Sheppey United should have been expecting the biggest gate at their Holm Park ground since the club reformed five years ago for this weekend’s Second Qualifying Round tie in the FA Cup and National League South Welling United.

But following this week’s announcement from the Football Association, the game will instead be watched by just 300 Sheppey fans with no Wings fans in the ground expect for a handful of officials.

KSN has been talking to Sheppey chairman Matt Smith about his frustrations ahead of the new club’s first appearance at this stage of the competition since reforming in 2016, and his pride ahead of potentially another page of “giant-killing” in the Greatest Cup Competition in the World.

But with massive question marks over the National League season still, the Sheppey Chairman admitted, “I think that there are a lot of clubs waiting to see what happens with financial bail outs and things like that, I think Welling are one; would be unfair of me to say too much about it, but we’re planning for a game on Saturday but who knows what could happen before then.”

“As the FA Cup will be the start of their competitive season and with players on contract, obviously that will start their contracts ticking away. And what you need to be aware of is that they’ve got a League campaign to continue to play on and generate money but as we all know with the League clubs of steps one or two of the Non-League can’t have supporters in, it’s madness really but it comes with that “elite” status tag!”

Turning his attention to the weekend, Smith said, “It’s their first competitive game for six months; they’ll be at the races I’m sure after their pre-season but as we all know competitive football is so different to pre-season.”

“I’m really looking forward to the game, but I am disappointed that we can’t have any Welling supporters join us, but unfortunately the FA have ruled that there is no away support. So, I’m sure that my supporters are very happy that they’ve had all the tickets to snap up for a sell out at Holm Park.”

“I would imagine that we would have more than doubled the 300 if we were in “normal” times, maybe 700 or more, especially as all the tickets sold out by Tuesday.”

“I just think back to seven years ago when I looked out on a field in a dressing room that wasn’t a dressing room, it was a disused bar. And to be now hosting an “elite” team in Welling United is unbelievable in that time and when you couple that with two promotions, two finals for the Kent Senior Trophy, one of which we won and the other we still have to play.”

“It’s been an unbelievable roller coaster ride for us as a club and the most pleasing thing is the supporters as they’ve joined in with it from getting twenty eight and one man and his dog to getting 800 in against Glebe, they make the club, the supporters!”

“I’m a nightmare for our committee as I like to get everything done properly and we’ve gone all online ticketing which people can’t understand why we did that but it’s proved itself with the “Track and Trace”.

“It actually makes it quicker to get into the ground, the ground I think is COVID safe as you rely on adults to be adults and you can only warn people about social distancing, most of the time, they’ve done that which is fantastic!”

Monday’s SCEFL draw maintained Sheppey’s unbeaten start to the season and the Chairman admitted, “I think it was a point well-earned if I’m honest.”

“A lot of people were disappointed afterwards but being philosophical I do think it was a point gained! We’ve won eight out of nine in September which is an unbelievable start especially when you consider that the last four have been played in eight days!”

“I just hope that we put on a good show and showcase the Club to Welling and you never know,” the Chairman added smiling, “they might loan us some players and things like that.”

“At the end of the day, it’s the FA Cup and anything can happen as we all know, I’m sure that I’ll be celebrating Saturday night whatever the result because of how far we’ve come as a club!”