Goals from Rhys Horton and Alex Perry secured Dudley Town's passage into the second qualifying round of the FA Vase with a 2-0 win over Alsager in Sunday's tie.
Horton scored from the spot on the stroke of half time and Perry added a second to book The Robins a trip to Sandbach in the next round on Saturday September 25. DUDLEY TOWN are at home to Alsager Town today (Sunday) in the FA Vase first qualifying round.
Alsager play at the same level as Dudley, but in the North West Counties Division One South. A large crowd is expected at the Guardian Warehousing Arena, Wilenhall, with a kick off time of 2pm. DANNY O'Sullivan hit a hat-trick as Boldmere St Michaels won 5-1 at Brocton in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase.
Alex McSkeane got two, the second one in injury time. Bewdley Town edged out Hereford Lads Club 7-6 on penalties after the game had ended 2-2. Sam Lester and Simon Rudd were on target for Bewdley, the latter getting the equaliser on 89 minutes. Full Saturday Results FA Vase First Qualifying Brocton 1 Boldmere St Michaels 5 Bewdley Town 2 Hereford Lads Club 2 Haughmond 2 Ashby Ivanhoe 3 Lichfield City 2Stratford First 1 Shawbury United 0 Romulus 4 Shifnal 5 Smethwick Rangers 1 Stone Old Alleynians 2 Heather St John's 3 Uttoxeter Town 2 Littleton 0 Hinckley Leiceter Road 3 Cradley Town 0 Whitchurch Alport 3 Tividale 0 AFC Bridgnorth 2 Rocester 1 Atherstone Town 2 Abbey Hulton United 1 Coventry Copsewood 2 Rugby Town 8 Studley 2 Paget Rangers 0 Winsford United 3 Stapenhill 1 Chelmsley Town 5 Nuneaton Griff 0 Gresley Rovers 7 Dudley Sports 0 Premier Worcester City 0 Hanley Town 1 Division One OJM Black Country 2 Wednesfield 3 Division Two Cadbury Athletic 2 Coventry Alvis 0 Earlswood Town 0 Coton Green 2 Fairfield Villa 3 Barnt Green Spartak 1 Kenilworth Sporting 5 Bolehall Swifts 0 Knowle 2 Inkberrow 1 Lane Head 2 Hampton 2 Division Three Coventry Rangers 3 AFC Birmingham 1 Balsall and Berkswell 4 DSC United 3 Bartley Reds 2 Catle Vale Town 2 Central Ajax P-P Enville Athletic Continental Star 0 Sutton United 2 Coventrians 5 WLV Sport 1 Leamington Hibernian 3 Birmingham Tigers 3 Upton Town P-P AFC Solihull THE FA Vase takes centre stage this weekend , with premier division and first division clubs both in action.
In a first versus premier clash Shawbury United take on Romulus and in an all premier game, Whitchurch Alport take on Tividale. There is league action as well with Worcester City taking on Hanley Town in the Premier and OJM Black Country hosting Wednesfield in division one. Full weekend games FA Vase First Qualifying BEWDLEY TOWN v Hereford Lads Club HAUGHMOND v Ashby Ivanhoe LICHFIELD CITY v FC Stratford First SHAWBURY UNITED v Romulus SHIFNAL TOWN v Smethwick Rangers Uttoxeter Town v Littleton STONE OLD ALLEYNIANS v Heather St Johns WHITCHURCH ALPORT v TIVIDALE AFC BRIDGNORTH v Rocester ATHERSTONE TOWN v Abbey Hulton United COVENTRY COPSEWOOD v Rugby Town Leicester Road v CRADLEY TOWN Studley v PAGET RANGERS Winsford United v STAPENHILL Premier Worcester City v Hanley Town Division One OJM Black Country v Wednesfield Division Two Cadbury Athletic v Bartley Green FC Earswood Town v Coton Green Fairfield Villa v Barnt Green Spartak Kenilworth Sporting v Bolehall Swifts Knowle v Inkberrow Lane Head v Hampton Redditch Borough v Boldmere Sports and Social Falcons Division Three AFC Coventry Rangers v AFC Birmingham Balsall and Berkswell v DSC United Bartley Reds v Castle Vale Town Continental Star v Sutton Utd Coventrians v WLV SPort Leamingto Hibernian v Birmingham Tigers WORCESTER CITY have signed central defender Fortune Maphosa from fellow Midland Football League Premier Division side Racing Club Warwick.
