Rounds of this season’s FA Cup is Will Griggs of Sky Bet League One side Wigan Athletic. He has fired in seven goals in total including the winner against Premier League Manchester City, a victory that meant Wigan Athletic were only the second club ever from the third tier to knock out three top-flight clubs in the same FA Cup run. Realistically only Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United is in a position to potentially pass Will Griggs’ total, but he would need to be only the fourth person ever to score an FA Cup Final hat-trick in order to do so. However, there is one player who has already been more prolific in front of goal in the FA Cup this season, but only if taking Qualifying Round matches into account. Jack Midson of Bostik Isthmian League Premier Division side Leatherhead has hit the back of the net a dozen times in total, although only four of them came in ‘Proper’ Round matches.

 

Hot-Shot Hotspurs

Premier League Tottenham Hotspur are the current top scorers in the ‘Proper’ Rounds of this season’s FA Cup having scored 18 goals en route to the Semi-Finals. It would require a record breaking FA Cup Final scoreline for either of Manchester United or Chelsea to outgun them, necessitating beating the 6-0 win posted by Bury when beating Derby County in the 1902-03 Final. However, three Bostik Isthmian League clubs did already score more goals than Spurs throughout the whole competition this season. Premier Division Leatherhead netted 20 times. Division One North Heybridge Swifts hit the back of the net 24 times. But top goal-scorers in the whole competition are Premier Division champions Billericay Town with 25 goals.

 

 

Lucky 13?

This season’s FA Cup Final could quite easily be brought to you by the Number 13 in the style of kid’s TV programme Sesame Street. Chelsea are into the Cup Final for the thirteenth time. Amazingly this is their seventh visit in just 18 years of the 21^st Century. They only managed six Finals in the 95 years since forming in the last century. It is also the thirteenth different season that Manchester United and Chelsea will face each other in the FA Cup, with the Red Devils holding an eight to four win ratio against the Blues in the past. And Manchester United are vying to lift the Trophy for a record equalling thirteenth time. They are already equalling a record just by reaching Wembley, with this season being their 20^th appearance in an FA Cup Final.

 

Who’s No. 1?

The record for most FA Cup Final wins (13) is currently held by Arsenal, who are also the joint holders of the most FA Cup Final appearances (20). However, if Manchester United were to lift the Trophy this season for a 13^th time, who out of the two would be regarded as the best FA Cup club of all time? Their stats are remarkably similar even outside of Cup Finals. Both clubs have 29 FA Cup Semi-Final appearances to their names. And both clubs have appeared in the Quarter Finals 43 times each. However, by virtue of having appeared in four more Fifth Round matches, Arsenal would remain the No. 1 FA Cup club even if Manchester United were to be triumphant this year. If they did win it, there’s quite a nice symmetry in the fact that Arsenal won their 13^th FA Cup Final by beating Chelsea last season and Manchester United could do the same by beating the same opponents this year.

Haven’t We Met Before?

This is the third time that Manchester United and Chelsea will contest the FA Cup Final having both been victorious once each in past clashes. Manchester United won 4-0 in the 1993-94 Final (Eric Cantona becoming the only player to date to score two penalties in one Final), and Chelsea gained revenge in 2006-07 with Didier Drogba scoring the only goal late in extra time. This is only the fourth time that the same two teams will meet in an FA Cup Final for the third time. Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion were the first to do so way back in the 19^th Century (Villa ahead two wins to one), then Arsenal and Newcastle United (Newcastle up two-one), and most recently Arsenal and Liverpool (Arsenal ahead two to one).

 

Repeat, repeat, repeat!

This year will see the third consecutive ‘repeat’ FA Cup Final as Manchester United and Chelsea meet for the third time, following Arsenal versus Chelsea last season and Manchester United versus Crystal Palace the season before that. It is the first time that three successive FA Cup Finals will involve two clubs who have met in the Final before.

 

 

 

 

Blue or Red is the Colour

Whichever team lifts the FA Cup Trophy this season they will be a club that plays their home matches in predominantly a red or blue kit. It will be the 27^th consecutive time a club which wears one or other of those two coloured shirts will win the FA Cup. The last club to be triumphant in an FA Cup Final which didn’t wear red or blue was white-shirted Tottenham Hotspur in 1990-91 when they beat the red-shirted Nottingham Forest.

 

Two Long

If Manchester United win the FA Cup this season it will create a new record for the most consecutive number of years with the fewest number of clubs winning the Trophy. Over the past five seasons only Arsenal and Manchester United would have won the FA Cup.

 

Guaranteed Record

If Manchester United win the FA Cup this season they will equal the record number of FA Cup triumphs along with Arsenal (13). If Manchester United lose in this season’s FA Cup Final they will equal the record number of Cup Final defeats along with Everton (8). Either way, an FA Cup Final record will be equalled this season!

 

 

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The FA Don’t Care About the FA Cup

Anyone who thinks the FA gives two hoots about a club playing an FA Cup Semi-Final at home negatively affecting the integrity of the competition needs to think again.

The supposed custodians of the world’s oldest cup competition have been denigrating this famous competition for years now with decisions made based upon maximising revenue and/or benefitting other parties, all at the expense of the FA Cup.

In 1999, the FA sanctioned the Cup holders, Manchester United, not to have to defend their title. Was this decision based on benefitting the FA Cup? Of course it wasn’t; it was all done in the futile attempt at winning the rights to host the World Cup. What made it worse was that it was perfectly possible for Manchester United to play in the inaugural World Club Championship as well as in the FA Cup simply by delaying when they needed to play their Third Round tie, but the FA decided upon a ‘lucky loser’ option instead.

One of the reasons why the FA Cup is still regarded as a competition worth winning by many in the game is that if you lose a match you are out. There are no second chances. The only exceptions to that rule have been 1) whenever the FA declares a result as being void, 2) the exceptional circumstances of the first competition after World War II where games were all two legged affairs, and 3) when Darlington were drawn out as the lucky loser after losing 3-1 at Gillingham in the Second Round in 1999-2000 season. Even then the FA could have reverted to previous ways of managing odd numbers in a Round by just giving one club a bye in the Third Round instead of allowing a defeated team a second chance!

Many commentators on our beautiful game cite that decision in 1999 by the FA to agree to Manchester United not defending their title as the day the FA Cup was fatally wounded; the day it lost its status as the prestigious competition it once was, and the beginning of a long, slow path to death.

To be fair to the FA, though, whilst the FA Cup was being belittled at the business end of the competition, they made a decision to begin opening it up to more lower-level clubs, and since the Year 2000 there has been a steady increase in the number of non-league clubs participating in it (capped based on ground grading rules). The high regard for the FA Cup is alive and well amongst the hundreds of these non-league clubs. It’s a pity that those in charge of top tier clubs do not feel the same. Maybe they just need to experience football at this lower level.

In 2007, the FA sanctioned the use of Wembley for Semi-Finals on a permanent basis. There had been sporadic use of the old Wembley for Semi-Finals prior to its demolition, and even one season use of the Millennium Stadium in that stadium’s last tenure of hosting the Final, but the current norm didn’t come about until a season after the first Final was held at the new Wembley. Football fans up and down the country bemoaned the fact that getting to Wembley was being devalued, but the FA had a big bill to pay and Wembley had to be used as much as possible. So now the media and clubs trumpet reaching Wembley as a major achievement even though it’s just at the Semi-Finals stage, although this season that achievement has been trumpeted even earlier in the competition (more on that later).

In 2015, the FA sanctioned a change to the name of the competition. The FA Cup became the Emirates FA Cup. And why did they sanction this name change instead of calling it ‘The FA Cup sponsored by Emirates’ as they had done with previous sponsors? Well, money, of course. The words ‘The FA Cup’ stood for something. It re-enforced the standing of the competition in the eyes of the world, re-iterating how it was ‘The’ cup competition, the original and the best.

By allowing the sponsor to have their name integrated into the name of the FA Cup has done irrevocable damage to the competition’s position. No doubt Emirates paid a much higher sum to allow the competition to be known as ‘The Emirates FA Cup’ rather than ‘The FA Cup sponsored by Emirates’, but did the FA really need to sell its soul to get the sponsorship? There’s no doubt that Emirates would still have paid a large sum to be sponsors of the FA Cup without having to integrate their name, an amount the FA would still have been able to utilise to benefit the competition, but the FA were greedy, putting the maximisation of profit ahead of the reputation of the FA Cup itself.

In 2016, the FA sanctioned the removal of replays in the FA Cup Quarter Finals. Was this decision made to benefit the FA Cup? Of course it wasn’t. It was made at the behest of the Premier League who wanted to free up more available days in the latter part of the season, in particular to help those clubs competing in the Champions League. Like them or hate them, replays have been an integral part of the FA Cup from its very early days. Designed to give away clubs the opportunity to counter the bad luck of being drawn away from home, their removal in a Round where a club still has home advantage showed how little the FA cared for the integrity of their crown jewel tournament.

In 2017, two things were sanctioned by the FA that were yet again not to the benefit of the FA Cup. The first was agreeing to allow Tottenham Hotspur to play their ‘home’ games at Wembley without any provision for what should happen if they were to be drawn at home or reach the Semi-Finals or Final of the FA Cup. Allowing Spurs to play home ties at Wembley in the FA Cup, just by itself, shows the FA has exhibited a complete dereliction of duty, but allowing any club to play a Semi-Final at the ground they have played their home league matches throughout the season shows utter contempt for the competition.

