The 2013/2014 football season took another step forward over the weekend, as the draws for the early stages of the FA Cup (in association with Bubweiser), the FA Carlsberg Trophy and the FA Carlsberg Vase were made at FA HQ at Wembley.
Overall draws for three Cup Qualifying Rounds, two Trophy Rounds and two Vase Rounds were made, with each competition throwing up their own fascinating ties and possible ties for some of our clubs, whilst others would be left to bemoan their luck as they look to emulate Tony Burman’s Dartford who reached the last four of the Trophy last season. And could there be a side to emulate the achievement of Martin Larkin’s Tunbridge Wells side in reaching the Vase Final just nine short weeks ago. In other words its the time of year when everyone of our teams start dreaming – they all start wondering if “this could be OUR year”!
Ironically, its Larkin’s Wells side that potentially face one of the ties of FA Cup Preliminary Round, if they can get past Pagham in the Extra Preliminary Round on August 17th. If the Wells are successful, they will welcome Nicky Southall’s Whitstable Town to the Belmont, as Southall begins his first full season in charge with a horrible looking banana skin in a competition where he himself was of course a member of the Gillingham side that reached the Quarter Finals themselves back in 2000.
And it’s the Oystermen’s fierce local rivals Herne Bay who potentially also face Kent League opposition but this tie would have the twist in that the Kent League side will have former Bay boss Simon Halsey sitting in their dug out. As seems to happen so often, new Bay boss Sam Denley first foray into the competition could see his side face Halsey’s new employers at Lordswood – if the men from Martyn Grove can see off Eastbourne United.
Other ties of note in the Extra Preliminary see Canterbury City return to the competition away to Dorking, whilst in the Preliminary Round there’s an all Ryman North tie as Erith & Belvedere welcome Kevin Watson’s Chatham to Park View Road. Meanwhile in the First Qualifying Round, there’s the all Ryman Premier tie between Margate and Kingstonian at Hartsdown Park, and Cray will host the winner of Faversham Town versus Worthing.
In the Trophy, the draw centres just on the counties Ryman League clubs with the pick of the Preliminary Round ties again involving Southall’s Whitstable as this time they make the trip to face Sittingbourne at their new home at Woodstock Park, whilst in the First Qualifying Round, Maidstone United face the tricky trip to Maldon and Tiptree, whilst there could be a Kent derby at Salters Lane where Ramsgate will visit if Faversham can beat Aylesbury United in the Preliminary Round.
And in the FA Vase, whilst Tunbridge Wells and Lordswood are both “rewarded” for their respective runs last season, there’s an all Kent derby in the First Qualifying Round as Sevenoaks welcome Canterbury City, whilst two of the counties newer clubs both make their debut in the competition and whilst there’s a home ties for Kent Football United (against Lingfield), Phoenix Sports will have to wait a little longer to appear in the competition as their scheduled opponents Sidley United have pulled out of the competition! In the Second Qualifying Round, Woodstock Sports will host the 2000 winners Deal Town in a Kent derby, providing the men from the Charles Ground beat Epsom Athletic in the First Qualifying Round.
So the respective Roads to Wembley have had the first steps drawn, and thousands can now start dreaming that maybe, just maybe, this is their club’s year.
And we here at KSN will follow each competition every step of the way with a very special expanded service covering every single club and every single step. If you’d like the full draws of all the competition’s please visit www.thefa.com