Emirates FA Cup 2019/20 Fourth Qualifying Round
Firsts.
I may have mentioned that I'm a Birmingham City fan, not least because the first football match I ever attended was at Fortress St Andrew's in November 1975. My Dad whisked me and my Mum off at the end of the school day to see Blues v Celtic in the BCFC Centenary celebration match. At my tender age I was oblivious to the IRA politics of the match at the time and loved every minute. My Dad therefore takes almost all of the blame for the lifetime of footballing disappointment that has followed me to date (with the occasional exception).
My Mum didn't like the swearing, but I couldn't help myself. I said sorry. Anyway, it was her first and last trip to St Andrew's.
Peter Withe scored the only goal in that game. I understand that a few years later he scored a goal, in-off the post, for The Villa.
Blues have a number of 'firsts' to their name. Aptly, Blues were the first winners of the Football League Second division (we know our place). The first club to become a limited company, apparently. The first English club side to reach a major European final. The first £1 million football transfer. There will be other firsts for us. I'll update this bit on 24th May 2020.
I may have mentioned that I'm a Birmingham City fan, not least because the first football match I ever attended was at Fortress St Andrew's in November 1975. My Dad whisked me and my Mum off at the end of the school day to see Blues v Celtic in the BCFC Centenary celebration match. At my tender age I was oblivious to the IRA politics of the match at the time and loved every minute. My Dad therefore takes almost all of the blame for the lifetime of footballing disappointment that has followed me to date (with the occasional exception).
My Mum didn't like the swearing, but I couldn't help myself. I said sorry. Anyway, it was her first and last trip to St Andrew's.
Peter Withe scored the only goal in that game. I understand that a few years later he scored a goal, in-off the post, for The Villa.
Blues have a number of 'firsts' to their name. Aptly, Blues were the first winners of the Football League Second division (we know our place). The first club to become a limited company, apparently. The first English club side to reach a major European final. The first £1 million football transfer. There will be other firsts for us. I'll update this bit on 24th May 2020.
Fourth Qualifying Round (Replay): 22 October 2019
The first FA Cup (1871/72) was a slightly curious affair I suppose. After a few withdrawals and late additions, 15 teams entered the first round but two withdrew almost immediately. The 15 were:
Barnes
Civil Service
Clapham Rovers
Crystal Palace (not connected to the current team of the same name)
Donington School
Hampstead Heathens
Harrow Chequers
Hitchin
Maidenhead (see below)
Marlow
Queen's Park (the Scottish team still in existence today)
Reigate Priory
Royal Engineers
Upton Park
Wanderers
Reigate Priory and Harrow Chequers withdrew, leaving a baker's dozen to context the inaugural tournament.
Winners got through to the next round, as did teams that drew (if the committee agreed) unless there was a replay (if the committee agreed).
Queen's Park withdrew at the semi-final stage as they couldn't afford the trip back down to London for a replay. Surely they could have found a cheap flight on a comparison website somehow?
Despite it appearing, 150 years later, as a rather Heath Robinson affair, it's what literally, ahem, got the ball rolling (thank you), to be right here, right now. Thank you Charles Alcock, secretary of the FA in 1871 for coming up with this thing. Wanderers beat Royal Engineers in the final in March 1872.
Wealdstone FC versus Maidenhead United FC
Maidenhead were victorious over Marlow, 2-0, in the 1871/72 first round before being on the wrong end of 3-0 against Crystal Palace in the second round.
Following mergers with Maidenhead Excelsior, Maidenhead Temperance, Boyne Hill (all in the 19th century) and Maidenhead Norfolkians (in 1919), the club was renamed Maidenhead United in 1920. They play at York Road, the oldest senior football ground played at continuously by the same club.
But tonight, Matthew, it's off to Wealdstone's Grosvenor Vale for a replay with Wealdstone FC after their 1-1 draw in the initial tie.
On the subject of firsts, from the Wealdstone FC website, "In October 1946 the Club was involved in the first televised football match, the BBC showing part of their Athenian League match at Barnet."
Famous Wealdstone ex-players...Stuart "Psycho" Pearce and Vincent "Crazy Gang" Jones.
The Stones (National League South, Level 6 EFL/Level 2 NLS) at home to The Magpies (National League, Level 5 EFL, Level 1 NLS). At stake, a home tie against Rotherham United in the first round proper. I saw Divine ("You think you're a man but you're only a boy") performing in a night club in Rotherham. Happy days.
Ticket £13. Programme £3. Lynn's Gourmet Stilton and Bacon Burger with Chips £7.50. (Thanks Lynn. V good)
Attendance: my estimate 650, actual 835 (from @WealdstoneFC Twitter account).
After a brisk start from both sides (and some lively support from home and away fans), The Magpies seemed to settle into the game causing trouble down the right wing with some good moves and dangerous long throws. That was obviously a devious and diversionary tactic - a cunning plan - as their opening goal came down the left hand side of the park and a shot from the edge of the box. Maybe on another day The Stones' goalie might have saved it, but not on this day. 1-0 to Maidenhead United after 13 minutes. Goal scorer, Josh Kelly.