Whilst there has never been a rule that says Semi-Finals and Final should be played at neutral grounds, it has actually always been the case. The FA council decides where the games should be played, but for the interests of fairness at such a critical stage of the competition, no club has ever had an advantage. One hundred and forty-six years of FA Cup history discarded at the drop of a hat, or should that be at the opening of a chequebook.

The second thing the FA sanctioned this season that has been detrimental to the FA Cup has been to allow the competition to be used as a trial for VAR, Video Assistant Referees. Whatever your thoughts on VAR, and I’m no fan, to have some ties utilise it and others not means that not all clubs have been treated fairly in the competition. Moreover, what message does it send with regards to the standing of the FA Cup when it can be used as a trial for new technology. The trial of VAR has been chaotic to say the least. Yes, most things have teething problems, but in the case of the VAR trial there appears to be very little understanding of what potential issues there might have been and how to handle them. It’s been a very visible case of a badly handled trial and error, and the FA Cup has suffered as a consequence.

So, no matter the volume of voices decrying the home advantage afforded to Spurs in this year’s Semi-Finals (and potentially the Final itself), the FA will do nothing, having proved time and time again that they care not one jot about the FA Cup. All they seem to care about is how much money they can make!

Third Tier Clubs in Last Four of FA Cup

A record fourth Premier League scalp for Wigan Athletic in this year’s FA Cup, adding Southampton to the already vanquished AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United and Manchester City, would take the North West club into the Semi-Finals to become only the tenth third tier club to make it to the last four of this historic competition.

All nine of the previous third tier clubs to make it that far all fell at the final hurdle potentially giving Wigan the opportunity to become the first club from that level to make it all the way to the Final itself. However, for many of the previous nine clubs, it is a tale of ‘what might have been’ as bad luck, nerves or blatant mistakes prevented the ultimate glory of a Cup Final appearance.

The whole concept of a third tier didn’t come to fruition until the second season after the cessation of hostilities in WWI when the Southern League was assimilated into the Football League to create Division Three. The following season, 1921-22, a northern equivalent was integrated into the League creating a Northern and a Southern Division at the third level. A few years later the FA Cup was re-aligned to reflect the expansion of the Football League and from the 1925-26 onward third tier clubs have been exempted in the FA Cup until the 1^st Round ‘Proper’.

Millwall had been an FA Cup Semi-Finalist twice as a Southern League club at the start of the 20^th Century, and had twice made the last eight of the competition as a Football League side prior to the 1936-37 season when doing so again as a Third Division South club. To get to the last eight Millwall had scored 20 goals and conceded just two in defeating third division sides Aldershot and Gateshead, second division Fulham, and two First Division clubs, Chelsea and Derby County.

The Quarter Final draw pitted the Lions at home the Champions elect Manchester City. It would be a tough task to overcome such superior opposition, but Millwall had in their ranks a prolific goal-scorer in the shape of Dave Mangnall who had already netted seven times in the current Cup run. And it duly was Mangnall who scored either side of half-time, in front of 42,000 spectators, to create FA Cup history and make Millwall become the first ever third tier side to reach the Semi-Finals.

In the Semi-Final at Leeds Road, Huddersfield, Millwall were up against the previous season’s First Division champions in the shape of Sunderland. Dave Mangnall bagged his tenth goal of the campaign to give Millwall a tenth minute lead and a fleeting glimpse of Wembley, but goals by Bobby Gurney and Patrick Gallacher ended their fine run at the last hurdle.

Port Vale never had much of an FA Cup history prior to the 1953-54 season, and haven’t had much to sing about in the competition in the 60+ years since, but in that one glorious Cup run the Valiants came within one game of Wembley. And they had goal-scorer Albert Leake to thank that it was they and not Third Division South Leyton Orient who made it to the last four.

Port Vale had a memorable 1953-54 winning the Third Division North at a canter and remained unbeaten at home throughout the whole season. Their FA Cup run saw victories over Division Three sides Darlington, Southport and Queens Park Rangers, as well as beating Division One clubs Cardiff City and FA Cup holders Blackpool. And in that run Albert Leake grabbed five of their 11 goals including the double that saw off Stanley Matthews et al in the fifth round.

Leyton Orient had made the Quarter Finals without facing a top-flight side. Albert Leake scored the only goal of the Quarter Final, but the Valiants had their ‘keeper Ray King to thank for ensuring the victory. In the Semi-Final Vale were drawn to face West Bromwich Albion, a side that year vying with Wolverhampton Wanderers for the First Division title. The tie was played at Villa Park, a neutral venue yes, but just a stone’s throw from the Baggies’ home ground.

Yet again it was the lower league side’s top scorer who opened the scoring in the Semi-Final when Albert Leake netted in the 40^th minute to give Vale a half-time lead and dreams of Wembley. The Baggies came out all guns a-blazing in the second half but reverted to a long ball game that saw Jimmy Dudley equalise off the back of Vale defender Tommy Cheadle’s head just after the hour mark, and former Port Vale player Ronnie Allen covert a heavily disputed penalty eight minutes later.

York City had made the FA Cup Quarter Finals in 1937-38 season losing 2-1 at Division One side Huddersfield Town in a replay, but that aside their FA Cup record is one of ignominious failure (the odd notable top-flight scalp aside). However, in just the very next season after Port Vale had an FA Cup run out of the blue, so did the Minstermen of Division Three North in 1954-55. And their goal-scoring hero was an Englishman called Arthur Bottom.

York City joined the 3^rd Division later than most others, not becoming a member of the Football League until the 1929-30 season and would be destined to remain in the Division Three North for the remainder of that division’s existence, not gaining promotion until finishing third in the first ever Fourth Division season. Their League record was as nondescript as their Cup form.

Three non-league clubs had been dispatched (Scarborough, Dorchester Town and Bishop Auckland) alongside two First Division clubs in the shape of Blackpool and Tottenham Hotspur before York City travelled to Second Division Notts County for their Quarter Final tie. And it was Arthur Bottom who scored the only goal of the game in the second half, his seventh of the campaign, to take York City into the last four for the first time ever where they would face First Division Newcastle United.

In atrocious conditions at Hillsborough, 65,000 spectators saw Vic Keeble give Newcastle United the lead, only for Arthur Bottom to equalise before half-time. The second half remained goal-less and so York City became the first third tier side to earn an FA Cup Semi-Final replay. There was to be no fairy-tale in the second game at Roker Park as Len White opened the scoring within two minutes for Newcastle. York City hung on commendably despite being reduced to 10 men through injury and were always in with a chance of equalising, but Vic Keeble settled the tie towards the end of the 90 minutes.

Norwich City were the next third tier side to reach the FA Cup Semi-Finals in the 1958-59 season. The Canaries had had a nondescript FA Cup record both before and after becoming a Football League side in 1920-21 when the Southern League was amalgamated as the Third Division. Despite five seasons in Division Two, the club had never gone beyond the 5^th Round, but that was all to change in the first season they once again competed in what was called Division Three.

Unlike their three predecessors, the goals for Norwich City’s Cup run were spread across three to four notable players; Bobby Brennan, Errol Crossan, Terry Bly and Jimmy Hill (not that one). They had scored 13 goals by the time they were drawn to face Division Two side Sheffield United in the Quarter Finals having defeated non-league Ilford, Third Division Swindon Town, Second Division Cardiff City, and both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur from Division One.

Canadian Errol Crossan scored the goal at Bramall Lane that brought the two sides back to Carrow Road following a 1-1 draw in the Quarter Final. Bobby Brennan opened the scoring for Norwich City and Terry Bly doubled their lead before the half hour mark only to be pegged back to 2-1 by half-time. Bly added a second before Sheffield United pulled another one back with 20 minutes to go, but the Canaries held on.

In the Semi-Final Norwich City were drawn to face Division One side Luton Town at White Hart Lane, a ground where the Norfolk club had already gained a memorable draw earlier in the competition. Allan Brown opened the scoring for the Hatters, but former Luton Town player Bobby Brennan equalised forcing a replay at St Andrews. Billy Bingham scored the only goal of the game in the replay to send Luton through. Norwich City have twice since made the FA Cup Semi-Finals, but have still yet to make it to Wembley. They are joint holders of the record of most FA Cup Semi-Finals without ever having made the Final itself.

Crystal Palace finally made the FA Cup Semi-Finals 104 years after their namesake did so in the inaugural FA Cup competition of 1871-72. Palace had been a First Division side but recent successive relegations saw them in the third tier just before the 1975-76 season, the year when they went on their best Cup run up until that time.

The club had faced just one First Division side en route to the Semi-Finals, a waning but still strong Leeds United side 1-0 in the Fourth Round, and had defeated two non-league clubs (Walton and Hersham and Scarborough), Division Three Millwall, and both Chelsea and Sunderland from the Second Division, the latter of whom was beaten 1-0 at Roker Park thanks to an Allan Whittle strike.

Palace were drawn to face Southampton in the Semi-Finals. Southampton were a mid-table team in the Second Division at the time and the tie was to be played in London at Stamford Bridge. They were the first third tier side to face non-top-flight opposition in their Semi-Final and would face them in their home city. On paper, Palace had the best opportunity of all third tier sides so far of making it to Wembley.

Alas, it was not to be. Second half goals from Paul Gilchrist and David Peach (from a debatable penalty) saw Southampton progress at their expense. Palace, therefore, became the first third tier side to fail to score in their Semi-Final.

Plymouth Argyle had no real FA Cup history to speak of before venturing all the way to the Semi-Finals in the 1983-84 season. A solitary 5^th Round appearance 31 years previously the best the Pilgrims had been able to muster.

