The FA Cup 2013 – 2014
Prelude
Parts 1 to 6 of what you are about to read was initially sent
out via an E Mail, the rest went straight on here. I hope that makes sense.
Introduction
Hello people, I’m back, and this year I’m going to try and
do every round of the FA Cup.
Before I go any further let me do a little bit of house work
and lay down the rules. Just like last year’s Olympic 2012 blog things, I’m
going to keep these short and to the point. They will carry a maximum of five
photos. They will be a slightly different format, design wise. I’m also going
to send them from my “skunkworks” address just in case my E Mail gets battered
again – yes I learnt my lesson…
Also, apologies for taking so long in getting these to you,
but all of this has clashed with the school summer holidays and spending time
with my daughter and she takes priority.
I’ve sent this to you because you’re into football (I hope).
If by any chance I’ve made a mistake let me know and I’ll stop sending you the
E Mails, or you could just ignore them.
For all the Americans in the room, I’m sending this to you
so you can experience REAL football and not that egg throwing stuff you call
football. Putting my sensible head on. Really, do you have anything like this
on your side of the pond? I’d love to know.
That’s it really.
Peace and Love
The Story So Far
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always followed the team
that dumps my team out of the Cup. I’ve always thought to myself, wouldn’t it
be great to do every round of the Cup. I never did get around to doing anything
about it, until now.
Somewhere near the start of July I stumbled into this,
Game No 98 Hoddesdon Town v St Margaretsbury in an Extra
Preliminary Round, Saturday 17th August 2013.
Then I started to think about it. The FA is 150 years old.
Walsall FC is 125 years old. My adopted home town is going to be playing the FA
Cup. Surely it’s now or never. I started to look into it properly. What are the
problems I’m going to come across? Let’s find them now rather than later. Let’s
find a solution before I trip over a problem.
Do the dates clash with seeing my daughter? What about
replays? What happens if I miss a replay? What happens when the TV want to move my game?
What happens when I get to the First Round and Walsall’s single appearance? Do
I stay with the route I’m on or jump to watch Walsall? What happens if I’m ill?
What about postponed games? What happens when if I start a new job? How do I
get a ticket – especially for the earlier rounds?
Hold on. Saturday 17th August? That’s rings a
bell. Lots of checking of dates and there it was, I’m on holiday with my
daughter. Over before it’s even started. Bugger.
Then, by fluke, somewhere near the start of August, I just
happened to be looking at the FA Cup dates, for a completely different reason
when I noticed that half a dozen games had been moved forward one day to Friday
16th August with a 7.45pm KO and one of those games was Hoddesdon
Town v St Margaretsbury.
I couldn’t believe it. I started double checking the
information. It was all true, with the game being played at Ware FC.
That Saturday (10th August) I popped into Ware FC
to find out about getting a ticket. I sort of stumbled into a bloke by the name
of Colin. I explained what I was trying to do, he introduced me to Jackie
(spelling) who took me into the ground to find Sean. She took me to the bar, no
Sean. The Managers Office, no Sean. The Board Room, “Sean, can I borrow you for
a second please?” She said interrupting a meeting. She introduced Sean to me
and I explained what it was I trying to do.
Sean (Mynott – Ware FC, Club Secretary) told me to contact
Jane Sinden at Hoddesdon Town, saying that if she can’t help you then no one
can. Which, once I’d got home, is exactly what I did.
While I was chatting to Sean, he told me that they use
Walsall FC as an example of how to run a football club. How cool is that. As we
parted I wished him good luck for the coming season, which was starting that
day, at home against Chatham Town, which they lost, 0-1, so that’s two ways
they use Walsall FC as an example… D’OH!
Jane Sinden answered my E Mail quicker than I thought she
would and wrote that if I make myself known to a member of staff at Ware FC on
the night of the game, then a ticket would be waiting for me.
It was as if the stars had all aligned. I’d gone from
dreaming about it, to doing it, to not doing it, to doing it again. It really
was now a case of now or never.
All I had to do now was go into work on the Friday and
finish in time to do the game, but that’s another story…
Noggin xx
P.S. Here are some dates for your diary...
P.S. Here are some dates for your diary...
17 August, Extra Preliminary Round
31 August, Preliminary Round
14 September, First Round Qualifying
28 September, Second Round Qualifying
12 October, Third Round Qualifying
26 October, Fourth Round Qualifying
09 November, First Round Proper
26 October, Fourth Round Qualifying
09 November, First Round Proper
07 December, Second Round Proper
04 January, Third Round Proper
25 January, Fourth Round Proper
15 February, Fifth Round Proper
08 March, Sixth Round Proper
12/13 April, Semi-Finals
17 May, Final
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