The experienced player (pictured) counts Nuneaton Borough, Tamworth and Coventry United amongst his former clubs. He is available for the home fixture with Hanley Town tomorrow at Claines Lane (3pm). Boss Tim Harris said: " I am pleased to have had the opportunity to bring in Fortune. He’s well known to myself following his time with Tamworth. "He is a talented lad with a big presence and whilst losing Craig Jones is a massive blow getting Fortune in will certainly help the situation.“ TWO Tividale youngsters have been loaned out to other clubs in order for them to get more game time.
Pete Hawk has joined Cradley Town and Ryan Grosvenor has gone to Bewdley. Each will be available for selection for their respective loan clubs tomorrow. Meanwhile midfielder Liam Wilkinson, who left Tividale three weeks ago, has teamed up with Darlaston Town 1874 and will be available for their game on Wednesday against OJM Black Country. SECOND division outfit Fairfield Villa have announced the signing of striker Liam Fullerton.
The ex Redditch Borough, Feckenham and Studlley striker will be available for the home game with Barnt Green Spartak on Saturday. IN Wednesday's premier league game, Lichfield City moved into second place with a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Casuals.
A first half goal from Daniel Lomas gave them the advantage at the break and strikes from Reg Smith and Max Dixon tripled the score in the second half. LICHFIELD City will be back in league action tonight (Wednesday) when they entertain Wolverhampton Casuals at Brownsfield Park.
City went out of the FA Cup to Nuneaton Borough on Saturday despite a battling display in front of the television cameras. Casuals were not in action Saturday but got their first league win in their last game when they beat Romulus. Kick off tonight is 7.45pm. SHIFNAL Town went goal crazy in their Tuesday night game at home to AFC Wulfrunians.
They won 7-0 with two goals from Tom Hill and strikes from Jake Web, Jay Holdcroft, Kieron Northwood, Kye Montague and Keane Cooper There was a thriller at Walshes Meadow where Stourport and Bewdley shared six goals. Bailey Fulller and Matt Gardner gave Stourport a two goal half-time lead before second half goals from Sam Lester and two from Dylan Harte, one a penalty gave Bewdley the advantage. But Gardner rescued a point for Swift six minutes from time. Boldmere drew 1-1 with Highgate, Isaac Phillips on the mark for the Mikes and Jack Storer for Highgate. In the Black Country Derby, Tividale drew 2-2 with Lye Town. Shaquille Whittingham gave Lye the lead on 22 minutes before Luke Carter and Darragh Bustin put Tividale in front. Ben Billingham equalised for Lye with 12 minutes left. In the FA Cup, Hanley Town join Stone Old Alleynians in the second qualifying round after winning their replay at home to Hinckley Leicester Road 2-1. Hanley will now play Chasetown at home in the next round. FULL TUESDAY RESULTS PREMIER Shifnal Town 7 AFC Wulfrunians 0 Stourport Swifts 3 Bewdley Town 3 Boldmere St Michaels 1 Highgate United 1 Tividale 2 Lye Town 2 Haughmond 3 Whitchurch Alport 4 Racing Club Warwick 0 Worcester City 1 DIVISION ONE AFC Bridgnorth 0 Dudley Sports 2 Ashby Ivanhoe 1 Stapenhill 2 Coventry Copsewood 1 Chelmsley Town 0 Dudley Town 2 Shawbury United 1 Heath Hayes 0 Atherstone Town 1 OJM Black Country P-P Khalsa Football Federation Paget Rangers 1 Darlaston Town 1874 1 Wednesfield 1 Cradley Town 2 Wolverhampton Sporting Community P-P Bilston Town Community FA CUP FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND REPLAY Hanley Town 2 Hinckley Leicester Road 1 THERE'S a big night of action ahead in the FA Cup and the Midland Football League tonight (Tuesday).