An inauspicious goal-less draw at fellow Division Three side Southend United gave no indication of the Cup run to come, but they were defeated 2-0 in the replay and this was followed up by victories over non-league Barking, Third Division Newport County in a replay, Fourth Division Darlington and a 1-0 win at First Division West Bromwich Albion, the winning goal scored by Tommy Tynan. And all that on the back of a fight against relegation in the Third Division.

Second Division Derby County visited Home Park for the club’s first ever Quarter Final tie, but the match ended scoreless. Derby were obvious favourites for the replay, but Plymouth had other ideas with Andy Rogers scoring the only goal of the match direct from a corner kick. Villa Park beckoned and a date with First Division Watford, a club on an upward trajectory to their best ever period.

It’s fair to say the Semi-Final wasn’t a classic, but Plymouth Argyle were never out of the tie throughout the whole 90 minutes. George Reilly scored a header from a John Barnes cross before the quarter hour mark and the rest of the game saw the two sides huff and puff without generating much else in terms of goalmouth chances, although it was Plymouth who took the game to Watford in the second half and were unlucky not to equalise.

Chesterfield fans will quite rightly say, ad infinitum, that it should have been them and not Middlesbrough to face Chelsea in the 1997 FA Cup Final. The 3-3 draw played out at Old Trafford was an FA Cup classic, the lead changing hands, a last gap equaliser, a sending-off, and a ‘goal’ that should have been given but was incorrectly ruled as not crossing the line. The forgettable 3-0 win for Middlesbrough in the replay paled into insignificance in comparison.

By the 1996-97 season the third tier was known as Division Two thanks to the re-naming of the top flight to the Premier League five years earlier. Chesterfield had never been beyond the 5^th Round of the FA Cup before, and it was almost 50 years since the last time they ventured that far. Second Division Bury were beaten 1-0, Third Division Scarborough 2-0, Second Division Bristol City 2-0 and then First Division promotion chasers Bolton Wanderers 3-2 with Kevin Davies scoring a hat-trick against a side he would go on to star for when they were in the Premier League.

Chesterfield then faced Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest in the 5^th Round, a game settled by a Tom Curtis penalty. As with Port Vale 43 years earlier, Chesterfield were drawn against another third tier side in their first Quarter Final in the shape of Wrexham. Both sides were mid-table, but Wrexham had twice been Quarter Finalists in the 1970s. However, it was Chris Beaumont who settled the tie in favour of the Spireites just before the hour mark, and it was they who would become the seventh third tier side to make the last four of the FA Cup.

And then came the real drama. A goal-less first half saw Middlesbrough with the upper hand, but also reduced to ten men when Vladimir Kinder was sent off. Chesterfield sensed an opportunity and seized it soon after the re-start. Andy Morris scored the simplest of goals nine minutes into the second half, and Sean Dyche converted a penalty on the hour mark to seemingly book Chesterfield’s place at Wembley.

However, soon after Fabrizio Ravanelli bundled in to halve the deficit, but it all seemed in vain when Jonathan Howard cracked a goal in off the underside of the bar. Amazingly referee David Elleray deemed it had not crossed the line although television replays confirmed that it had. To add insult to injury, Middlesbrough were soon awarded a penalty for an ‘offence’ that appeared to happen outside the area. Craig Hignett duly despatched the penalty and the game went into extra time.

Despite being a man down, Gianluca Festa gave Middlesbrough the lead for the first time in the 100^th minute and it seemed all over for the gallant lower league side. However, they were not to be denied a chance of putting wrongs to right, when Jamie Hewitt popped up to score a last-minute equaliser. However, the steam had run out of their engine by the time of the replay, and Middlesbrough won a more straightforward affair 3-0 at Hillsborough with goals from Mikkel Beck, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Emerson.

Wycombe Wanderers’ run to the FA Cup Semi-Finals in the 2000-01 season will be inexorably linked to CEEFAX and Roy Essandoh.

The Chairboys had never even progressed beyond the 3^rd Round of the FA Cup in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, but almost went all the way in the first full season of the 21^st Century. It started innocuously enough with a straightforward 3-0 win over non-league side Harrow Borough, and a sixth ever visit to the round when the ‘big boys’ join was secured after a 2-1 replay win over fellow third tier side Millwall.

Two Division One sides were sent packing in the next two rounds, Grimsby Town 3-1 in a replay in Cleethorpes and Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at Adams Park, as Wycombe marched on into uncharted territory. Then came a massive test against Premier League side Wimbledon, FA Cup winners just 13 years previously. The Chairboys held their more senior opponents to a 2-2 draw, but only the most optimistic of Wycombe fans would have expected anything more in the replay. But more there was and in dramatic style. The game went to penalties, which seemed to go on forever eventually won by Wycombe 8-7, after a twisting and turning 2-2 draw that had seen a sending off, a late penalty miss and a last gasp equaliser.

By the time of the Quarter Final against Premier League Leicester City, Wycombe had a crippling injury list. A now infamous CEEFAX plea for a striker was answered by Essandoh’s agent and the rest is FA Cup folklore. Wycombe were doing well to hold Leicester to a 1-1 draw and thoughts were turning to a replay back in Wycombe when Essandoh was subbed on late in the game. And what a substitution, and what a story, as it was Essandoh who grabbed the late winner to send the Chairboys into the FA Cup Semi-Finals to face the might of Liverpool.

For over 75 minutes Wycombe Wanderers held Liverpool at bay before Emile Heskey opened the scoring at Villa Park. Robbie Fowler scored a second soon after and the dream of a trip to the Millennium Stadium seemed over. However, a late goal by Keith Ryan caused a tumultuous ending but in the end it turned out to be just a consolation.

Sheffield United are the only FA Cup winners to have also made the Semi-Finals as a third tier side. In 2013-14 the third tier was now known as Division One following a change in name for the old Division One to the Championship ten years earlier.

A 3-2 win at fellow third tier side Colchester United started the run off followed by a 2-0 win at non-league Cambridge United. The 3^rd Round made people sit up and notice when Ryan Flynn grabbed a late winner at Villa Park after the Premier League side had equalised through Niklas Helenius following a Jamie Murphy opener.

Another Premier League side, Fulham, were held to a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane, despite the third tier side being reduced to 10 men. Chris Porter scored for the Blades with Hugo Rodallego equaliser with quarter of an hour to go. The replay was a dour 0-0 draw for 119 minutes before Shaun Miller claimed a last gasp header to send United through. The 5^th Round was a more straightforward 3-1 victory over Championship side Nottingham Forest, and the Quarter Final saw a similar two goal victory, this time 2-0, over another Championship side Charlton Athletic.

The Blades’ Semi-Final against Premier League side Hull City proved to be a record equalling eight goal thriller. Sheffield United became the first third tier side to play an FA Cup Semi-Final at Wembley and it was Jose Baxter who put them ahead on 20 minutes. Yannick Sagbo equalised for Hull four minutes before half-time to seemingly make it all square at the break, but Stefan Scougall restored the Blades’ lead a couple of minutes later.

Matty Fryatt grabbed a second equaliser for Hull City four minutes into the second half, and the Tigers took the lead for the first time through Tom Huddlestone just five minutes later. Stephen Quinn appeared to have settled the tie mid-way through the second half, but Jamie Murphy managed to half the deficit just as time was running out. The Blades sensed an opportunity to get an unlikely equaliser, but their hope was snuffed out by David Meyler adding a 5^th goal for Hull deep into injury time. It was the first time in FA Cup history that eight different players scored in a Semi-Final match.

So Wigan Athletic are looking to become just the 10^th club from the third tier to make the FA Cup Semi-Finals. Like Sheffield United they are former Cup winners and coincidentally were also in the other Semi-Final the year the Blades last appeared in it. But could the Latics become the first team from the third tier to make the FA Cup Final itself? Well they have to overcome Southampton first!

 

Time to Treat the FA Cup with Respect

The FA Cup doesn’t need ‘saving’, as many renowned and less-renowned commentators might suggest, it just needs to be treated with respect by those responsible for running it and for it to play to its strengths.

The FA Cup is not as highly regarded as it once was and that is down to a series of factors, some avoidable, some outside its control, and criminally many caused by mismanagement by those purportedly acting in the interests of it.

Money is all encompassing in football nowadays, and every decision made and innovation introduced since 1992 has had the pursuit of money at the heart of its objectives. Premier League, Champions League, World Cup expansion, stadia naming rights, VAR, the scrapping of FA Cup replays, B-Teams in Checkatrade Trophy; these have all come about because of wanting to make more and more money and never because it enhances the game we all love.

And the FA Cup has suffered because it’s not where the money is at, or rather it’s not where the TV companies and the football decision makers want the money to be. The FA Cup still maintains a worldwide appeal and audience, but it is being marginalised by the pursuit of money by the big clubs in Europe who care not one jot for anything else other than their own financial well-being. Scrap replays in the Quarter Finals to help English clubs who are in the Champions League manage their fixture congestion? Move FA Cup to mid-week to allow for Premier League exclusivity on Saturdays? Scrap replays altogether to allow for a Premier League winter break?

And the really annoying thing is, the FA say ‘yes’ to it all. They say yes despite the fact that not one suggestion is put forward to help the FA Cup be a success. There’s a veiled promise that by making these changes the clubs will be able to play their strongest sides, but history tells us in all walks of life that a promise today is a wish in the future.

