As always, I try to visit a ground which I haven’t been to before, provided that it’s no more than 50 miles from Charing X and the home team produces a printed programme. No programme means no visit!
EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND
I experienced the Elizabeth Line for the first time, got off at Burnham, which is actually a mile from the village, for a decent walk . My friend Jake drove down from Sheffield (he makes podcasts), and we witnessed a quite remarkable match, which didn’t seem to be going anywhere, but finished in a 3:3 draw between Burnham and Corsham Town. [Ground Nº 317]
PRELIMINARY ROUND
A change at Waterloo for Feltham, where, with the next bus 40 minutes away, I had a long walk, including cutting across a large wild park, and then finding a narrow track which led to Hanworth Villa, where the home side ran out 4:1 winners over little Abbey Rangers. [Ground Nº 318]
1st QUALIFYING ROUND
Just north of Maidstone is a station called New Hythe, a decent walk from which brought me to a wonderful big Tesco, whose café serves a really good scampi, chips, and peas, plus a fine coffee. From there, I negotiated a few residential roads, a hill, and discovered Larkfield & New Hythe, a rather basic ground with lovely people and a nice bar. It was the club’s first foray into the FA Cup, and, but for some bad luck, the team could have done better than draw 1:1 with Cray Wanderers. [Ground Nº 319]
The replay had me drive up in my sparkling Vauxhall Corsa, which will be 12 years old in January 2025, yet has only 44,000 miles on the clock! Somewhere near South-East London, off a dual carriageway, was the brand new home of Cray Wanderers. A fine new stand was in place, yet the rest seemed very sparse, the pavilion an old brick structure dating from the days when the venue had hosted a leisure club called Flamingo Park. Unfortunately, Larkfield, who played gamely and never gave up, went down rather sadly 8:0, and must have reflected on those missed chances in the first game. [Ground Nº 320]
2nd QUALIFYING ROUND
A pleasant wander along the Medway towpath to revisit Maidstone United, with my friend Jake driving down once again. At the back of the cavernous Genco Stand, we were as thrilled as the many supporters encamped there to see The Stones dismiss Hampton & Richmond Borough 2:1.
3rd QUALIFYING ROUND
Another trip to that friendly ground, Tonbridge Angels, (on my 78th birthday) to meet and chat to Toby Steward, our pleasant Pompey youth goalkeeper, who played well in a 2:1 victory over Walton & Hersham.
4th QUALIFYING ROUND
Back to Maidstone United, unaccompanied this time, to see The Stones at their brilliant best, sending Ebbsfleet United away 3:0 down without too much trouble.
1st ROUND PROPER
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of attending Tonbridge Angels against Harborough Town. Very few had heard of that little club, but by the end of the match, which Angels lost 1:4, before a record crowd of 3,132, they certainly knew who Harborough Town were.
2nd ROUND PROPER
My 555th FA Cup-tie, and one of the best ever. Leyton Orient was tied 0:0 at the break, but Oldham Athletic backheeled an opener on 47 minutes. After 9 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the match, Oldham fans were cheering loudly when Orient’s on-loan goalkeeper ran up and glanced a header into the net for 1:1 and extra time! As the first half of extra time was ending, a tired Oldham defender conceded a penalty, but the shuffling, stop-start run of the home forward merely sent the ball a yard wide of the post. However, in stoppage time at the end of extra time, with penalties looming, that same forward redeemed himself. His colleague on the far post headed the ball to him, and he, in turn, headed it into the net for a 2:1 win after extra time.
3rd ROUND PROPER
A ticket has been secured for my first visit to the new stadium of Brentford. This is especially pleasing, as I was at Brentford from 1975 to 1981, as Chief Radio Commentator for the Bees’ Blind Scheme. [Ground Nº 321]
Unfortunately, I’m old fashioned, and don’t possess a smartphone, so there aren’t any pictures to show.
I saw my first football match in the 1961/62 Season (despite being at school six days a week), and achieved the 92 Football League grounds plus Berwick Rangers target in January 1978.
Of my 320 grounds to date, 193 represent the so-called Non-League clubs, every one of those 193 having been visited in the FA Cup.
I never thought that I’d go to an FA Cup Final, but my team, Pompey, allowed me that privilege in 2010, when we lost 0:1.
That experience was the best in my life, even eclipsing my winning a bronze medal in athletics at Cape Town in both 1999 and 2004!
So you see it’s all about the FA Cup for me, particularly the humbler grounds, the true football people, and the beautiful match programmes which those clubs are proud to produce.
Stefan Gatward
Portsmouth
A big thank you to Stefan for sharing his journey following the FA Cup this season.
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