They Think It's All Over

My FA Vase campaign started at a rain–soaked Oakwood in Sussex back in September against a strong Chertsey Town side. As you may recall, Chertsey stormed into a 3-0 lead after only 5 minutes, only to be pegged back to 3-3, with the game ultimately, and controversially, abandoned at the full-time whistle. That game set the tone for the run, as I was treated to games of high drama, great entertainment and no shortage of goals.

In total, I saw 49 goals hit the back of the net, not including penalty shoot-outs, an incredible average of over 4 goals per game. Quite predictably, attendances started off low (e.g. 65 and 69) but grew steadily throughout the rounds, the largest (after the Final) being 1582 who packed into Glossop North End’s Surrey Street for the Semi-Final 2nd Leg. Fans' interest in the FA Vase really gathered momentum at the national stages and I was extremely fortunate to pick up with Glossop, my town of birth, from the Fifth Round. Any attempts to stay neutral from that point were futile.

I have seen some fantastic football and I consider myself well and truly converted to the non League game. At that first game in Oakwood I remember pulling up to the ground and being asked to pay £5. I thought that was the car park charge, and I was a little shocked, before I realised the single blue note I handed over paid not only for the parking, but also for entry to the game and the programme. I parked right behind the goal. A £5 entrance fee was the norm at most games. In all, I watched 12 matches and covered 1778 miles and it was worth every penny. In between the FA Vase ties, I managed to take in other non League games at Chertsey Town, Dartford, Egham Town, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Metropolitan Police, Staines Town, Woking and Windsor & Eton, plus an FA Cup game at AFC Hornchurch. Not a Premier League ground in sight.

The season has now drawn to a close for the vast majority of non League clubs, and planning is already well underway for next season. There will be moves up, down and across the pyramid structure for many; others will stay exactly where they are whilst some battle to even survive. But what of the teams I watched in this season’s FA Vase? Here’s how their League seasons panned out:

Oakwood struggled in Division One of the Sussex County League finishing next to bottom, just above Worthing United, winning only eight League games all season. Hassocks also had a difficult campaign in the same League, finishing three places above Oakwood whilst Arundel fared best out of the Sussex trio with a runners-up spot, only two points behind champions Eastbourne United Association.

Chertsey Town were amongst the favourites for promotion from the Combined Counties League Premier Division, in no small part due to the amount of money pumped into the club. They finished 3rd in the League behind North Greenford United and winners Bedfont Green as the Surrey outfit limped across the finishing line with a congested end-of-season fixture list and a squad depleted by injuries. In the same League, Banstead Athletic coped well with managerial upheaval to finish in a credible mid-table position. There was also a mid-table finish for Cogenhoe United; The Cooks from Northamptonshire ended the season in 9th place of the United Counties Premier League.

Bitton AFC, Marske United and Chalfont St Peter can all lay claim to successful seasons. Bitton’s FA Vase run left them playing catch-up in the League. But with a great run-in, Bitton clinched the Western Premier League title, topping the table above 2nd placed Frome Town. Congratulations to everyone down at Bitton. Marske United missed out on promotion from Division Two of the Northern League by two places, finishing in 5th slot. Going into the final few games of the season, Chalfont St Peter were still challenging for the South Midlands Premier Division crown, but a couple of costly draws and a defeat against champions Biggleswade Town resulted in a 3rd placed finish.

Glossop North End and Whitley Bay not only contested the FA Vase Final, and enjoyed a day in the sun at Wembley, they also enjoyed good League campaigns. Glossop were for a while also in with a shout at the title, but their League form suffered during their marvellous FA Vase run. The Hillmen came 5th in the Premier Division of the North West Counties League, won by last season’s FA Vase winners AFC Fylde. Whitley Bay missed out on a League and Cup double by only two points, the margin that separated them from Northern League winners Newcastle Benfield. Whitley Bay finished 3rd behind Consett.

So congratulations to Whitley Bay, winners of the 2008-09 FA Vase. Whilst the teams I watched in the competition had mixed seasons, it was a pleasure to see them all and if it hadn’t been for the FA Vase I would never have considered going to watch any of them play. My abiding memory is the warmth with which I was welcomed at all the clubs, no matter which part of the country nor at which stage of the competition. To the clubs, officials, volunteers and fans that I have met along the way, thanks for your support and friendship. It has been a real joy to share a small part of your season, and most importantly, to share your passion.

Roll on 2009-10, whatever that may bring...

Semi-Finals Day Is (Almost) Here

At last, the day of the Semi-Finals is almost here. That First Qualifying Round game at Oakwood last September is but a distant memory. 6 months, 9 games and 1268 miles later, I am off to Chalfont St Peter tomorrow with my good friends PB and Mackem. 280 miles north, Whitley Bay will be hosting Lowestoft Town in the other Semi. At opposite ends of the country, fans from four non League clubs will now being getting really anxious and excited in equal measure. Nothing will be decided tomorrow, as 2 legs need to be negotiated, but even so...Wembley is a matter of 180 minutes away. Deep breaths all round.

The town of Glossop has gone FA Vase barmy, and I am reliably informed that football fever has taken its grip. The local newspapers are now giving tomorrow's game in Buckinghamshire front and back page coverage, even the Manchester Evening News has got in on the act. Ticket sales for the home leg on 4th April have been crazy, and the local press are reporting that they have all but been sold, over 1000 going in the first few days. Ahead of tomorrow's game, some news from the last few days:

1. The G.N.E. Bitter. This is great. The local Shaws Brewery has produced a special ale to celebrate Glossop's Semi-Final games. They have called it 'G.N.E. Bitter' and it has been well received. Some ingenuous Glossop North End fans are working out how to smuggle a keg or two onto the coach on Saturday. I look forward to trying some! Thanks to Mandy at the Star Inn for the photo above.

2. The Glossop View. I listened with interest after the Semi-Final draw when the Glossop manager, Steve Young, said that he was disappointed with not being at home in the 1st Leg. This a strange thing to hear as the majority of managers and coaches up and down the land normally prefer to be away in the 1st Leg; go to 'their' ground, shut up shop and finish them off at home in the 2nd Leg. Young's take on this was quite revealing; he explained that clubs at this level in the FA Vase really know nothing about each other. His plan was to shock Chalfont in the first game, and he would have preferred home advantage first to execute this plan. By the 2nd leg, they will know far more about each other and there will be no element of surprise. Young still intends to use the shock tactics tomorrow: "It's important that we go to Chalfont looking to win".