Shifnal Town take on in-form AFC Wulfrunians at the Acoustafoam Stadium. There is a Black-Country derby at The Beeches between Tividale and Lye Town and a Worcestershire derby at Walshes Meadow between Stourport Swifts and Bewdley Town. In first division action, top-of-the-table Atherstone Town travel to Heath Hayes and second placed Darlaston Town 1874 travel to Paget Rangers. Full fixtures (7.45pm) Premier Haughmond v Whitchurch Alport Racing Club Warwick v Worcester City Shifnal Town v AFC Wulfrunians Stourport Swifts v Bewdley Town Tividale v Lye Town Boldmere St Michaels v Highgate United Division One AFC Bridgnorth v Dudley Sport Ashby Ivanhoe v Stapenhill Coventry Copsewood v Chelmsley Town Dudley Town v Shawbury United Heath Hayes v Atherstone Town Paget Rangers v Darlaston Town 1874 Wednesfield v Cradley Town Wolverhampton Sporting Community v Bilston Town Community Friendly OJM Black Country v Bromsgrove Sporting. IN tonight's game in the premier division, Romulus drew 1-1 with Walsall Wood at Castle Vale Stadium.
Umar Zuman gave Romulus the lead on 24 minutes straight from a free kick but Wood equalised close to half time through Sam Merson. The result means Romulus are in ninth place with 11 points and Walsall Wood in 11th with six. STONE Old Alleynians face a tough test in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup with a trip to National League North outfit Leamington.
It is Stone's reward for beating Leicester Road away 1-0 on Saturday. The Leamington game will be played a week on Saturday. Hanley Town and Leicester Road will replay tomorrow night in the Potteries. The winners will play Chasetown at home. ROMULUS will attempt to get back on track in the Midland Football League Premier when they play Walsall Wood at Castle Vale Stadium in Monday night's game (7.45pm).
The Roms suffered their first defeat of their opening three games last Tuesday when they lost 2-1 at Wolverhampton Casuals. Walsall Wood lost 1-0 at Boldmere on Saturday but if they win tonight they will go above their opponents, Shifnal and Tividale into eighth place for at least 24 hours. STONE Old Alleynians are through to the second qualifying round of the FA Cup after Jack Tomlinson's 15th minute goal aw them edge out Anstey Nomads away. Hanley Town will replay with Leicester Road after a 1-1 draw. Tividale went out to Spalding after an early second half goal for the visitors. Max Black's penalty for Lichfield City proved a consolation as they went out to Nuneaton Borough in fron of nearly 900 fans and a televised audience at The City Ground. League action in the premier saw Lye Town play at home for the first time this season and beat Racing Club Warwick 2-1 with goals from Jordan Harrison and Joe Lawley, Matt Gardner replying for the visitors. Stapenhill stay third and unbeaten in division one after a 2-0 win over Cradley Town, George Teeney and Connor Richins the men on target. Full Weekend Results FA Cup First Qualifying round. Anstey Nomads 0 Stone Old Alleynians 1 Leicester Road 1 Hanley Town 1 Lichfield City 1 Nuneaton Borough 3 Tividale 0 Spalding United 1 Premier, Bewdley Town 0 Highgate United 5 Boldmere St Michaels 1 Walsall Wood 0 Lye 2 Racing Club Warwick 1 Shifnal Town 0 Highgate United 0 Uttoxeter Town 3 Haughmond 3 Whitchurch Alport 1 Worcester City 2 Division One AFC Bridgnorth 1 Heath Hayes 2 Ashby Ivanhoe 8 Khalsa Football Federation 1 Atherstone Town 4 Paget Rangers 1 Bilston Town Community 1 Darlaston Town 1874 0 Coventry Copsewood 2 OJM Black Country 3 Dudley Sports 2 Nuneaton Griff 3 Shawbury United 1 Chelmsley Town 2 Stapenhill 2 Cradley Town 0 Wednesfield 1 Wolverhampton Sporting Community 1 Division Two Alcester Town 2 Redditch Borough 1 Boldmere Sports and Social Falcons 5 Lane Head 0 Bolehall Swifts 0 Knowle 4 Coton Green 4 Hampton 1 Coventry Alvis 1 Fairfield Villa 3 Inkberrow 0 Earlswood Town 3 Division Three Balsall and Berkswell 2 Enville Athletic 1 Bartley Reds 0 DSC United 5 Birmingham Tigers 3 Upton Town 5 Castle Vale Town 3 Coventrians 5 Continental Star 0 AFC Solihull 10 Leamington Hibernian 3 Central Ajax 6 Sutton United 2 AFC Coventry Rangers 4 IT'S FA Cup day today, with four of our teams bidding to get into the second qualifying round.