Those in charge of the FA Cup have tried to maximise revenues by competing with the Premier League and Champions League at their game. Exclusive sponsors naming rights, world-wide TV rights etc are all well and good but compared to what the other two competitions can generate they pale into insignificance.

The FA should stop trying to be Premier League lite and start promoting the FA Cup based upon its own strengths, namely its tradition as the original and best Cup competition. The FA should stand up for the FA Cup and stop diminishing its worth by changing its rules or allowing it to be the test bed of potential new technology at the behest of the Premier League and its member clubs.

If the FA started treating the FA Cup with respect, then those that participate in it might start to treat it with respect, too. Return the Cup Final kick-off time to 3.0pm on the Saturday to please those fans in the UK ahead of those watching from afar. Return Semi-Finals to neutral venues other than Wembley Stadium to allow for more people from around the country to experience them and to keep Wembley as a revered place to play based on how difficult it is to get to play there.

Re-instate replays at the Quarter Finals stage (and scrap any ideas of removing them from other rounds). The whole point of replays is to provide clubs with the opportunity to counter the perceived bad luck of being drawn away from home. Admittedly, replays are now sought more by the lower level home side to get a cash-injecting replay at a Premier League side, but it will also incentivise the bigger clubs to try to win the tie at the first time of asking to avoid fixture congestion.

Promote the FA Cup as being something worth winning because of what it is and not because of what it can earn you either in financial terms or in access to a perceived bigger competition. It is the FA Cup, with over 140 years of history, and that alone should count for something. Make it the competition to win because of pride not price. Put some value back in to winning a competition just for the sake of being regarded as the winners in future football history books. Ask the majority of Wigan Athletic fans. Would they have taken avoiding relegation if it meant not winning the FA Cup? The answer would be a resounding ‘no’. No-one remembers who nearly got relegated, but everyone remembers who won the FA Cup.

It’s for prestigious moments like that that the FA Cup should be promoted and revered. The FA should protect its crown jewel, not by bending over backwards to appease the profit focused Premier League clubs, but by sticking to their guns and saying ‘no’ every time a half-assed idea is put forward that benefits other parties whilst being detrimental to the FA Cup.

2017-18 FA Cup 5th Round Bite-sized Review

Stat of the Round

Wigan Athletic have never lost an FA Cup 5^th Round tie – 4 out of four now.

 

Cupsets

Level 3 beat Level 1 (h) – Wigan Athletic 1-0 Manchester City.

 

In 6^th Round for first time in a while

Brighton and Hove Albion (32 years), Southampton (13 years), Leicester City (6 years)

 

Successive years making it into 6^th Rd

Manchester United (4), Chelsea (3)

 

KO but reached 5^th Rd for first time in a while

Coventry City (9 years)

 

KO and not gone further than 5^th Rd for a while

Huddersfield Town (56 years), Coventry City (9 years)

 

Consecutive 4^th Rd exits

Huddersfield Town (2)

 

 

Miscellaneous

Chelsea beat Hull City for the seventh time in their seven FA Cup meetings.

Manchester United are now joint second equal with Arsenal as clubs with most FA Cup Quarter Final appearances (43).

Brighton and Hove Albion are in the FA Cup Quarter Finals for only the 3^rd time.

The last time Leicester City made the FA Cup Quarter Finals they were drawn to face Chelsea as they have been this year, too. The Foxes have yet to beat the Blues in the FA Cup.

2013 Wigan Athletic beat Manchester City when they were a Premier League club.

2014 Wigan Athletic beat Manchester City when they were a Championship club.

2018 Wigan Athletic beat Manchester City when they were an EFL 1 club.

 

 

What Will Emerge from the Ossett Merger?

February 2018 saw the announcement that local rivals Ossett Town and Ossett Albion would merge ahead of the 2018-19 season in a show of unity under the new name of Ossett United with a view to benefitting both football clubs, and the community as a whole. Stronger together, more so than could be achieved apart.

Ossett Town and Ossett Albion will become the 47^th pair of clubs to merge where both clubs have already played in the FA Cup (although some of the previous 46 are not considered to be ‘mergers’ by some club historians and fans). Both Ossett sides have similar FA Cup records, but both have fallen one round short of reaching the 1^st Round ‘Proper’. There will be high hopes that one of the benefits of bringing the clubs together is that the town will be represented in the ‘Proper’ Rounds of the FA Cup in the future.

But what of the previous 46 mergers? Did their coming together result in FA Cup runs far exceeding what either of the two clubs had achieved in the competition in past? Or was it a folly that saw the new club crash and burn soon after it was established? Let’s have a look.

1888 saw the first ever merger of two clubs who had already competed in the FA Cup when Walsall Town (formed 1879) and Walsall Swifts (formed 1877) joined forces to create Walsall Town Swifts, becoming plain Walsall eight years later. Both pre-merger clubs only competed in the FA Cup in pre-Football League days and both made the 4^th Round once each. Walsall Town had six campaigns and made 4^th Round in 1882-83 (losing 2-1 at Aston Villa) and Walsall Swifts had five campaigns and reached the 4^th Round in 1884-85 (losing 1-4 at home to Notts County). Walsall have now competed in the FA Cup 120 times and have made the 5^th Round ‘Proper’ half a dozen times, most recently in 2002-03 (lost 2-0 at Sheffield United). Merger FA Cup success? Longevity suggests yes.

1889 saw Cheshire based Hartford St John’s (formed 1876) merge with Davenham (formed 1879) to create Hartford and Davenham United. Four of Hartford St John’s five FA Cup runs occurred before the Football League was established and they were knocked out in the 1^st Round each time and they lost 1-7 at home to Nantwich (Town) in their only qualifying game. Davenham had six campaigns in total with much more success, making the 5^th Round in 1885-86, becoming the smallest village ever to appear in the last 16 of the FA Cup in the process (lost 2-1 at Small Heath Alliance (Birmingham City)). Hartford and Davenham United had just one FA Cup campaign in 1889-90 (losing 4-0 at home to Crewe Alexandra in the 2^nd Qualifying Round, but at least this meant Hartford did eventually get an FA Cup win). Merger FA Cup success? Just delayed the inevitable end.

1892 saw Newcastle East End (formed 1881) and Newcastle West End (formed 1882) join forces to create Newcastle United (it’s debatable if this was a merger or simply East End absorbing West End). Newcastle East End had five FA Cup campaigns reaching the 1^st Round twice, first in pre-Football League days and second in the last season before the merger (lost 2-1 at Nottingham Forest). Newcastle West End had six FA Cup campaigns under their belt, two of which occurred before the Football League both of which resulted in a 2^nd Round appearance. Newcastle United have competed in the FA Cup 116 times, lifting the Trophy six times and being beaten Finalists on a further seven occasions. Merger FA Cup success? The most successful of all mergers, if that’s what it was.

1898 saw Watford St Mary’s (formed 1881) and West Herts (1865) merge to form Watford FC, although the club’s website suggests formation was 1881 as Watford Rovers (who were amalgamated into West Herts in 1892, who then absorbed Watford St Mary’s in 1898 changing their name in the process). Watford Rovers competed in the FA Cup five times either side of the Football League being formed reaching the 2^nd Round in one of the two pre Football League seasons. Watford St Mary’s had two FA Cup campaigns reaching the 2^nd Qualifying Round in both of them. West Herts had five campaigns, also only making it as far as the 2^nd Qualifying Round in 1895-96 (lost 0-1 at home to Old St Stephens (who became Shepherd’s Bush)). Watford has had 110 FA Cup campaigns since the name began to be used, culminating in a FA Cup Final appearance in 1983-84 (losing 2-0 to Everton). Merger FA Cup success? If it was regarded as a merger, then definitely.

1901 saw Burton Swifts (formed 1870) and Burton Wanderers (formed 1871) merge to create Burton United. This was the first merger of clubs who had both played in the Football League. Burton Swifts were still a League club at the time of the merger and had competed in the FA Cup 16 times reaching the 2^nd Round in 1887-88 before the Football League was founded and before qualifying rounds existed (lost 5-2 at home to Great Bridge Unity). Burton Wanderers had also had 16 FA Cup campaigns and also had made the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ on one occasion in 1893-94 (losing 2-1 at home to Notts County) but was playing in the Midland League at the time of the merger. Burton United existed for just nine seasons only twice appearing in the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ despite being a Football League club for the first six of them. Merger FA Cup success? No.

1910 saw two local clubs merge as Ripley Town (formed ????) and Ripley Athletic (formed ????) joined forces to create Ripley Town and Athletic. Both pre-merger clubs had just two FA Cup campaigns each before coming together. Ripley Town suffered 1^st Qualifying Round knock-outs both times whilst Ripley Athletic achieved that level just the once. Ripley Town and Athletic enjoyed five pre-WWI FA Cup campaigns making it as far as the 5^th Qualifying Round in 1911-12 (losing 4-1 at Croydon Common). A club with the same name did exist post WWI, but there were to be no more FA Cup campaigns. Merger FA Cup success? Short-lived.

1912 saw local North London sides Barnet (formed 1890) and Barnet Alston (formed 1901) merge to create Barnet and Alston FC changing the club’s name to plain Barnet after WWI hostilities had ceased. Prior to the merger the original Barnet club had only had one FA Cup campaign, reaching the Preliminary Round in the season before the merger (losing 4-2 at home to Luton Clarence). Barnet Alston had been the bigger club and had twice made it as far as the 5^th Qualifying Round, including in that same 1911-12 season (losing 5-0 at Sutton Junction). The new club went one Round further just three seasons after the merger, but it would be another 11 war interrupted years before the club broke through to the ‘Proper’ Rounds. Ninety-six FA Cup campaigns later and the club is in its third stint as a Football League club and twice made the 4^th Round ‘Proper’ in the successive 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons (losing 2-0 and 1-0 at home to Plymouth Argyle and Bristol Rovers respectively). Merger FA Cup Success? Definite Improvement.