3. The Chalfont View. Chalfont have been a little more reserved in their build up to the game. They have a very young team (average age 20) and are based in a part of the country that is not traditionally a hotbed of football. They play in front of crowds of 75-80 but are expecting closer to 1000 tomorrow. Chalfont St Peter FC are a real community club and over the past 8 years or so, since the current Chairman Denis Mair took over, they have worked hard to build a solid club infrastructure and have developed a sound coaching set up. They do not pay their players. They have been favourites to win the FA Vase ever since the Fourth Round, a tag they are keen to dismiss. Coming from a small community they have had less coverage than other teams in the competition and they believe they are underdogs for the tie. The Chalfont manager, Danny Edwards, has a pragmatic view: "It will all come down to who adjusts and copes best with the pressure".

4. The 'W' Word. I am intrigued to understand how both sets of players, being so close to Wembley, actually feel at the moment and cope with this "pressure" that Edwards talks about. How do they control their nerves, how do they channel their excitement, how do they keep their feet on the ground? Can the pressure be simply too much? I put these questions to two Glossop players, captain Dave Young (son of manager Steve) and Rick Whelan. Both were very clear on this subject; their manager keeps them in check. Using the old cliché, they really do take one game at a time and are still in the hunt for League honours. The manager has them well focused and ensures that their feet are firmly nailed to the floor. Young believes that "whoever conquers their nerves will go through" and the manager has worked hard to ensure the players do not get carried away with things. The word 'Wembley' is well and truly banned amongst the North End players and coaching staff. Mention the 'W' word and a swift £5 fine follows. I wonder how big the kitty is?

5. Prediction? Talking of a kitty, throughout this FA Vase I and my friends have had small wagers to predict the scoreline of games we have been to. In the early rounds, PB seemed to scoop the kitty every time. But after any of us failed to get the score correct at Bitton AFC (2-0 to Glossop) and more understandably at Glossop (5-2 against Marske United), for tomorrow's game there is a double-rollover at stake. On this blog I have never predicted scores, in an effort to maintain an air of neutrality. A bit like Switzerland. To keep with tradition I'm not going to tell you want scoreline I have predicted for tomorrow. However, knowing our prediction skills, and the total unpredictability of this wonderful FA Vase competition, I would guess that we may have another rollover for the Wembley Final in May.

As Paul Gascoigne once said: "I don't make predictions and I never will".

A Cod, A Cow Bell And A Pie Hut

There is a rather peculiar, and extremely unbelievable, story doing the rounds this morning. I heard it on the radio at breakfast, and it is about a mobile phone that was found in the belly of a 25lb cod. A chap from Worthing, Sussex, lost his phone whilst walking his dog on the beach and it turned up a few weeks later, still in working order, inside a fish which had been caught by a local trawlerman. The phone and owner were reunited when the fisherman phoned a couple of numbers to trace the owner.

This kind of story surfaces every now and again, and I have to take it with a pinch of salt (no pun intended); the only national newspaper running this story is 'The Sun', so therein lies a clue to its authenticity. These are stories of chance; the 'million-to-one' occurrence. The pensioner reunited with his false teeth after losing them 25 years ago; the chance meeting of a long lost brother whilst on holiday in Outer Mongolia; that oil painting you picked up at the local car boot sale for a fiver which was actually painted by your Grandfather's Grandfather a couple of centuries ago. People generally love these stories and use them as evidence that there are 'other forces' moulding and shaping our lives. Luck, chance, fate; whatever you want to call it.

Of course, what makes them sound spectacular is that they are reported widely, discussed, passed on, talked about and devoured with relish. The stories gather a momentum of their own. What isn't reported are the 999,999 other times that this kind of thing doesn't happen.

I have felt for a few weeks now that fate has dealt me a very kind hand. I'm off to Glossop tomorrow, my place of birth, to watch North End take on Marske United. I am so excited about going back to Glossop, you just wouldn't believe; since the draw was made, I have often found myself saying "what were the chances of that happening" or "I can't quite believe that I've ended up at Glossop". Having no control whatsoever where this FA Vase journey would take me, I'm still pinching myself that it is sending me, rather excitedly, towards my home town.

513 teams entered the FA Vase this season, so the likelihood of me going to Glossop is not really a 'million-to-one' chance. But its not only a '513-to-one' chance either, because many other factors have a bearing. Regionalised earlier rounds meant that I would only see teams from down South in the early stages; the chances of seeing Glossop were naturally much slimmer than, say, Banstead Athletic. Glossop still had to go and win their regional games to get to this Quarter-Final, against some very strong Northern teams. But for me to see them at Surrey Street, they did have to be drawn out of the hat at home, after already being put on my 'path' of the draw when they were drawn to face Bitton AFC in the last round. So the chances of me ending up at Surrey Street, tomorrow, were rather slim.

But looking at all the entrants to this season's competition, I may well be writing the same thing if I had happened across some other teams on my way to Wembley. AFC Blackpool and AFC Fylde (I spent 3 years at polytechnic in the Fylde and Blackpool area); Wick (as in 'Wick To Wembley' from last season); Runcorn Linnets (where by brother used to live); Morpeth Town (near to where by brother now lives); Newton Abbot (where my sister lives); New Milton Town (where my family holiday every year)...and so on. A visit to any of those and the now worn out phrase of "what were the chances of that" would have been aired yet again.

Who knows? One thing I do know is that it promises to be a great occasion tomorrow. We are down to the last 8 teams already, only two more rounds to negotiate before a Wembley appearance.

Preparations up at Glossop have been ongoing all week. A large crowd is expected as recruitment efforts around the town and High Peak are stepped up; an extra turnstile will be open, the clubhouse (opening at 1pm) now has a temporary extension to house everyone and the number of programmes being printed has increased tenfold compared to a normal League game. Fans are being encouraged to bring flags and drums and make as much noise as possible. Likewise with the Marske United fans; they will be bringing at least one drum, a bugle and a cow bell. Yes, a cow bell.

It sounds as if there will be a great atmosphere in Surrey Street. A couple of rounds ago, Glossop dramatically beat Stewarts & Lloyds Corby with a very late winner and the 'old fashioned' atmosphere inside the ground that day was, by all accounts, fantastic. The defeated Northamptonshire club later wrote to Glossop to thank them for their marvellous hospitality and also to say that was one of the best games, for atmosphere, they had have ever played in.

The Glossop players have also been given time to prepare for the game. The Vodkat North West Counties League allowed them to postpone a scheduled midweek fixture ahead of tomorrow's match. Meanwhile, Marske United didn't have that luxury and had a tough game on Wednesday, winning 3-2 at Birtley Town after being 2-0 down. The Glossop players will run out a little fresher.

And finally, one great piece of news for me is that Glossop will have a Pie Hut at the game tomorrow. For someone who loves his pies, I'm delighted. I don't recall ever going to a ground that has had something called a 'Pie Hut'. Wonderful. What were the chances of that happening? I'm off now to phone my friends to pass on this excellent news. Now, where did I put my mobile...?

