The (Long and Winding) Road to Wembley

Southport FC V Altrincham FC (Saturday 16th October 2021) Alan Randall’s 1970 ukelele-classic, Football Football I Like Football, lists the then members of the football league sort of alphabetically. Southport proudly takes its place in the final verse after Swansea and before Scunthorpe. There's no mention of  Altrincham of course but later in the 70s could have, should have, would have been if the league's re-election process had favoured them (and if Randall ever re-recorded it). No doubt about it, this was a big name cup tie. Southport, The Sandgrounders, former members of the football league, quarter-finalists in 1930/31. Altrincham, The Robins, riding high in the National League, with a giant-killing pedigree that this Birmingham City supporter shall say no more about. Nothing to see here. In was a lovely Autumnal Lancashire day at The Pure Stadium, Haig Avenue.  The First Round Proper was the prize at stake, with Owls, Black Cats, Monkey Hangers, Tractor Boys and many mo

Bedfont Sports Club FC v Sholing FC (Saturday 2nd October 2021) Wow. Half time entertainment by Wet Wet Wet covering Rhianna's 'Umbrella' and Bob Dylan's 'A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall'? It was raining here at The Bedfont Recreation Ground. The sort of rain where you think it can't possibly get any heavier and then it does. And then it does again. Fair play to Bedfont Sports (The Eagles), Sholing (The Boatmen), the officials and 151 hardy souls who cheered on both teams in this exciting encounter. The Bedfont Recreation Ground has a 3G surface and, thankfully, some decent overhead cover in a few seated and standing areas. I learned that the venue was a host for the 2018 CONIFA World Cup; a tournament I wasn't aware of until now. It's an international trophy competed for by states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA. The 2018 tournament was held in and around London and won by Kárpátalja (a Hungarian minority mostly in wes