1917 saw two clubs from the same Buckinghamshire town come together as Chesham Town (formed 1885) and Chesham Generals (formed ????) merged to create Chesham United. A lot of clubs merged or folded at this time due to the numbers of young men lost during WWI, but few did it whilst hostilities were still in progress. Chesham Town had had 30 FA Cup campaigns prior to the Great War, beginning before the Football League was created, and so had reached the 2^nd Round in 1886-87 season (lost 1-7 at home to Old Etonians), but had failed to make the ‘Proper’ Rounds once qualification was required. Chesham Generals had also failed to make the ‘Proper’ Rounds in their 20 FA Cup campaigns reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round on two separate occasions in the early years of the 20^th Century (losing 11-0 at Reading and 2-0 at Shepherd’s Bush). However, since the merger the ‘new’ club has competed in the FA Cup 91 times, and whilst it took almost 50 years for their first appearance in the 1^st Round ‘Proper’, the Generals made the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in 1979-80 season (lost 0-2 at home to Cambridge United), and recently came close to emulating that feat. Merger FA Cup Success? Eventually, yes.

1919 saw Kingstonian formed as a result of a merger between Old Kingstonians (formed 1908) and Kingston-on-Thames (formed 1885 as Kingston and Surbiton YMCA). However, there is debate as to whether this was a merger of two clubs to create a new identity, or whether Kingston-on-Thames just amalgamated Old Kingstonians and changed their name in the process. Old Kingstonians had just five FA Cup campaigns all prior to the outbreak of WWI reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round in 1910-11 (losing 0-2 at home to Redhill in a replay). Kingston-on-Thames had one more campaign and went one round further to the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1912-13 (lost 3-0 at Southall). Kingstonian has competed in the FA Cup in every one of the 93 seasons since 1919 appearing in the ‘Proper’ Rounds 10 times including a run to the 4^th Round in 2000-01 (lost 0-1 at home to Bristol City in a replay). Merger FA Cup success? If it was regarded as a merger, then yes.

1919 also saw two local West Midlands based clubs join forces as Willenhall Pickwick (formed ????) and Willenhall Swifts (formed ????) merged to create Willenhall. Both pre-merger clubs had seven FA Cup campaigns each with Willenhall Pickwick reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1912-13 (lost 0-2 at home to Stockport County) and Willenhall Swifts only making it as far as the 1^st Qualifying Round three times. The new club had 12 FA Cup campaigns before seemingly dissolving part way through their 12^th season, making the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1926-27 (lost 2-0 at Wellington Town). Merger FA Cup success? Had potential, but ultimately failed.

1919 additionally saw Somerset clubs Yeovil Town (formed 1890 as Yeovil, before becoming Yeovil Casuals) and Petters United (formed 1908) merge to create Yeovil and Petters United, becoming Yeovil Town after WWII. The original Yeovil Town had 16 FA Cup campaigns before the merger reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1909-10 (lost 6-1 at Clapton). Petters United only appeared twice in the FA Cup going out in the Preliminary Round both times. The merged club has now competed in the FA Cup 93 times famously making the 5^th Round ‘Proper’ in 1948-49 after beating 1^st Division Sunderland (then lost 8-0 at Manchester United), before eventually becoming a Football League club themselves in the 21^st Century. Merger FA Cup success? Definitely; the ultimate giant-killers.

1921 saw Torquay Town (formed 1910) merge with Babbacombe (formed 1903) to create Torquay United. Torquay Town enjoyed six FA Cup campaigns making the 5^th Qualifying Round in their debut season (lost 4-0 at the original Accrington Stanley). Babbacombe had had just two campaigns only going as far as the Preliminary Round in the second of them. Torquay United has now competed in the FA Cup 90 times and has reached the 4^th Round ‘Proper’ on seven separate occasions, most recently in 2010-11 (lost 0-1 at home to Crawley Town). Merger FA Cup success? Yes.

1923 saw Peterborough City (formed ????) and Fletton United (formed ????) merge to create Peterborough and Fletton United. Peterborough City had had eight FA Cup campaigns prior to the merger reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in three of the last four runs (lost 2-0 at Gainsborough Trinity in the last of them in 1914-15). Fletton United had had 10 FA Cup campaigns finally reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round in the season ahead of the merger (lost 2-1 to Higham Ferrers Town in a second replay). The new club existed for 10 seasons reaching the 5^th Qualifying Round in their first FA Cup run, (bizarrely, Peterborough City had lost 1-2 at home to Northampton Wanderers – it’s possible Peterborough & Fletton United were a re-formed Fletton United only), and made the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in 1927-28 (losing 4-3 at Birmingham City) before folding at the end of the 1932-33 season. Merger FA Cup success? Initially yes, ultimately no.

1925 saw Rotherham Town (formed 1898) and Rotherham County (formed 1870) merge to create Rotherham United. Rotherham Town were the second club to bear that name and had had 20 FA Cup campaigns reaching the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 1907-08 (lost 1-0 at West Ham United). Rotherham County were a Football League club at the time of the merger and also had had 20 FA Cup campaigns with just one 1^st Round ‘Proper’ appearance in 1922-23 (lost 1-0 at Chelsea). Rotherham United took over their Football League status, reached the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in their first season (although the round names were reclassified meaning this was equivalent to the old 1^st Round), and going on to make the 5^th Round ‘Proper’ twice, latterly in 1967-68 (lost 2-0 after extra time at Leicester City in a replay). Merger FA Cup success? Yes, if a little underwhelming.

1928 saw Horden Athletic (formed 1908) and Horden Colliery (formed ????) merge to create Horden Colliery Welfare. In their 15 FA Cup campaigns Horden Athletic had one appearance in the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 1925-26 (lost 2-3 at home to Darlington). Horden Colliery had just one FA Cup campaign before the merger in 1912-13 being knocked out in the Preliminary Round. Horden Colliery Welfare had 73 FA Cup campaigns before the club folded in 2016 (assimilated into Darlington as their Reserves side), but did make 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ in 1938-39 (lost 2-3 at home to Newport County). Merger FA Cup success? Initially yes, but failed to last.

1929 saw Cardiff based clubs Aberdare Athletic (formed 1893) and Aberaman Athletic (formed 1898) merge to create Aberaman and Aberdare FC. Aberdare Athletic had been a former Football League club (1921 to 1927) but had been voted out of the Football League joining the Southern League for the 1927-28 season. The club failed to see out their second season in that League, though. During their existence they had nine FA Cup campaigns and had made it as far as the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ (in 1926, losing 4-1 to Newcastle United). Aberaman Athletic had only had two FA Cup campaigns reaching the 1^st Qualifying Round in the club’s first run (losing 2-0 to Barry). The new club eventually had three immediate post-war FA Cup campaigns as members of the Welsh League South Division One, making it as far as the 1^st Qualifying Round on two occasions. The clubs eventually de-merged to form new Aberaman Athletic and Aberdare Town clubs. Merger FA Cup success? Poor.

1932 saw Tooting Town (formed 1887 as Tooting Graveney) and Mitcham Wanderers (formed 1912) merge to create Tooting and Mitcham United. Tooting Town competed 18 times in the FA Cup making the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1928-29 (lost 1-3 at home to Woking). Mitcham Wanderers had had just nine FA Cup campaigns with two 3^rd Qualifying Round appearances, most latterly in 1930-31 (losing 2-4 at home to Kingstonian). Tooting and Mitcham United have now had 80 FA Cup runs making it as far as the 4^th Round ‘Proper’ in 1975-76 (lost 3-1 at Bradford City). Merger FA Cup success? Yes.

1939 saw two of the country’s most famous amateur clubs come together as Corinthians (formed 1882) merged with Casuals (formed 1883) to establish a new great amateur club Corinthian-Casuals. The ethos of the clubs that became known as ‘The Corinthian Spirit’ meant neither club wanted to compete in a League (although Causals eventually did join the Isthmian League), but The Corinthians in particular were still able to compete with the better Football League clubs of the time. The club was always exempted until the ‘Proper’ Rounds and in 16 campaigns reached the 4^th Round on two separate occasions (losing 3-1 at home to Newcastle United and 3-0 away at West Ham United). Casuals had fewer campaigns (14) and less success (reaching 1^st Round seven times) but they had to compete in qualifying rounds. The new club took up residence in the Isthmian League immediately after WWII but didn’t compete in the FA Cup until almost 20 years later, with their exemption to the ‘Proper’ Rounds no longer in place. The club has reached the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ twice in their 54 FA Cup campaigns (losing 5-1 at home to Watford and 4-0 at Bristol City in a replay). Merger FA Cup success? Yes, maintaining the Corinthian Spirit in these money obsessed times.

1945 saw the interim merger between Felixstowe Town (formed 1890) and Walton United (formed 1895) to create Felixstowe United, becoming Felixstowe Town seven years later, before changing to their final name of Felixstowe Port and Town 19 years after that. The club would merge with a more modern Walton United in 2000 to create Felixstowe and Walton United. The original Felixstowe Town had 11 FA Cup campaigns reaching the 1^st Qualifying Round just the once in 1935-36 (losing 3-0 at Sheringham). The original Walton United had only had three FA Cup campaigns and were knocked out in the Preliminary Round in all three occasions. Felixstowe Port and Town had 25 FA Cup campaigns across their various guises making the 2^nd Qualifying Round four times, most latterly in 1994-95 (losing 1-5 at home to Heybridge Swifts). Merger FA Cup success? Moved in the right direction.