A Waiting Game

Glossop's Quarter-Final match on Saturday 28th February is in danger of being postponed, and there is little Glossop can do about it.

Chances are that the pitch at Surrey Street will be fine; Glossop are ready and waiting. The trouble is, they have no opponents yet. There is still one Fifth Round tie to be played; St. Ives Town v Marske United have tried hard to play their tie, but it has now been postponed several times. It is the winners of that particular encounter that should be travelling to Glossop next Saturday. After falling foul of the snow on 7th February, St. Ives tried to get the game played a week later on the 14th. That game was switched to the Sunday (15th). The third attempt was called off at the very last minute (see picture above) after an army of locals tried to get a frozen surface into a fit state.

But all in vain; a very late postponement (45 minutes before kick-off) meant that Marske United players and fans had already travelled the 200 miles from Redcar to Cambridgeshire. As a gesture of goodwill, the Marske United Chairman, Bill Park, bought all travelling fans a drink in the club bar. Markse United later discovered that St. Ives Town was already making arrangements for the Quarter-Final trip up to Glossop. Confidence or arrogance? Or stupidity? I'm sure Marske United have their own view on this.

The fourth attempt was due today, but the St. Ives surface failed an inspection. The tie will now be tomorrow, Sunday 22nd February, at 1pm, with the venue switched to Milton Road, home of locals Cambridge City. Fifth time lucky? Fingers crossed that this goes ahead, and there is a conclusive result. If the game is postponed again, or if it ends in a draw after regular and extra-time, they will have to go at it again next Saturday (28th February), the scheduled date for the Quarter-Final. And all the while, Glossop can but sit and wait.

Clear as mud? Or, dare I say, a muddy pitch?

At this level, fixtures can easily back-up for clubs. Without the benefit of under soil heating or unlimited funds to get games on, postponements at this time of year are a regular annoyance. Rearranged FA Vase games take precedence over League games and it is not uncommon for the rearranged games, or replays, to be played out on a Saturday rather than a midweek evening. At last week's game between Bitton AFC and Glossop, an announcement was made just before kick-off to the effect that, should the tie be all square at 90 minutes, extra-time would be played. If the game was still deadlocked after extra-time, a replay was scheduled for Saturday 21st February (today). This announcement made my heart skip a beat; today (in about 30 minutes in fact, must get a move on) is my son's birthday party. Thankfully, the game was settled last week and a potential divorce was conveniently avoided.

Of course, this kind of fixture bottleneck is not unique to the lower League competitions. A similar thing has hit the FA Cup this season; the Arsenal v Cardiff City Fourth Round replay was played last weekend in amongst the Fifth Round schedule; Burnley, who face either Arsenal or Cardiff City in the next round, had to sit and twiddle their collective thumbs. Arsenal won the replay 4-0; on the weekend of the Sixth Round of FA Cup games, Arsenal and Burnley will be one round in arrears.

So Glossop will have one eye very firmly fixed on tomorrow's events at Cambridge City. Only late on in the afternoon will Glossop fans know whether they can make, with any degree of certainty, firm plans for one week today. It feels as if it has been a long wait, and they may have to wait longer still.

Game 8: Bitton AFC 0, Glossop North End 2

Fifth Round Proper ~ Saturday 14th February 2009
Venue: The Recreation Ground, Bitton, Gloucestershire
Attendance: 443

Distance travelled: 218 miles

St. Valentine's Day. Red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, fluffy bears. If you expect any of that here, you've come to the wrong place. This wasn't a game for the faint-hearted romantic. This was a tough, gritty, hard fought battle won by the visiting Hillmen from North Derbyshire. On a day of fruitless excuses up and down the country, of blokes risking a trip to the game instead of a candle-lit dinner for two, those of us in this part of South Gloucestershire were treated to a good game. Glossop North End, marginally superior to their Bitton hosts, advance to the Quarter-Finals of the FA Vase with a fine 2-0 win.

Bitton entered the game with their top goalscorer, Mark Reynolds, suspended and it was missed chances that ultimately cost Bitton. The tie exploded into life with only 6 minutes on the clock. Bitton, attacking down the slope, launched a high ball into the area and a deflected shot hit the foot of the Glossop post. The ball spun up onto the hand of Glossop's number six, Jason Gorton. The referee had little choice but to award a penalty; many Bitton fans were calling for a red card but a degree of leniency was shown and the card brandished was only yellow. Guy Cocks stepped up for the home team to take the spot kick, but his effort was driven straight at the diminutive Ashlea Gotham in the Glossop goal. Cocks reacted quickest to get to the rebound, but his follow up effort was excellently saved by Gotham, who managed to flail an arm at the rising shot. The ball looped up into the air and fell onto the head of a Bitton forward who, unbelievably, headed against the bar when it seemed easier to score. The ball rebounded to another Bitton player who, with the goal at his mercy, headed over. This all happened in a matter of seconds and this bur of activity, with hindsight, typified Bitton's day.

The majority of the first half belonged to Glossop. With Bitton relying on the experienced, but aging, Michael Meaker up front, they resorted to a long ball game which invariably resulted in lost possession. Glossop's game was far more composed and they played the ball at turf level whenever possible. The away side won a number of corners and a couple of free-kicks and much of the early play was around the Bitton penalty area. In most cases, Bitton's defence stood strong. On 13 minutes Glossop won one such corner, which was floated into the box and headed away. Bitton broke with Meaker in chase, and with a neat ball inside found Mark Cherry. Cherry shot high and wide.

The Glossop number 9, Martin Parker, was a tall lanky lad who won many aerial challenges and he had a great battle with Rob Scott in the Bitton defence throughout the match; the visitors also used the wings well, and particularly impressive was the slight Dave Hodges who had an excellent game down the left. Hodges gave the Bitton full-back, Tom Warren, a torrid afternoon. On 20 minutes, Hodges, not for the first time, got beyond Warren to supply a good cross only to be defended well for another corner, which was ultimately wasted.

Ten minutes later, Hodges embarrassed Warren with a neat turn inside which left Warren static. Hodges bore down on goal; as John Rendell came off his line, Hodges tried an elegant chip which floated just wide. A minute later, Darren Hamilton cut in from the opposite flank and shot just wide from a tight angle. On 32 minutes, a neat one-two on the edge of the Bitton box let in Rick Bailey for a shot on goal, but Rendell saved well. Bitton were on the back foot.

As the first half entered its final stages, Bitton continued to try and hit Glossop on the break and had some joy. With 10 minutes of the half remaining, Jon McAlinden wasted a good chance for the 'The Ton' when he headed over after a good run and cross from Meaker. Guy Cocks then shot over for Bitton and the home side managed to win a couple of corners.