The rest of the first half was pretty even with chances at both ends, until the last few minutes.
It wasn't a bad-tempered, foul-fest by any means. Sure, there were a couple of moments of players squaring up to each other and some hard tackling, but a yellow card count of 5 or 6 (I lost track) and a sending off doesn't really do the game justice.
The sending off. A straight red card for Jacob Mendy for denying a goal scoring opportunity. To my totally untrained eye, it looked like it might have been a bit harsh. To the referee's trained eye, it was a straight red. Arguably his opinion mattered more than mine.
That really killed the game off, with the extra man telling and The Magpies going 2-0 up early in the second half. Josh Kelly again, after 55 minutes.
Or so I thought. It ended 2-0 to Maidenhead but only after, on the hour mark, The Stones' 10-men found their wheels for 20 minutes of really strong pressure and several near misses. Chris Dunn in the Magpies goal pulled off a great save from a well taken free kick (Bend it like Billy Clifford). There was also a goalmouth scramble and clearance off the line. Should have scored and then the last 10 minutes would have been very interesting indeed. Didn't score though, despite a really strong effort and some decent play.
As it was, The Stones couldn't get no satisfaction on this Ruby Tuesday. You can't always get what you want.
It's Maidenhead United through to the first round proper thanks to a brace from Josh Kelly, for a tie at The Magpies' historic York Road ground against Rotherham United.
I saw Dead Or Alive ("You spin me right round, baby. Right round like a record, baby. Right round round round. etc.") in the same Rotherham night club. Happy days.
Barnes
Civil Service
Clapham Rovers
Crystal Palace (not connected to the current team of the same name)
Donington School
Hampstead Heathens
Harrow Chequers
Hitchin
Maidenhead (see below)
Marlow
Queen's Park (the Scottish team still in existence today)
Reigate Priory
Royal Engineers
Upton Park
Wanderers
Reigate Priory and Harrow Chequers withdrew, leaving a baker's dozen to context the inaugural tournament.
Winners got through to the next round, as did teams that drew (if the committee agreed) unless there was a replay (if the committee agreed).
Queen's Park withdrew at the semi-final stage as they couldn't afford the trip back down to London for a replay. Surely they could have found a cheap flight on a comparison website somehow?
Despite it appearing, 150 years later, as a rather Heath Robinson affair, it's what literally, ahem, got the ball rolling (thank you), to be right here, right now. Thank you Charles Alcock, secretary of the FA in 1871 for coming up with this thing. Wanderers beat Royal Engineers in the final in March 1872.
Wealdstone FC versus Maidenhead United FC
Maidenhead were victorious over Marlow, 2-0, in the 1871/72 first round before being on the wrong end of 3-0 against Crystal Palace in the second round.
Following mergers with Maidenhead Excelsior, Maidenhead Temperance, Boyne Hill (all in the 19th century) and Maidenhead Norfolkians (in 1919), the club was renamed Maidenhead United in 1920. They play at York Road, the oldest senior football ground played at continuously by the same club.
But tonight, Matthew, it's off to Wealdstone's Grosvenor Vale for a replay with Wealdstone FC after their 1-1 draw in the initial tie.
On the subject of firsts, from the Wealdstone FC website, "In October 1946 the Club was involved in the first televised football match, the BBC showing part of their Athenian League match at Barnet."
Famous Wealdstone ex-players...Stuart "Psycho" Pearce and Vincent "Crazy Gang" Jones.
Ticket £13. Programme £3. Lynn's Gourmet Stilton and Bacon Burger with Chips £7.50. (Thanks Lynn. V good)
Attendance: my estimate 650, actual 835 (from @WealdstoneFC Twitter account).
The rest of the first half was pretty even with chances at both ends, until the last few minutes.
It wasn't a bad-tempered, foul-fest by any means. Sure, there were a couple of moments of players squaring up to each other and some hard tackling, but a yellow card count of 5 or 6 (I lost track) and a sending off doesn't really do the game justice.
The sending off. A straight red card for Jacob Mendy for denying a goal scoring opportunity. To my totally untrained eye, it looked like it might have been a bit harsh. To the referee's trained eye, it was a straight red. Arguably his opinion mattered more than mine.
That really killed the game off, with the extra man telling and The Magpies going 2-0 up early in the second half. Josh Kelly again, after 55 minutes.
As it was, The Stones couldn't get no satisfaction on this Ruby Tuesday. You can't always get what you want.
It's Maidenhead United through to the first round proper thanks to a brace from Josh Kelly, for a tie at The Magpies' historic York Road ground against Rotherham United.
I saw Dead Or Alive ("You spin me right round, baby. Right round like a record, baby. Right round round round. etc.") in the same Rotherham night club. Happy days.
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