1945 also saw Surrey based clubs Walton-on-Thames (formed 1895) and Hersham (formed 1919) merge to create Walton and Hersham. Walton-on-Thames had had 25 FA Cup campaigns but only made it as far as the 1^st Qualifying Round on five separate occasions. Hersham had only had half as many FA Cup campaigns (12) but did reach the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1937-38 (losing 5-1 at Folkestone in a replay). Walton and Hersham have now competed 72 times in the FA Cup and made the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ in successive seasons in 1972-73 and 1973-74 (lost 0-1 at home to Margate and 3-0 at Hereford United respectively). Merger FA Cup success? Seemingly so.

1946 saw Kent based clubs Gravesend United (formed 1891) and Northfleet United (1890) merge to create Gravesend and Northfleet who eventually became Ebbsfleet United in 2007. Gravesend United had just 15 FA Cup campaigns in 48 years reaching the 5^th Qualifying Round just once in 1898-99 (lost 2-0 at New Brompton (former name of Gillingham) in a replay). Northfleet United had had more than double the number of FA Cup runs and had made the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ three times in their 32 campaigns (losing 6-2 at Luton Town, 5-1 at Charlton Athletic, and 2-0 Clapton Orient (former name of Leyton Orient)). Gravesend and Northfleet made the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in their first FA Cup run and Ebbsfleet United did the same in their very latest campaign. In between were 16 other ‘Proper’ Round appearances including a run all the way to the 4^th Round in the snow disrupted 1962-63 season (eventually lost 5-2 at Sunderland in a replay). Merger FA Cup success? Yes.

1950 saw an interim step merger as Edmonton Borough (formed ????) joined with Tufnell Park (formed 1907) to create Tufnell Park Edmonton, 18 years later changing their name to Edmonton FC and eventually going on to merge with Wood Green Town in 1973 to form Edmonton and Haringey. Edmonton Borough had only had two FA Cup campaigns prior to the merger making the Preliminary Round in their inaugural season (losing 5-3 at Hoddesdon Town). Tufnell Park had had 32 FA Cup campaigns but only made it as far as the 6^th Qualifying Round once in 1921-22 (lost 2-1 at home to Grimsby Town in a replay). The new club had just 10 FA Cup campaigns in their time reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round three times most latterly in 1969-70 (losing 4-1 at home to Enfield). Merger FA Cup success? Inconclusive.

1959 saw Briggs Sports (formed 1934) and Ford Sports (Dagenham) (formed 1934) merge to create Ford United becoming Redbridge 45 years later. Known as Briggs Motor Bodies prior to WWII, Briggs Sports appeared in 14 FA Cup campaigns reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round twice in 1953-54 and 1955-56 (lost 1-0 at Chelmsford City and 1-2 at home to Leyton respectively). Ford Sports had had 10 FA Cup campaigns only making it as far as the 2^nd Qualifying Round in 1936-37 and 1945-46 (lost 0-3 at home to Barking in a replay and 6-2 at Leyton respectively). It would be almost 40 years before the new club went any further in the FA Cup making the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 1998-99, then again in 2003-04, and finally reaching the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ in 2011-12 (lost 5-0 at Crawley Town). Merger FA Cup success? Eventually.

1973 saw Edmonton (formed 1950 as Tufnell Park Edmonton as a result of a merger) and Wood Green Town (formed 1911 as Tufnell Spartans) to create Edmonton and Haringey, becoming Haringey Borough four years later (and Tufnell Park for a season only in 1995-96). Edmonton made the 3^rd Qualifying Round during 10 FA Cup campaigns, whilst Wood Green Town made it as equally as far just the once in their 27 campaigns (1932-33 lost 6-0 at Leavesden Mental Hospital). Haringey Borough have had 38 FA Cup campaigns so far reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in their latest run (lost 4-2 at home to Heybridge Swifts). Merger FA Cup success? Going in the right direction.

1974 saw Surrey based clubs Guildford City (formed 1920) and Dorking (formed 1880) merge to create Guildford and Dorking United. Originally formed as Guildford United before taking on their latter moniker six years later, Guildford City competed in the FA Cup 47 times making the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ a half a dozen times, most latterly in 1971-72 (lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury Town). Dorking, AKA Dorking Town, had also had 47 FA Cup campaigns before the merger making the 3^rd Qualifying Round just the once in 1960-61 (lost 2-1 at Walton and Hersham in a replay). The merged club only existed for just over two seasons before folding making the FA Cup 4^th Qualifying Round in their inaugural campaign (lost 3-0 at home to Wimbledon). Merger FA Cup success? Definitely not.

1975 saw a temporary merger as Leyton (formed 1889 as Matlock Swifts) and Wingate (formed 1946) to create Leyton-Wingate. The second incarnation of Leyton FC had 63 FA Cup campaigns before the merger reaching the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in 1909-10 (lost 0-1 at home to Leicester Fosse (City)). Wingate had had just three FA Cup campaigns being knocked out in the Preliminary Round in all three seasons. Leyton-Wingate lasted 17 years before de-merging, competing in the FA Cup in all 17 seasons, but making the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ just once in 1985-86 (lost 2-0 at Swansea City). Merger FA Cup success? Not really, no.

1979 saw an interim merger of East London amateur giants as Leytonstone (formed 1886) and Ilford (formed 1881) came together to create Leytonstone/Ilford. Leytonstone competed in the FA Cup 72 times making the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ twice in 1948-49 and 1951-52 (lost both times to Newport County; 3-4 at home after extra time and 3-0 away in a replay respectively). Ilford also reached the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ during their 78 FA Cup campaigns, twice in the 1920s and most latterly in 1974-75 (lost 0-2 at home to Southend United). Leytonstone/Ilford lasted 10 seasons before merging with Walthamstow Avenue to form Redbridge Forest in 1989, and competed in the FA Cup in every one of those 10 seasons, making the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ twice in 1979-80 and 1981-82 (lost 2-1 at Harlow Town and 2-0 at Aldershot respectively). Many Ilford supporters claim the current club is a continuation of the original team formed in 1881. Merger FA Cup success? Held the fort.

1980 saw two Isle of Wight clubs merge as Cowes FC (formed 1903) joined with White’s Sports & Co (AKA White’s Sports Club) (formed ????) to create Cowes Sports. The second incarnation of Cowes FC had 61 FA Cup campaigns under its belt and had knocked on the door of the ‘Proper’ Rounds six times without being let in (last 4^th Qualifying Round appearance in 1963-64, losing 1-0 at Yeovil Town). White’s Sports Club had had just a solitary FA Cup ‘run’ in 1919-20 (losing 15-0 at Portsmouth Amateurs in their only game). Cowes Sports has competed in the FA Cup every year for the last 20 seasons reaching the 2^nd Qualifying Round just the once in 1999-2000 (losing 3-1 at Slough Town). Merger FA Cup success? Contextually, yes.

1985 saw long established clubs Burnham (formed 1878) and Hillingdon (formed 1872) merge to create Burnham and Hillingdon FC becoming just plain Burnham two seasons later. Almost 100 years after formation the original Burnham club entered the FA Cup for the first of their 12 campaigns reaching the 2^nd Qualifying Round twice, most latterly in 1979-80 season (losing 1-0 to Metropolitan Police at the third attempt). Bizarrely, the original Burnham club had been drawn to play at Grays Athletic in the 1^st Qualifying Round of the 1985-86 FA Cup. The new club was formed before the competition started but after the first two Rounds had been drawn, and ended up being knocked out 2-0 by Great Yarmouth Town in the Preliminary Round thereby meaning the pre-merger club got further in the FA Cup that year than the newly merged team did! Hillingdon had had 55 FA Cup campaigns under three different guises (Yiewsley, Hillingdon Borough and Hillingdon) and they were playing under the second of these three names when reaching the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in the 1969-70 season (losing 4-1 at Sutton United after a goalless draw). The new club has competed in all 23 FA Cup campaigns since joining together but has just once poked their head above mediocrity by making the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 2005-06 (losing 3-1 at home to Aldershot Town). Merger FA Cup success? Could do better.

1989 saw an interim short term merger as Leytonstone/Ilford (formed 1979 from a merger) and Walthamstow Avenue (formed 1901) joined forces to create Redbridge Forest. The Leytonstone/Ilford merged club lasted 10 seasons reaching the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ twice in its first three seasons. Walthamstow Avenue had had 61 FA Cup campaigns famously making the 4^th Round ‘Proper’ in 1952-53 losing 5-2 to Manchester United at Highbury after holding them to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Redbridge Forest lasted just three seasons before merging themselves with Dagenham to create Dagenham and Redbridge in 1992. The club’s best run was to the 3^rd Qualifying Round in the middle of their three FA Cup campaigns (lost 2-1 at Bishop’s Stortford). Merger FA Cup success? As a stepping stone, yes.