It was rather ironic then that Glossop's first goal was a break-away straight from a Bitton corner. Hodges, out wide on the left, found the ball heading in his direction from a long clearance. With an exquisite piece of skill, he chested the ball inside and beyond Warren, breaking into free space in the penalty area before coolly slotting home. A great individual goal.

The half-time whistle arrived quickly, the sign of a good game. The Glossop fans were in good voice and good humour with their rattles and blue and white spiked hats, and there was a noticeable clash of accents between the two sets of fans. The North Derbyshire tones contrasted well with the Gloucestershire burr, and we were entertained by a local chap with a strong Bristol accent who commentated loudly throughout the game and had us in stitches. He constantly referred to the bald referee as "curly" and his local burr simply made anything he shouted sound funny.

The second half was as good as the first. Bitton enjoyed far more possession and the ante was upped with a number of hard, uncompromising tackles. Both sets of players really wanted this, and the physically bruising encounter at times looked as if it might boil over; credit to "curly" for controlling the game well and letting it flow at every opportunity.

On 57 minutes, Matt Knapmen headed over, another chance wasted from the home side and on 65 minutes Steve Jones for Bitton headed against the bar. The ball dropped to Rob Scott who contrived to head the ball over. This was better from Bitton, but one could sense that they had to take their chances. A few moments after the bar had been struck, Bitton pressed again and won a corner; a shot from outside the area was held well by Gotham. The tiny keeper was playing very well and holding onto everything as Bitton regained a foothold.

But just as Bitton were sensing a way back into the tie, Glossop scored somewhat against the run of play. Martin Parker found space down the left and provided an excellent cross for the late-arriving Dave Morris. Morris had plenty of time to control the ball and compose himself before firing into the roof of the net. This after 71 minutes. Cue scenes of pandemonium amongst the Glossop fans and on the Glossop bench; whereas Bitton had failed to take their chances, Glossop had taken theirs and this proved to be decisive.

Bitton were visibly knocked back by the goal and were now running out of ideas. Glossop almost scored a third with 10 minutes to go when Rendell spilled a long range shot from Hamilton, but Rendell recovered quickly to smother. With the minutes ticking by, Bitton had one final chance to score when substitute Tim Summers headed from only a few yards out, only to see Gotham pull off a wonderfully instinctive save to tip the ball over. Gotham and Hodges both shone for Glossop and they were my joint 'men of the match'.

With the curtain drawing on Bitton's FA Vase adventure, the frustration finally told when Rob Scott made an horrendous two-footed challenge just in front of us. This sparked a minor mêlée between both sets of players and Scott was shown yellow, when again a red card seemed more appropriate. This was the last action of a hard fought tie and the final whistle was greeted with jubilation from the travelling fans and players. Well done Glossop.

So it's goodbye to Bitton and thanks to Becky Jones and everyone for all your support. On a personal note, I would be lying if I said I was not pleased with this result. As my regular readers know, I watch these games as a 'neutral' and try to be impartial and favour no team. As you also know, I was born in Glossop and my home town ties were hard to ignore at yesterday's game. My path through this FA Vase is based purely on luck as the draw dictates where I end up next. I am now off up to Glossop in the next round and I can't quite believe it. As we left yesterday, my good friends PB and POSH Mate, realising what this means to me, sang up "it's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming - football's coming home". Walking away from Bitton's ground, with the Glossop fans dancing on the terrace and the Glossop players celebrating noisily in the changing room, and my mates singing "you're going home", I am forced to admit there was a tear in my eye. Just a little one.

The prospect of a trip to Glossop in two weeks' time is already pulling at my heart strings. St. Valentine's Day just had to end thus. Now that's what I call romantic.

For more of my photos from the game, please click [here].
Thanks to Sports Photographer Neil Brookman for his photos [here].

Still In The Hat

Only one Fifth Round tie survived the weather on Saturday; seven ties including the game at Bitton succumbed, leaving Bideford AFC and Spennymoor Town to fight it out for the honour of being the first team through to this season's FA Vase Quarter-Finals. Considering how badly Devon had been affected by the snow, it was somewhat of a surprise that the Bideford game went ahead. A splendid effort from volunteers at Bideford ensured the pitch was playable and the home team were rewarded with a 2-0 victory in front of a crowd of 461. Bitton and Glossop, along with twelve other teams will try again on 14th February. Weather permitting.

The draw for the Quarter-Final was made today at the FA headquarters. Understandably inconclusive, the four ties currently look like this:

Whitley Bay / Stratford Town v Biggleswade Town / Market Drayton Town
Lowestoft Town / Hungerford Town v Bideford
Needham Market / Dereham Town v Chalfont St Peter / Christchurch
Bitton AFC / Glossop North End v St Ives Town / Marske United

Talking of the FA, they once again never fail to amaze me with their bumbling ineptitude. On Saturday evening I visited the FA website to see how many of the FA Vase games had been played. They had published a report on the Bideford tie, with some basic information about the game, the scorers, the attendance, etc. But quite amazingly they couldn't even spell Spennymoor correctly, instead referring to Bideford's visitors as "Spennymore". Maybe I should no longer be amazed, as such basic and embarrassing errors seem to be the norm at the FA nowadays.

So for me, and the fans of either Bitton or Glossop, we will be off back to Bitton, or up to my home town Glossop, on 28th February for a Quarter-Final encounter. But first, there is the small matter of unresolved business in South Gloucestershire. In the meantime, I have a very busy week; I will not be able to bring to you my Friday post - I will be taking my 'Wick To Wembley' memorabilia up to The National Football Museum in Preston that day - so the next time I write I hope it will be a match report from Bitton. Fingers crossed.

Weather, Or Not

I have spent a disproportionate amount of my time this week checking what the weather is doing in the Bristol area. So much so that I got a message on the Met Office website this morning asking if I wanted to set 'Bristol' as my home page. I now know Bitton AFC's postcode off by heart. Ahead of the Bitton AFC v Glossop NE tie tomorrow, there has only really been one topic for debate in South Gloucestershire and North Derbyshire. Will the game be on?

At the beginning of the week it all looked rosy. In the South East and London we were hit with a huge dump of the white stuff and, along with large parts of the rest of Britain, everything ground to a halt. My work site closed early on Monday and my son's school locked its gates for a couple of days. The kids loved it, the adults moaned. Us Northerners exiled in the South couldn't understand what the fuss was all about; how could a 'heavy frost' cause so much disruption? In the meantime, the South West had survived unscathed. I spoke to my sister, who lives in Devon, and she asked "what snow?" Confident predictions were filtering out of Bitton that their pitch, on Wednesday evening, was totally playable.