Lichfield City play Southern League Premier Nuneaton Borough with a 3.30pm kick off because of live coverage on the BBC I-player and Tividale are at home to Spalding United of the Northern Premier Midland division. Hanley Town and Stone Old Alleynians travel to Leicester Road and Anstey Nomads respectively. Both of the home sides are in the United Counties Premier Division South. Leagul action returns to the Sports Ground, Lye as Lye Town take on Racing Club Warwick and Shifnal Town are at home to Highgate United at the Acoustafoam Stadium. Full Saturday fixtures (3pm unless stated) FA Cup First Qualifying round Lichfield City v Nuneaton Borough (3.30) Leicester Road v Hanley Town Anstey Nomads v Sto Stone Old Alleynians Tividale v Spalding United MFL Premier Lye Town v RC Warwick Shifnal v Highgate United Bewdley Town v AFC Wulfrunians Boldmere St Michaels v Walsall Wood Uttoxeter Town v Haughmond Whitchurch Alport v Worcester City Division One AFC Bridgnorth v Heath Hayes Ashby Ivanhoe v Khalsa Football Federation Atherstone Town v Paget Rangers Bilston Town Community v Darlaston Town 1874 Coventry Copsewood v OJM Black Country Dudley Sports v Nuneaton Griff Shawbury United v Chelmsley Town Stapenhill v Cradley Town Wednesfield v Wolverhampton Sporting Community ReplyForward IT'S FA Cup day today, with four of our teams bidding to get into the second qualifying round.
Lichfield City play Southern League Premier Nuneaton Borough with a 3.30pm kick off because of live coverage on the BBC I-player and Tividale are at home to Spalding United of the Northern Premier Midland division. Hanley Town and Stone Old Alleynians travel to Leicester Road and Anstey Nomads respectively. Both home sides are in the United Counties Premier Division South. Football action returns to the Sports Ground, Lye as Lye Town take on Racing Club Warwick and Shifnal Town are at home to Highgate United at the Acoustafoam Stadium. Full Saturday fixtures (3pm unless stated) FA Cup First Qualifying round Lichfield City v Nuneaton Borough (3.30) Leicester Road v Hanley Town Anstey Nomads v Sto Stone Old Alleynians Tividale v Spalding United MFL Premier Lye Town v RC Warwick Shifnal v Highgate United Bewdley Town v AFC Wulfrunians Boldmere St Michaels v Walsall Wood Uttoxeter Town v Haughmond Whitchurch Alport v Worcester City Division One AFC Bridgnorth v Heath Hayes Ashby Ivanhoe v Khalsa Football Federation Atherstone Town v Paget Rangers Bilston Town Community v Darlaston Town 1874 Coventry Copsewood v OJM Black Country Dudley Sports v Nuneaton Griff Shawbury United v Chelmsley Town Stapenhill v Cradley Town Wednesfield v Wolverhampton Sporting Community Division Two Alcester Town v Redditch Borough Boldmere Sports and Social Falcons v Lane Head Bolehall Swifts v Knowle Coton Green v Hampton Coventry Alvis v Fairfield Villa Inkberrow v Earlswood Town Division Three Birmingham Tigers v Upton Town (2pm) Balsall and Berkswell v Enville Athletic Bartley Reds v DSC United Castle Vale Town v Coventrians Continental Star v AFC Solihull Leamingt Hibernian v Central Ajax Sutton United v AFC Coventry Rangers WLV Sport v AFC Birmingham : :
IN the final article this week featuring Midland Football League clubs past or present in the FA Cup, we speak to league chairman and Chasetown FC president Michael Joiner about the first time FA Cup fever hit the club. Mick Joiner says his claim to fame is being featured live on Match of The Day - for around 30 seconds. The occasion? The 2005-06 FA Cup tie between Chasetown and Oldham Athletic which was broadcast live on said BBC programme. Mick, then the chairman and now president of Chasetown is also chairman of the Midland Football League. In that season Chasetown competed in - and won - the league's forerunner, the Midland Football Alliance. The FA Cup run was a pivotal moment in Chasetown's history and came not with little effort to reach that stage. The Scholars had