1991 saw an interim merger as Feltham (formed 1946) and Hounslow (formed 1884) came together to create Feltham and Hounslow Borough becoming just plain Feltham four years later before merging with Bedfont to create Bedfont and Feltham in 2012. The original Feltham had 20 FA Cup campaigns making the 3^rd Qualifying Round twice (losing 4-1 at Tilbury and 1-0 at Chesham United). Hounslow had had 65 FA Cup campaigns and had made the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ on two separate occasions (1954-55 lost 4-2 at home to Hastings United, 1962-63 lost 9-2 at Mansfield Town in a replay). The latter Feltham club only had five FA Cup campaigns in its 18 year existence making the 1^st Qualifying Round just once in 1994-95 (losing 3-1 at Dagenham and Redbridge). Merger FA Cup success? Slippery slope.

1992 saw Barwell Athletic (formed 1949) and Hinckley (formed ????) merge to create Barwell FC. Prior to the merger neither club had had much of an FA Cup record to speak of. Barwell Athletic had had four campaigns in the 1950s (reaching the 1^st Qualifying Round three times) whilst Hinckley had had just the one campaign in the season prior to the merger (knocked out in Preliminary Round 4-2 by Bridgnorth Town). The merged club has played in the FA Cup in every one of the 26 seasons since the merger and whilst it took some time to improve on the two individual clubs’ records they eventually made the 2^nd Qualifying Round in the 2001-02 season and broke through to the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 2015-16 (lost 2-0 at home to Welling United). Merger FA Cup success? Definitely.

1992 also saw Dagenham (formed 1949) and Redbridge Forest (formed 1989) come together to create Dagenham and Redbridge, the latest in a long line of mergers on the Redbridge arm of the merger. Dagenham had had 49 FA Cup campaigns and made it to the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in 1984-85 (lost 1-0 at Carlisle United) whilst in their three years’ of existence after Leytonstone/Ilford and Walthamstow Avenue came together, Redbridge Forest only once made it as far as the 3^rd Qualifying Round in 1990-91 (lost 2-1 at Bishop’s Stortford). The current club has competed in the FA Cup in all 26 seasons since its foundation and made the 4^th Round ‘Proper’ in 2002-03 (losing 1-0 at Norwich City) before spending nine years as a Football League side. Merger FA Cup success? Yes, hopefully bringing an end to the succession of mergers.

1992 additionally saw Northamptonshire sides Rushden Town (formed 1889) and Irthlingborough Diamonds (formed 1946) merge to create Rushden and Diamonds. Rushden Town had had 78 FA Cup campaigns reaching the 5^th Qualifying Round in 1897-98 (lost 2-1 at Hucknall St John’s) and the 4^th Qualifying Round four times over the remainder of their existence. Irthlingborough Diamonds competed in the FA Cup 23 times reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1978-79 (losing 1-2 at home to Dagenham in a replay). Rushden and Diamonds had 19 FA Cup runs making the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in successive seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000, losing 3-1 at Leeds United in a replay and 5-6 on penalties at home to Sheffield United also in a replay respectively) shortly before becoming a Football League club, then being relegated back to the National League and folding at the end of the 2010-11 season. Merger FA Cup success? Shone like the brightest stars only to quickly fade away.

1995 saw Leyton (formed 1889/1992) and Walthamstow Pennant (formed 1964) merge to create Leyton Pennant, becoming Waltham Forest eight years later. Leyton were formed in 1889 but had merged with Wingate in 1975 before that partnership came to an end in 1992 with a de-merger. The club competed in the FA Cup 66 times in total, but just three times following the de-merger, making the 4^th Qualifying Round in the first of those three campaigns (lost 6-1 at Sutton Coldfield Town). Walthamstow Pennant had had just six FA Cup campaigns themselves making the 1^st Qualifying Round in the first three and the Preliminary Round in the latter three. The merged club has now enjoyed 23 FA Cup campaigns and has reached the 2^nd Qualifying Round four times, most recently in 2016-17 (lost 3-1 at Folkestone Invicta). Merger FA Cup success? Just around the corner?

1996 saw Romford (formed 1992) and Collier Row (formed 1929) come together to create Collier Row and Romford, becoming plain Romford the following season (many fans consider the current club as a continuation of Romford pre the amalgamation of Collier Row). The pre-merger Romford were the third incarnation of that name and had had just two FA Cup campaigns to their name, reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round both times (losing both times at St Albans 1-0 and 3-1 respectively). Collier Row had had 10 FA Cup campaigns also reaching the 3^rd Qualifying Round in 1994-95 (lost 0-1 at home to Chesham United). The ‘new’ club has competed in the FA Cup in all 22 seasons since joining forces reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round twice in 1997-98 and 1999-2000 (lost 2-0 at Bromsgrove Rovers and 3-0 at Ilkeston Town respectively). Merger FA Cup success? Work in progress.

1997 saw two Hinckley based clubs, Hinckley Town (formed 1958) and Hinckley Athletic (formed 1879), come together to create a new club for the town, Hinckley United. Formed as Westfield Rovers, Hinckley Town had just 10 FA Cup campaigns under its belt reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round in 1997-98 (lost 1-2 at home to Colwyn Bay). Hinckley Athletic had had 80 FA Cup campaigns and had originally been called Hinckley Town as well in their first 16 years of existence. The club twice made the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ (1954-55 lost 2-1 at Rochdale, 1962-63 lost 7-2 at QPR). Hinckley United folded in their 17^th season after having made the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ twice (2001-02 lost 0-2 at home to Cheltenham Town, 2004-05 lost 2-1 at Brentford in a replay). Merger FA Cup success? To start with maybe, eventually no.

1998 saw two southern Hampshire clubs come together as Havant Town (formed 1898) merged with Waterlooville (formed 1902) to create Havant and Waterlooville. Havant Town had just 12 FA Cup campaigns before the merger making the 3^rd Qualifying Round in 1992-93 (lost 3-2 at Sittingbourne). Waterlooville had had 30 FA Cup campaigns and had made the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ four times, most latterly in 1988-89 (lost 1-4 at home to Aylesbury United). Havant and Waterlooville have competed in the FA Cup in all 20 seasons since the merger with seven ‘Proper’ Round appearances including a run all the way to the 4^th Round in 2007-08 (lost 5-2 at Liverpool). Merger FA Cup success? Definite improvement.

1998 also saw two other southern Hampshire clubs merge as AFC Lymington (formed 1876 as Lymington, taking the later name when amalgamating Wellworthy Athletic in 1988) and New Milton Town (formed 1898 as plain New Milton) joined forces to create Lymington and New Milton changing their name to New Milton Town nine years later. AFC Lymington had had just 17 FA Cup campaigns prior to the merger reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round just once in 1951-52 (lost 3-1 at Barnstaple Town in a replay). New Milton Town had had even fewer FA Cup appearances, just the three campaigns, only finally reaching the Preliminary Round in the last of them. The new club managed three 4^th Qualifying Round appearances in the first seven of their 16 FA Cup campaigns (most latterly in 2004-05 losing 4-2 at Woking in a replay), before failing to qualify for the competition in recent times. Merger FA Cup success? To start with.

1999 saw Sudbury Town (formed 1885) and Sudbury Wanderers (formed 1958) merge to create AFC Sudbury (AFC in this case stands for ‘Amalgamated Football Club’). Of the two clubs, Sudbury Town had been the more senior and with the better, longer FA Cup record, but by 1999 the two clubs were competing at the same level in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division. Sudbury Town had had 49 FA Cup campaigns making it as far as the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ in 1996-97 season (losing 3-1 at home to Brentford), whilst Sudbury Wanderers had only had five FA Cup campaigns falling at the last Qualifying Round hurdle in 1995-96 (losing 4-0 at Hayes). The new club initially resisted being promoted from the Eastern Counties League despite winning it five times in succession, but eventually did move up to the Isthmian League for the 2006-07 season. In terms of the FA Cup, AFC Sudbury has competed in it in every one of the 19 seasons following the merger, but just once has the club made it through to the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ (in 2000-01 losing 6-1 to Darlington). Merger FA Cup success? Negligible.

2000 saw West Sussex clubs Chichester City (formed 1873) and Portfield (formed 1896) merge to create Chichester City United becoming just Chichester City nine years later. The original Chichester City competed in the FA Cup 56 times making the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ just the once in 1960-61 season (losing 11-0 at Bristol City). Portfield had a less salubrious FA Cup history with just 14 campaigns and a solitary 2^nd Qualifying Round appearance to their name in 1997-98 (losing 2-1 at Deal Town after a 1-1 draw). The new Chichester City club has had 16 FA Cup campaigns so far but has only made it as far as the 1^st Qualifying Round in 2001-02 (losing 3-0 at Hastings Town). Merger FA Cup success? Not yet.

2001 saw Barking FC (formed 1880) and East Ham United (formed 1933) merge to create Barking and East Ham United who became just plain Barking from the start of the 2006 season. The original Barking club had had 86 FA Cup campaigns in total before the merger reaching the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ on four separate occasions crammed between 1978-79 and 1983-84 seasons when members of Isthmian League Premier Division (78-79 lost 2-1 at home to Aldershot, 79-80 lost 3-1 at Reading, 81-82 lost 3-1 at Gillingham after a 1-1 draw, 83-84 lost 2-1 at Plymouth Argyle). East Ham United, on the other hand, had had just one inauspicious FA Cup campaign in 1995-96 (losing 7-0 at home to Sudbury Wanderers). The merged club has competed in the FA Cup every season since coming together, and this season the club equalled its best ever Cup run by reaching the 2^nd Qualifying Round for just the second time (losing 3-1 at Dartford). Merger FA Cup success? Mixed, but getting there.