But then the country was hit by second and third waves of snow. I woke this morning to a miserable drizzle, and most of the snow in Chertsey had melted. Switching on the news I realised that Bristol had not been so lucky. They had over 3 inches of snow last night, and as I write it is snowing still. I have the TV on now; live from Bristol, a forlorn-looking BBC News reporter stands braced against the elements, with half of his body covered in snow as a horizontal blizzard pummels him from one side. He hardly needs to tell us that Bristol has been heavily affected, we can see for ourselves. He does say "it is worse today than it was yesterday" and "there is yet more snow forecast" as a car behind him skids on what I guess is a road. Bristol airport is closed.

It's not looking good then for the game tomorrow. I understand that there will be a pitch inspection this morning. If they can find the pitch that is. Now I'm the one making the confident predictions; I email Mackem, PB and POSH Mate to say "if the game is on, I'll eat my trousers".

So this Friday morning, we are all playing a waiting game. The Glossop fans will certainly need a decision about a postponement sometime today. Their coach plans to leave early on Saturday, and for their sake I hope we will know whether the game is on or off long before then.

As for me, I'll keep checking the weather and wait to hear from Bitton, but I know that it's just a case of waiting for the inevitable. I'm now wondering when the rearranged tie will be and will I be able to make it? In the meantime, I'll be off out tonight with friends for a Curry. That should warm me up.

Friday, 9:15am - just as I finish that last paragraph, news comes through that the game has indeed been called off, with Bitton waiting for ratification from the FA. Apparently, 6 inches of snow fell on the pitch last night. Early indications are that the game will be played a week on Saturday, 14th February. Valentine's Day. Oh dear.

Mind Games?

Last Saturday Bitton AFC beat Radstock Town 3-0 in a League game, all the goals scored in the second half. In the crowd was the Glossop North End manager Steve Young. His side's game that day against St Helens Town had fallen victim to the High Peaks inclement weather, and he took the opportunity to cast an eye over his FA Vase opposition. I was mildly surprised to hear what he had to say following his visit. He explained "I was happy with what I saw on the day" and went on to say that "We will cause them more problems than they will cause us". He said that he had seen nothing about Bitton to worry him and was confident that Glossop would win the tie.

Call me on old cynic, but that's a pretty brave statement. I cannot claim to know much about Steve Young, other than the fact he took over at Glossop at the start of the 2007-08 season and had a relatively successful first season in charge of the Derbyshire club, finishing seventh in the North West Counties Premier League. There are a number of ways his words could be construed. One: he really is extremely confident and he knows his players well enough to genuinely believe that there was nothing he saw at Bitton that unduly concerns him. Two: he is naive. Three: he is playing mind games.

Young has every reason to be confident. His side are currently fourth in the League having lost only 5 games in 21. They have had an excellent FA Vase campaign already this season, having eliminated Sporting Khalsa (5-0), Calverton Miners Welfare (4-1 away), New Mills (also 4-1 away), Biddulph Victoria (4-0), Winterton Rangers (2-1) and Stewarts & Lloyds Corby in the last round (2-1). 21 goals in 6 FA Vase ties are enough to inspire confidence in any manager. But Bitton are also riding high in their own League (3 points off top spot with 6 games in hand) and have had an impressive FA Vase run, as previously reported on this blog. But where does the boundary lie between extreme confidence and naivety?

Naive managers don't last long in football and in a League as competitive as the North West Counties Premier Division, that sort of character trait would not be tolerated by boards and fans alike. Naive managers simply have no place to hide. Young will know it is difficult to fully assess a team on the back of only one viewing. A 3-0 scoreline suggested a comfortable result for Bitton last Saturday. Maybe the Gloucestershire club had the luxury of being able to take their collective feet off the gas? Maybe Bitton had players out injured or rested and their strongest team was not on show?

Cometh the day, cometh the man, and it could all be very different on February 7th. Teams can raise their game to an almost unrecognisable level for Cup encounters, as if we need reminding. In last season's FA Cup, just think of Chasetown, Horsham, Staines Town, Havant & Waterlooville, Oldham and Barnsley. Against Radstok Town, Bitton had a crowd of 108. Expect triple that for the Glossop tie and a bigger crowd could influence proceedings. The pitch could play its part if there is rain before the tie. 'The Hillmen' will be making their long journey down from Derbyshire on the day, with no overnight stay the day before, and the journey could take its toll. Glossop could quite simply have an off day. It happens. Young will know all of these things and I hold no truck with the naivety explanation.

So mind games perhaps? If that really is the case, it's an awfully dangerous game to play. The national press love to report on the mind games of the Premier League managers. The comments of Ferguson, Mourinho and Scolari, Wenger and most recently Benitez are scrutinised, dissected, butchered and quartered to the nth degree. And the managers know this and use it to their advantage so much so that it has become a part of the job description. Mind games employed by the masters can wield amazing effect; the classic Keegan rant being probably the most famous.

But these kind of mind games can often backfire. The Bitton AFC manager will no doubt be letting his players know exactly what the opposition thinks about them. This could spur the team on and the comments could fuel Bitton with even more of an incentive to win the game. Comments pinned on dressing room walls can really galvanise a team and focus the mind, particularly if those comments are less than favourable.

The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding and we have to wait just over a week before we get to see the players on the pitch do the talking. Both Bitton and Glossop are at a similar level and my own view is that there will be little between them on the day. It was Wednesday when I heard Young's confident claims, but today it's a slightly different tone for the Glossop gaffer. Young is now quoted as saying “We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them, put it that way, because they’re a tidy outfit". More mind games or realisation that his midweek comments needed diluting?

In the meantime, the Bitton boss Andy Black remains quiet. When it comes to games of the mind, it is perhaps Black's silence that speaks volumes.

Bitton, Glossop and Mumbai

I saw a good film this week, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ the acclaimed flick from director Danny Boyle. It is set in Mumbai and is the story of how an 18 year old orphan from the slums is only one question away from winning the top prize on the Indian version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’. It really is a great watch, and the main thrust of the story is all about fate. Or Destiny. Or to use a line from the film: some things are "just meant to be". If you already haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

I’m not sure if I have ever believed in fate, that your life is already mapped out for you. I think I would like to believe, if only for the reason that it has a fanciful appeal that mocks any sort of logical explanation. But a couple of things have happened recently that have made me think twice. This time last week I did a short post ahead of the FA Vase game between Bitton AFC and Cogenhoe United. In that piece I wrote about my home town, Glossop, and mentioned their tie with Stewarts & Lloyds Corby. I was prompted to bring that up because I had seen that the FA Vase had been in Glossop ahead of their game.

Roll forward one week, and it’s been quite an exciting few days. On the Saturday, Bitton edged out Cogenhoe 2-1, whilst Glossop North End overcame their Northamptonshire opponents by the same score, but in a far more dramatic fashion. Glossop’s winner arrived deep into injury time to the delight of a packed Surrey Street. There is an excellent write-up of that game here from 'Sticky Palms'.