already played eight games including replays and as a result were getting way behind with the league programme. They faced a race against time to get the ground up to standard, not just because it was going to be featured on television, but because they were in the first round proper and facing a league club, both of which brings its own requirements from the authorities. Indeed, even hosting a national and regional media presence rather than the usual local paper would prove problematic, and a whole new caravan type had to be brought in to deal with the demands. Extra seating, securing the perimeter fencing and player's tunnel, big demands on catering on and off the pitch, plus any number of compliance issues required by the FA, police and local authority were all on the agenda. Mick said: "It was a wonderful occasion and the club benefited to a massive degree both that season and subsequent ones in term of profile, numbers through the gate and just general interest. "But when you get through to that stage - and we had to beat Blyth Spartans over two games to get there which was no mean feat - it is a whole new world for a part time club run by a committee and volunteers, even for an ambitious one. "It was all hands to the pump to make sure we could stage the game and that was probably before the considerations of live television and radio coverage. "Things come out of the woodwork or in the post that you had no idea you would have to address."Safeguarding issues, building temporary seating or stands, providing a press area and access for TV vans, not to mention an explosion in the amount of hospitality provided - the phone calls were none stop. "There was also the money issue as we had to decide how gate receipts were divided between the two teams, taking into account the expenses which had to be paid for before either club made anything." Chasetown received £75,000 in television money and both teams shared £18,000 for the game being broadcast on Five Live radio but very little of it went into the playing budget and Chasetown again found themselves up against it in the league when the initial game was a 1-1 draw. "That meant another replay," said Mick, "And by the time the cup run was over we found ourselves playing catch up to the tune of nine games, with the main focus at the start of the season having been the league. Chasetown lost the replay 4-0 but went on to win the Midland Alliance with a 2-0 victory over Romulus on the final day of the season, when the BBC revisited The Scholars to do a piece on them. Mick said: "It was a wonderful day playing Oldham and having our day in the spotlight, and I always say I got my 30 seconds of fame being interviewed on the television at half time. "It was to be repeated possibly even more famously two seasons later when we got to the third round and played Cardiff and possibly we were more prepared for the Cardiff game having had a taste of it. "But to be a Midland Alliance club who up until then had played in front of an average gate of 100 to being featured live on national television for the first time was not only a memorable day but also at the time a daunting one. "We made some money out of it yes although not as much as people thought because of the work that had to be done, but it did provide a base for us to continue to improve the ground and the club - it certainly didn't go straight into the playing budget. "It's a cliche and it has been repeated many times possibly but it just shows what power the FA Cup can have in providing a means to progress on and off the field." Clockwise from top: The Scholars with temporary stand in place; Action from Chasetown v Oldham; Mick Joiner with his Chasetown scarf and the matchday programme from the home game. What do you think of when you think of Lichfield? The three spired cathedral? Author Samuel Johnson? An actress who grew up in nearby Shenstone and appeared in Friends?