2001 also saw Blakenhall (formed 1946) and Bloxwich Town (formed 1976) merge to create Bloxwich United. Blakenhall had had 16 FA Cup campaigns prior to the merger and made it as far as the 3^rd Qualifying Round in their second and third last campaigns (losing 3-1 and 2-1 at Kidderminster Harriers and Hendon respectively). Bloxwich Town had had only two campaigns making the 1^st Qualifying Round in the second one in the 1998-99 season (losing 4-1 at Shepshed Dynamo). The new club folded during its first season of operation but not before losing 2-0 at home to Gresley Rovers in the Preliminary Round. Merger FA Cup success? Failure.

2007 saw Middlesex club Hayes (formed 1909 as Botwell Mission) and Yeading (formed 1960 as Yeading Youth Club) come together to create Hayes and Yeading United. Hayes had competed in the FA Cup 82 times before the merger reaching the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ four times, most latterly in 1999-2000 (lost 3-2 at Hull City after extra time in a replay). Yeading had had only 21 FA Cup campaigns but did make the 3^rd Round ‘Proper’ in 2004-05 (lost 2-0 to Newcastle United at Loftus Road). Hayes and Yeading United have competed in the FA Cup in all 11 seasons since the merger but have made the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ just the once in 2010-11 (lost 2-1 at home to Wycombe Wanderers). Merger FA Cup success? Jury’s out.

2007 also saw West Midlands based clubs Solihull Borough (formed 1953) and Moor Green (formed 1906) come together to create Solihull Moors. Solihull Borough had had 17 FA Cup campaigns twice reaching the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ in 1992-93 and 1997-98 (lost 2-1 after extra time at VS Rugby (now Rugby Town) in a replay and 2-4 on penalties at home to Darlington in a replay respectively). Moor Green had had 63 FA Cup campaigns and had also reached the 1^st Round ‘Proper’ twice in 1979-80 and 2002-03 (lost 3-2 at Stafford Rangers and 2-0 at Barrow respectively). Solihull Moors has competed in the FA Cup in all 11 seasons since the merger and reached the 2^nd Round ‘Proper’ in 2016-17 (losing 6-2 at Luton Town). Merger FA Cup success? Beginning to look like it.

2012 saw Bedfont FC (formed 1900) and Feltham FC (formed 1991 from a different merger) merge to create Bedfont and Feltham FC. Bedfont had competed in the FA Cup for 18 successive seasons prior to the merger reaching the 2^nd Qualifying Round in both the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons (losing 2-0 at home to Chipstead and Burgess Hill Town respectively). Feltham had had just five campaigns in their 21 years existence making the 1^st Qualifying Round in 1994-95 (lost 3-1 at Dagenham and Redbridge) before taking a hiatus from the competition for 15 years. The new club has competed in the FA Cup four times but has only made it as far as the 1^st Qualifying Round in that time (twice in the clubs first two campaigns). Merger FA Cup success? Indifferent.

So will the merger of Ossett Town (formed 1936) and Ossett Albion (formed 1944) be a success or failure? Both clubs have similar FA Cup records: Ossett Town has competed 42 times reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round twice in 2005-06 and 2017-18 (lost 2-3 at home to Leamington and 1-2 at home to Solihull Moors in a replay respectively). Ossett Albion has competed 43 times reaching the 4^th Qualifying Round three times, most recently in 2012-13 (losing 4-1 at Bradford Park Avenue). The two clubs will be hoping that the merged Ossett United follows the success of Chesham United, Barwell and Solihull Moors and not the ultimate failure of Willenhall, Ripley Town and Athletic, and Peterborough and Fletton United.

Only time will tell, but I wish them well.

To follow are a list of amalgamations excluded from the above list as my research suggests that one club amalgamated another and the ‘new’ club was regarded as a continuation of the dominant club. If you have information to the contrary then I’d be delighted to hear it.

1888 Clapton amalgamated Pilgrims (Clapton).

1891 Cliftonville amalgamated Belfast YMCA. (Had no more FA Cup runs post amalgamation).

1892 West Herts amalgamated Watford Rovers.

1900 Blackpool amalgamated South Shore.

1900 Bristol City amalgamated Bedminster.

1904 West Ham United amalgamated Boleyn Castle.

1906 Carlisle United amalgamated Carlisle Red Rose.

1906 Grays Athletic amalgamated Grays United.

1919 Maidenhead amalgamated Maidenhead Norfolkians (changing name to Maidenhead Town and then Maidenhead United).

1929 Gosport Athletic amalgamated Gosport Albion (changed name to Gosport, then Gosport United).

1929 Scarborough amalgamated Scarborough Penguins.

1935 Lowestoft Town amalgamated Kirkley (had been known as Kirkley and Waveney).

1981 Hanham Athletic amalgamated Mount Hill Enterprise.

1990 Alton Town amalgamated Bass Alton who had competed as Courage & Co in the FA Cup.

2010 Enfield (1893) amalgamated Brimsdown Rovers.

2010 Maldon Town amalgamated Tiptree United (changed name to Maldon and Tiptree).

2011 Coleshill Town amalgamated Dosthill Colts.

 

FA Cup 2017-18 5th Rd Tie-by-Tie Stats & Facts

Please quote “@FACupFactfile” as source of data if using these stats & facts

 

Tie No. 1 – Sheffield Wednesday (EFL Championship) v Swansea City (Premier League)

Levels: Level 2 v Level 1 (Saturday 12.30pm – BT Sport 2)

Best Runs: WINNERS v SEMI FINALS            

History: One previous FA Cup meeting 56 years ago won 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday when Swansea was still classed as a town.

Facts: Sheffield Wednesday is into the FA Cup 5^th Round for the third time in eight season, but it is 21 years since the Owls last made the Quarter Finals. Swansea City is in to the FA Cup 5^th Round for the third time in ten seasons, hut the Swans have not gone further for a massive 54 years.

 

 

Tie No. 2 – West Bromwich Albion (Premier League) v Southampton (Premier League)

Levels: Level 1 v Level 1 (Saturday 3.0pm)

Best Runs: WINNERS v WINNERS

History: Five previous FA Cup meetings with Southampton having won four of them. The last time each side lifted the Trophy they beat this year’s opponents en route to doing so.

Facts: West Bromwich Albion is appearing in the 5^th Round of the FA Cup for the third time in four seasons. It is the first time in those four years that Southampton has made it this far.

 

 

Tie No. 3 – Chelsea (Premier League) v Hull City (EFL Championship)

Levels: Level 1 v Level 2 (Friday 8.0pm – BT Sport 2)

Best Runs: WINNERS v RUNNERS-UP

History: Six previous FA Cup meetings all won by Chelsea including a 6-1 victory on their way to lifting the Trophy in 2000.

Facts: Chelsea has made the 5^th Round 18 times in the last 20 seasons going on to win the FA Cup five times during that period. It is only the fourth time Hull City has made it this far over the same time period, making the Final just once in that time.

 

Tie No. 4 – Leicester City (Premier League) v Sheffield United (EFL Championship)

Levels: Level 1 v Level 2 (Friday 7.45pm)

Best Runs: RUNNERS-UP v WINNERS            

History: Five previous FA Cup meetings, the first three won by Sheffield United, the latter two by Leicester City including a Semi-Final victory in 1961 at the third time of asking.

Facts: It is the third time in four seasons that Leicester City has reached the 5^th Round of the FA Cup. It is the first time in those four years that Sheffield United has made it this far.

 

Tie No. 5 – Huddersfield Town (Premier League) v Manchester United (Premier League)

Levels: Level 1 v Level 1 (Saturday 5.30pm – BT Sport 2)

Best Runs: WINNERS v WINNERS

History: Three previous FA Cup meetings with two won by Manchester United, the last time 5-0 in 1963.

Facts: Huddersfield Town is in to the 5^th Round of the FA Cup for the second successive season for the first time since achieving the same in 1938 and 1939. It is the fourth consecutive season that Manchester United has made it through to the 5^th Round.

 

 

Tie No. 6 – Rochdale (EFL 1) v Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Levels: Level 3 v Level 1 (Sunday 4.0pm – BBC 1)

Best Runs: Round 5 v WINNERS            

History: No previous FA Cup meetings.

Facts: Rochdale is competing in the FA Cup for the 100^th time and this is only the third time the club has ever made the 5^th Round having now won 16% of all the FA Cup games they’ve ever won in the last five years. Conversely, Tottenham Hotspur has made it to the 5^th Round in each of the last three seasons alone.

 

 

Tie No. 7 – Brighton and Hove Albion (Premier League) v Coventry City (EFL 2)

Levels: Level 1 v Level 4 (Saturday 3.0pm)

Best Runs: RUNNERS-UP v WINNERS

History: Three previous FA Cup meetings, all drawn to be played at Brighton, but despite that Coventry City has a two to one win ratio.

Facts: Brighton and Hove Albion is appearing in the 5^th Round for the first time in four seasons and have not gone further for 32 years. It is the first time in nine seasons that Coventry City has made it to the 5^th Round.

 

 

Tie No. 8 – Wigan Athletic (EFL 1) v Manchester City (Premier League)

Levels: Level 3 v Level 1 (Monday 7.55pm – BBC 1)

Best Runs: WINNERS v WINNERS

History: Four previous FA Cup meetings with Manchester City winning on the first two occasions and Wigan Athletic winning the latter two, including the Cup Final itself five years ago.

Facts: It is the first time in four seasons that Wigan Athletic has made it to the 5^th Round of the FA Cup. Manchester City has made it this far in each of the last three seasons.