The draw for the Fifth Round Proper (down to the last 8 ties now) produced its own little bit of magic for me; Bitton AFC was pulled out of the hat with a home tie against...Glossop North End! Fate? To say I am excited about the draw is a bit of an understatement. I’m fit to burst and I have thought of little else all week.

And then news later in the week that the FA are taking the Vase on its countrywide tour to Bitton on the day of the game (7th February) and it will be on display in the Bitton clubhouse prior to the match. This is unusual, as the Vase is normally on view to the public in the weekdays preceding the tie. Ordinarily, I would not therefore have seen it, so the fact that the Vase will be at Bitton on the matchday is a real bonus. This will add a touch of luster to what promises to be quite a special day.

Last week I explained how the FA Vase gets very little mention in the media. As if to prove me wrong, we got back from Gloucestershire last Saturday to see the Sky Sports News banner scrolling across the bottom of POSH Mate's TV screen with all the FA Vase scores, including the results from Bitton and Glossop. Shows what I know. But then, quite bizarrely, that same evening, the FA website declared that the game at Glossop had been postponed and did so again in a report on some of the other Fourth Round ties the following day. Beggars belief really, but don’t get me started on the FA.

As for another big media institution, the BBC, well… I think someone in their football office has been reading my blog. Late last Friday they published a mini news item about the exact two games I featured on my blog that same day and the words “chase FA Vase” appear in the title of their piece. Coincidence? Do you think I should sue?

Anyway, back to Bitton AFC v Glossop. What a great draw. Bitton are thrilled with another home tie, and both sides know that there are no easy games left. The Glossop fans are engrossed in the competition and, although this presents a round trip of 370 miles, plans are already underway for booking and filling coaches, note the plural. First impressions suggest that the away support could reach triple figures and Bitton will also attract a good home crowd, with the visit of the Vase providing even more of a pull.

I really can’t wait for this Fifth Round game, the countdown has begun. In the meantime, I’ll be twiddling my thumbs and passing the time with other matches (including my son's debut for Chertsey Town Juniors this Sunday) and no doubt the odd movie or two. There seems to be a number of good films on general release at the moment, I can't decide what to see next; I might even go and watch ‘Slumdog’ again. I know - I'll let fate decide.

Game 7: Bitton AFC 2, Cogenhoe United 1

Fourth Round Proper ~ Saturday 17th January 2009
Venue: The Recreation Ground, Bitton, Gloucestershire
Attendance: 230

Distance travelled: 218 miles

I doubt if there are many match reports you will read that include the words “beetroot”, “purple” and “wee” in the first sentence, but did you know that if you eat lots of beetroot it turns your wee purple? This was one of several bizarre topics of conversation yesterday, as we sat in The Upton Inn at Upton Cheyney ahead of this game. POSH Mate was responsible for this trivial gem, and I still do not know if it is one of his wind-ups. PB and Mackem corroborated the story, so I guess it must hold some credence. This is part and parcel of what I have revelled in this season; travelling to places I’ve never been to before, new grounds to tick off, excellent company, entertaining football and quality, provocative conversation. A grand day out, Gromit.

We had travelled down the M4 early on Saturday to give us time to grab a leisurely bite to eat in preparation for this Fourth Round Proper tie. En route here had been some discussion about the weather. From Surrey to Gloucestershire it had been gloriously sunny. However, heavy rain and strong winds were forecast for the Bristol area, which had already seen some rain falling the previous day and night. The concern was at what point in the afternoon would the rain actually arrive and the prospect of abandonment was not far from my mind. I was later to hear, from the Cogenhoe United Chairman Derek Wright, that an FA Vase game only a few miles away (Larkhall Athletic v Dereham Town) had been postponed because of a flooded pitch. This didn’t bode well, and it felt as if we were enjoying a lull with an ugly storm hiding just around the corner.

Overall, the game was an entertaining one. It didn’t start too well, but like a good wine it improved with age. The sloping pitch had a huge part to play in the proceedings, and a combination of heavy frost followed by rain in recent weeks had taken its toll on The Recreation Ground’s surface. It reminded me somewhat of the infamously sandy pitch at Derby’s Baseball Ground back in the 70s. In the middle third, the pitch was heavy and shredded. The only decent patches of green were out wide on the flanks, and neither team made use of these areas in the first half. Play in the first 45 minutes was sucked into the boggy centre and the result was stodgy football. In the second half, both teams exploited the space (coincidently down their own right-hand sides) and the game improved significantly.

Both teams were certainly up for this game, and the opening exchanges were typified with some strong, uncompromising tackles. Here were two teams who were physical, tall and well matched. Even if the quality of football was at times lacking, it still provided an enthralling spectacle; the proximity of fans to players ensured that every crunch was felt, every curse heard and every nudge, hold and pull blindingly obvious. The reasonably sized crowd (230) had to wait almost 10 minutes for the first action of note when a Cogenhoe effort forced a blocked save from John Rendell in the Bitton goal.

Despite the conditions, both sides tried to move the ball around and credit should be given. On 13 minutes, a well-worked one-two on the edge of the visitor’s area resulted in a shot at goal from Bitton’s Mike Meaker and a minute later Cogenhoe’s Phil Cassidy sent in a dipping effort from range that kept Rendell on his toes. In the first half, with Bitton kicking down the slope but into the ever-increasing wind, Rendell struggled to get any distance on his kicks. Cogenhoe profited with a little more possession around their hosts area, but this came to little; two Cogenhoe free-kicks on 20 and 26 minutes were wasted.

Bitton slowly got into the game and used the slope to their advantage. The home side won three corners in quick succession, all resulting in half-chances that were headed over, twice for the tall Bitton centre-half Steve Jones who provided some danger at set pieces. On 40 minutes, Meaker had another chance when he turned his defender well only for Watts to smother. Right on the stroke of half-time, there were two great chances to open the scoring, both from Bitton. Mark Reynolds’ rising shot was wonderfully turned around by Watts and only moments later Guy Cocks pulled a shot wide when it seemed easier to hit the target. Half-time, 0-0.

If the first half was a rather heavy pudding of a game, the second half was the velvety chocolate sauce that makes the whole thing palatable. I’m sure both sides were briefed over their oranges to exploit the width of the pitch; both did, and we were treated to a good second period. Bitton were now attacking up the slope but with an increasingly cold wind at their backs and the red and white striped home side enjoyed more of the ball.

Bitton drew first blood on 53 minutes. The ball was worked out to the right at which point a local in the crowd, with his strong Bristol accent, implored a decent cross. On cue, an excellent ball was delivered in at pace and was met by Reynolds whose glanced header nestled into the bottom right-hand corner of the Cogenhoe goal.