Perhaps the last one is now a quiz question, answer below, but whatever you think of, the Staffordshire city is not really noted by the general public for its football team. Rugby Union in the 1980s? Yes but football, no. But Lichfield City are about to change all that when they take on Nuneaton Borough on Saturday in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup, to a potential worldwide audience of millions. Lichfield's attractive home tie with Nuneaton Borough has been chosen for coverage on the BBC and the 3.30 kick off on Saturday will be available on the red button, i-player, the BBC sport website and app. Ok you won't see hoardes of TV vans roll into the City Ground, one camera and one operator is all that is needed in this digital age and commentator Tom Gayle and summariser, former Everton midfielder Leon Osman will be broadcasting 'off tube' from Salford. But make no mistake, this game and the occasion is massive for a club which has only existed in continuance since 2008 and before then had only had two seasons in the 1990s in the West Midlands League. Darren Leaver is the secretary of Lichfield City and the man tasked with the preparations for the TV coverage, including an interview for Midlands Today because the chairman is 'camera shy'. Seriously though, TV doesn't just 'happen' and Darren has spent a large part of the week taking calls off the BBC for their preparations, as well as dealing with any number of other things such as ticketing, a media list, hospitality, sponsorship and just general enquiries. He said: "It's been non stop but an enjoyable non stop and if it brings in some money and -just as importantly - raises the profile of the club as a whole, then it will have been worthwhile. "Sponsorship and hospitality packages have almost sold out now and this tie has really captured the imagination of people in the city and beyond." Darren reckons the club will clear at least £5,000 when TV money, gate money, bar takings and prize money have been taken into account and he hopes the knock on effect of it all will be to not only promote the club but to get more people through the gate in the long term. He said: "Lichfield has never really been known for football. In some ways it has been too easy to hop on a cross city line train and go and watch Villa or Blues or someone else but we are hopefully making a name for ourselves now. "Promotion of the first team to the Premier division of the Midland Football League has helped and the TV coverage can only be good for us but Lichfield City is about more than that. We run 24 teams from under 7s to girls teams through to under 21, with facilities that are the envy of many teams - it has been hard work to get to this stage and any money we make will be invested in the club. "When we agreed to take on the lease of the ground and the social club, people told us we would never get permission to put up lights for example - that the council didn't see the city as a footballing place. "That was in 2008-09 when we were in Midland Combination Division Three and by 2017 we not only had lights but a 3G pitch which can be used seven days a week and were moving up the leagues, eventually moving up to the Midland Football League. "This is the joint furthest we have been in the FA Cup, having only first entered in 2014 and it is one of the biggest home games in our short history - made spicier because of the fact our manager lives in Nuneaton. Ivor Green cut his managerial teeth at Atherstone, winning three trophies during his time at Sheepy Road, leaving them during the 2019-20 with them well placed to chase promotion. He is on record as saying it was the team that had been assembled under former boss Jamie Hawkins, and the facilities the club had developed that attracted him to the job, when he wasn't particularly looking for one. Darren said some of Ivor's friends from Nuneaton would be coming to the game on Saturday to shout Lichfield on and give him some stick and that it added to the occassion. But what of the players? Will they get camera shy? He said: "We have a mainly young squad who are looking forward to their turn in the limelight but they are professional and will be focused when the game kicks off although there is obviously a lot of banter flying around before it. "One of them, Kyle Patterson, has played for LA Galaxy and Hollywood United with some movie stars so he may be one who poses for the camera but seriously it is good to have a bit of experience on board. "At the start of the season, having been fortunate to be promoted to the Premier we would have taken staying up as a success but the way we have started we are probably looking to push on to the top half and the FA Cup is just a bonus we can all look forward to." *You can see Lichfield City on BBC Midlands Today and follow the game on the i-player or red button from 3.30pm on Saturday. Below (Clockwise): Lichfield's famou three spiered cathedral; Lichfield City FC; Actress Helen Baxendale and Samuel Johnson-famous writer and son of Lichfield. FORWARD Dimitri Dunkley scored all four goals last night as Bilston Town beat OJM Back Country 4-2 at Queen Street.
The result lifted the Steelmen into fifth place in the division one table, one point behind Dudley Town. BILSTON Town take on OJM Black Country in a division one game tonight (Wednesday) at Queen Street.
A draw for Bilston would take them into the top six whilst OJM, who have only played four games so far, are looking to get into the top ten. Kick off tonight is 7.45pm HANLEY Town have announced they have received international clearance for new signing Ryan Shotton.