Along with the change in tactics from both sides, a goal so early in the second half helped open the game. Cogenhoe United's response was pretty immediate and breaking downhill Cassidy once again shot from range and the follow-up was cleared as it arrowed goal bound. On 56 minutes, the visitors from Northamptonshire drew level when the home side failed to clear and Darren Frost prodded home from close range.

From then on, the tie was balanced on a knife-edge and could have gone either way. Bitton pressed the game more whereas Cogenhoe United resorted to hitting Bitton on the break. On 64 minutes Bitton missed what can only be described as a sitter; Matt Tilley found himself only yards out with the goal at his mercy but somehow construed to head the ball inches wide.

Bitton slowly turned the screw and managed to exploit space behind the Cogenhoe back four. A great free-kick from Bitton’s new signing, defender Rob Scott, flashed just wide after 69 minutes and seconds later Scott then saw his long range effort sail just over the crossbar. Cogenhoe chipped in with a couple of fruitless long range efforts but with the clock ticking down a draw and extra-time seemed the most likely option. The home team, although by now controlling the game, were getting visibly frustrated with the number of offside decisions against them and with Cogenhoe still prepared to break in numbers, Bitton were playing a precarious high line.

Bitton scored the winner on 82 minutes. Another good cross from the right paid dividends and the ball took a deflection to the far post where the young 18 year old substitute, Jack Welling, happily netted from a few yards out. The loud cheer from the home crowd could no doubt be heard as far as Bath, but evidently not as far as the clubhouse bathroom which is where POSH Mate was at the time; he was oblivious to events and returned to join us muttering something about extra-time and purple wee.

Within a minute of the goal, it seemed that the Cogenhoe goalkeeper Darren Watts would be sent off for handling outside the area, after he stumbled clumsily into a long ball. The referee showed a degree of leniency and brandished only a yellow card. From the free-kick, another cracking, thunderous strike from Scott drew yet another wonderful save from Watts.

Time was up for Cogenhoe United; as the dying minutes came and went, they had a couple of half-chances with their captain Neil Champleovier urging them on for a late equaliser. This never came and the final whistle was met with scenes of joy from one set of players and disappointment from the other.

Once again, a good FA Vase game to add to the memory bank. The Recreation Ground is situated at one end of the village of Bitton, and is set in a large amount of open space owned by the club and used as pitches for training and matches for other Bitton teams (including a ladies team). The game ended dry; the forecasted rain never materialised and as we left we were treated to a good view of the Cotswolds Escarpment to the east. As Bitton marched off the pitch and into the Fifth Round of the FA Vase for the first time in their history, Cogenhoe had only a depressingly long journey back home mindful of the fact that this is their fourth unsuccessful attempt to get beyond this stage of the competition. I wish Cogenhoe United all the best for the remainder of their season.

Now, it’s a case of waiting to see where Bitton AFC will be off to in the next round. In the meantime I have time to test out a theory which involves a bucket of beetroot, a colour chart and several trips to the loo.

For more of my photos from the game, please click [here].
Thanks to Sports Photographer Neil Brookman for his photos [here].

Whisper It Quietly

I was born in Glossop, Derbyshire. Many people think that I come from Yorkshire or my accent defines me as a Lancastrian or a Mancunian, even friends who have known me for years. Glossop is a small market town, tucked away on the edge of the High Peak in the Derbyshire Dales. With a history defined by the woollen and cotton industries, there remains evidence of its past; as you drive down off the Peak on the Snake Pass from Buxton and Sheffield, it is the large old mills that still frame the town and provides clues to its origins. Generations of my family have grown up in Glossop, and although I only spent a few years of my early life there, I harbour an unexplained affinity for the place.

The FA Vase went to Glossop this week. The trophy travels the country as part of the FA's media campaign to promote the competition, and it was on show at the town's football club ahead of their Fourth Round tie tomorrow. Glossop North End FC has a rich history; they are former members of the Football League (1898 to 1915) and have reached the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup (1909). At the time the club's chairman and benefactor was Sir Samuel Hill-Wood who would eventually become chairman of Arsenal. You may recognise the family name and its present day association with the famous North London club.

For Glossop, the arrival of the trophy heightened the levels of excitement surrounding tomorrow's match and has shone the spotlight, for a short while, on the old mill town. Glossop North End welcomes Stewarts & Lloyds Corby to their Surrey Street ground and the club is confident of progressing further in the competition. I'm sure that their Northamptonshire visitors will have a say and will be fuelled by their own, comparable, hopes and expectations.

And that goes for each and every club still in the competition. Up and down the country tomorrow, 32 non League teams will be battling it out on their quest to take one step closer to Wembley. Not that it has made headline news mind. The FA Vase rarely pricks the national conscience, certainly not until the Semis or the Final, and even then a paragraph or two deep within the sports pages is just about all the coverage that the competition gets. Big games for small clubs, and while the football media will be honing in on the events at the Premier League grounds of Stamford Bridge, the KC Stadium and the Reebok, and on Kaka's 'will he, won't he' drama, there will be plenty of grassroots FA Vase tension and excitement in small communities across the land, from Bideford to Bootle and Coalville to Christchurch.

Whilst Stewarts & Lloyds Corby will be flying the Northamptonshire flag up in my town of birth, my current FA Vase team, Cogenhoe Untied, also from Northamptonshire, will be doing likewise in a small village just outside Bristol. Bitton awaits and I'm really looking forward to it. I am reliably informed that the locals are well and truly up for the game. A large crowd is expected at The Recreation Ground and I am told that supporters from some of the bigger local teams are passing up going to watch their own team in favour of coming along to support Bitton. This really is the business end of the competition; four more wins (including a two-legged Semi-Final) and the doors to Wembley open. The prize money on offer for winners of this round is £1,500 and pouring that amount of money into the club coffers will put a smile on many a chairman's face. As Saturday afternoon fades into Saturday evening, there will be joy and celebration for many, but heartache for others.

Neither Bitton AFC nor Cogenhoe United have played many games of late, what with the British weather having its say. Bitton's last League game was on Boxing Day, but they have managed to fit in a Gloucestershire County Cup game this week (a 3-0 win at Harrow Hill) which has given the team a well-needed run out. Likewise, Cogenhoe's last League game was at the end of December and they arranged a friendly midweek as preparation, a 0-0 home draw with Rushden & Higham. Although you may not read it on the back pages of the nationals, nor will it get a mention on BBC, SKY or Setanta, mark my words; this competition means a lot to these clubs and preparations have been meticulous. The Cup tie in South Gloucestershire promises to be a mouth-watering affair.

A source at Bitton explained this to me this week:

"The club directors and fans are seeing this game as possibly the biggest in the club's short history".

I'm sure this sentiment is echoed around the country, but please whisper it quietly. This can be our own little secret.

Goals, Goals, Goals!