Shotton (pictured), who signed last week, last played for Melbourne Victory in Australia's A League, from where he was released in May. The 32-year-old will now be available for the FA Cup first qualifying tie at Leicester Road on Saturday. In the week leading up to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup, we are publising a number of articles on Midland Football League or Midland Alliance teams past and present who are still involved in the competition this year. On Saturday Tividale face Spalding United of the Northern Premier League Midlands league in the first qualifying round. But Tividale are no strangers to attention when it comes to the FA Cup, as we see below. IN 1976, Bran James, a Daily Mail sports journalist wrote his seminal book, 'Journey to Wembley, a football odyssey from Tividale to Wembley.' In it he followed the road to Wembley, starting with the all West Midlands Premier League preliminary round tie between Hinckley Athletic and Tividale, then the first qualifying round victory for Tividale over Oldbury. But it was the second qualifying round tie between Tividale and Telford United of the Southern League Premier, that seemed to capture the imagination and indeed some national newspaper coverage, plus provided a great chapter for the book. Telford were managed by World Cup winning hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst, now Sir Geoff and curiosity was high as to whether any of the Wembley heroes could make their mark in the management game. James followed up on this, indeed any quirky titbits or stories which would capture the magic of the competition, this year celebrating its 150th anniversary, were included. He described where Tividale was to otherwise un-initiated readers, saying: "The ground is half way up a hill. On three sides it is bounded by new homes, on the fourth it opens up into a panoramic view of the Midlands industrial sprawl." Hurst, who was trying to make his way up the football management ladder, was acutely aware of having to have some security such as a good day job or business behind him in the days when footballers didn't make vast amounts, whether from sponsorship deals or wages. This was shown on his assessment of the pre-match meal where James wrote: 'Hurst thought It was a smashing meal, but made a mental note about the serving of the dessert pancakes and said: "I take my pubs seriously, they are my insurance against turning out to be the world's worst football manager. "I love the game still, want to make some sort of mark in it, but with a good business behind me, I don't need to be scared." On the day, he certainly didn't need to be scared as Telford comfortably won 3-0, though they would only reach the fourth qualifying round before being knocked out at home to Matlock. After three seasons at Telford, Hurst would go on to be part of the England set up under Ron Greenwood and manage Chelsea and in Kuwait before indeed returning to a 'day job' in insurance. The book, which ended with the FA Cup final at Wembley between Liverpool and Manchester United opened up a whole new world for many people, visiting clubs most people had never heard of in the days before the internet, twitter and Facebook. For some readers it started their interest in non league football and for others inspired them to do the same journey, choosing their own starting point. In 2019, Sportsmail replicated the premise of James' legendary book by starting again at Tividale, this time in the preliminary tie against Chasetown. Tividale - now in the Midland Football League Premier - had already beaten Wednesfield to get to this stage. They interviewed manager Dave King - who will again be in the dugout for the game against Spalding on Saturday - and he didn't sugar-coat the financial situation of the club, or clubs like them saying: "This is a rarity, a chance to earn some money and maybe play in front of a bigger crowd where on the cold winter nights there will be next to no money coming in and there will be just a group of diehards and a dog." Reporter Ian Herbert wrote: "The £2,900 prize money on offer for progressing past Chasetown, who play one tier higher, to reach the FA Cup's first qualifying round is around half the home team's entire annual running costs. "There are no transfer fees and no match fees for players here, just 40p-a-mile petrol expenses for away trips which the home team must also pay out to the referee - 22-year-old Niall Smith - and his assistants. "It's hard to find an abundance of sympathy for clubs like Bury and Bolton Wanderers here (both being in financial trouble at the time), in the middle of a rather anonymous Black Country housing estate. "It's a world of subsistence, enterprise and survival, where man of the match voting slips sell for £1, Tividale pin badges for £3 and where the 'No Standing' signs in the primitive covered area are hardly necessary." There is also a focus of course on Chasetown, now in the Northern Premier League but who first reached the first round proper of the FA Cup in 2005-06, the season they won the old Midland Alliance which became the Midland Football League. Their televised first round tie against Oldham would bring in £84,000 and both the cup run and promotion helped the club build a bigger profile, a bigger fan base and financial security. Two years later of course they would hit the headlines, and again make some serious money, when reaching the third round against Cardiff City, where the Chasetown players would get used to being featured in the national media, such is the magic of the competition. As Chasetown chairman Mick Joiner and now president of the MFL was quoted as saying at Tividale, where his side would go on to win 5-0: "Hold what you've got. Improve what you can. Go to where you can be self-sustaining, that's us." But on Saturday, Tividale, whilst focussing on the prize money on offer for beating Spalding, may just dare to dream of what could be were they to go on and reach the first round of what - to many - is still the greatest cup competition in the world. Below-The front cover of Brian James' book, action from Tividale v Telford in 1976 and (L-R) The Beeches, home of Tividale FC and Sir Geoff Hurst. Thank you to Neil Fredrick Jensen, of gameofthepeople.com for infomation used in this article. |
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April 2022
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