Goals, goals, goals! Let’s face it, one of the main reasons we carry on going back to watch this beautiful game. The belief that the game we are about to endure will be that classic 5-5 draw that we always hear about, but never actually end up going to. In reality, it usually turns out to be a 0-0 bore draw, and deep down you kind of expected it. But maybe, just maybe, next time it will be that goal fest. That's why we go back for more.

My Dad is a season ticket holder at Manchester City, and I know it still rankles that the only home game he has missed in about a million years was the Manchester City v Huddersfield game on 7th November 1987. The result? 10-1 to City.

I am prompted to bring this subject up by the relatively low scoring set of FA Cup games that have just skidded on by on this first, and very icy, weekend of 2009. I was freezing my nether-regions off at The Hawthorns watching a very entertaining Third Round FA Cup tie between WBA and Peterborough United. The game finished 1-1, and as we thawed out behind the Smethwick End stand watching the results from around the country trickle in, it struck me how few goals had been scored. A number of 0-0 draws: at Cup holders Portsmouth, up at Hull and at Leicester and QPR. A smattering of single goal victories and a few 1-1 draws. No spectacularly high scores and certainly no thumpings or hammerings. I expected a hat-full of goals at Chelsea, but Southend United defied the odds and only conceded one, incredibly matching their hosts' goal tally themselves.

I cast my mind back to my ‘Wick To Wembley’ journey last year, and from the Third Round on the story was the same. I saw a couple of 1-0 scorelines and a couple of 2-0 results. But prior to the Third Round the average goal count was noticeably higher. Why was that? The earlier rounds involved more non League football; is there an argument that you get to see more goals lower down the pyramid? Could this be true?

This season, in the FA Vase, I have seen a total of 25 goals in 6 games, an average of just over 4 a game, which is an impressive average for any level of football. This probably goes some way to explaining my enjoyment of the competition so far. But maybe I have just been lucky. So, with a little bit of delving and number crunching, I've come up with some really amateurish statistics. Actually, a handful of figures thrown together; chuck them into a table and - behold - they look like statistics and just about fit the bill.

I have totalled the number of goals scored in all of the 32 Third Round ties of both the FA Cup and FA Vase competitions for each of the last 5 seasons. The Third Round was chosen for no other reason than the fact that it was this weekend's Third Round FA Cup games which started me off on this train of thought.

Season	FA Cup	FA Vase
2008-09	64*	108
2007-08	79	121
2006-07	105	120
2005-06	92	130
2004-05	81	104

* Does not include 4 postponed ties

As a piece of scientific research it will not stand up to much of a rigorous examination and there are more holes in it than a defence marshalled by Richard Dunne. But interesting, don't you think? A not insignificant difference in goals scored with the FA Vase count considerably higher every season. Over the 5 seasons, the FA Vase Third Round Proper ties have averaged a little over 3.6 goals a game, compared to 2.1 goals per game in the FA Cup. Since the 2004-05 season, there have been only two 0-0 draws in 160 FA Vase ties. Now, I'm no expert, but these are pretty cool numbers. Not exactly a great party chat-up line, but one for the pub with your footy mates.

Can I conclude it is more exciting watching non League games? Perhaps. Can I conclude you get more value at an FA Vase encounter, more goals for your money? Quite possibly. I can say that I have certainly seen the goals fly in from all over the pitch on this FA Vase run and as a consequence I feel the actual games have been more entertaining than those on last season's FA Cup journey. And considering how much the whole FA Cup experience last year simply blew me away, this really is a bold statement to make.

I can hear many of you now muttering the words 'kiss' and 'death' and I don't blame you. If Bitton AFC and Cogenhoe United in the next round now finishes 0-0, and you are at the game, I'll be in the bar afterwards. You'll have my permission to shoot me.

Don't Bet Against It.

Many people, far more knowledgeable and experienced than I, have explained to me in recent weeks that the Fourth Round Proper of the FA Vase is when the competition really catches the imagination with fans. From this round on, ties are no longer regionalised, attendances will rise as will hopes, dreams and expectations. As 2008 draws to a close, we are now down to the last 32 teams and the relative few still standing must feel they now face a realistic chance of walking out onto the Wembley turf in May 2009.


But who are the favourites to lift the trophy? One thing is for sure, I can't tell you. I've absolutely no idea. Many of the teams still in the competition I have barely heard of; others I am slowly starting to recognise. Last season's finalists are holding onto their dream of yet another day at Wembley. In the next round, the holders, AFC Fylde (formerly Kirkham & Wesham) face a tricky journey to Needham Market in what will be, on January 17th, a repeat of last years' Semi-Final. The beaten finalists last May were Lowestoft, and they will host Witney United.

In the betting markets, there is only one bookmaker laying odds for the FA Vase. SkyBet do not, rather surprisingly, have AFC Fylde installed as favourites. That honour goes jointly to three teams, namely VT FC, Leiston and Lowestoft (odds 10/1) whilst AFC Fylde are slightly longer odds to retain the trophy (12/1). I can understand why Leiston are up there - they had a great FA Cup campaign this season, and Lowestoft. But VT FC? Who are they?

I guess the bookmaker can only derive odds based on League position and recent FA Vase history; I doubt that anyone at SkyBet has a detailed understanding of any of these non League clubs. VT FC are actually based near Southampton and in case you are wondering (I had to look this up) VT stands for Vosper Thornycroft, the name of a public limited shipbuilding and engineering company. VT is essentially a work's team. There you go - that is the one thing I have learnt today. As for their FA Vase pedigree, this is the first time they have reached the Fourth Round Proper. They are third in the Wessex League Premier Division having lost only one League game this season, and as a Step 5 team on the pyramid VT are therefore one of the highest ranked teams still in the competition. Joint favourite kind of makes sense then.

Down at the other end of the pecking order are FC Clacton and Stone Dominoes. Both are Step 6 clubs and currently lie mid-table in their Leagues, the Eastern Counties League Division One and the North West Counties League Division One respectively. At odds of 66/1 they are not fancied. But could they be worth a punt?

In the FA Vase, League position and ranking in the pyramid seem to mean little. When AFC Fylde won the competition last season, they were one of the lowest ranked teams competing. Last season was their first time in the competition and they entered at the earliest stage (First Round Qualifying). At this stage of the competition last year they were 66/1 outsiders. That alone is enough to suggest that any of the teams remaining have a chance to win it. Even FC Clacton or Stone Dominoes. You never know.

I am a crap tipster and usually lose any football bets I make, so if you are waiting for a tip, I'm afraid you are in for a long wait. All I know is that in a few weeks time, I will be at Bitton AFC (20/1) for their tie with Cogenhoe United (40/1). I have no idea who will win the game. However, there is a 1 in 16 chance that the winner of the FA Vase 2008-09 will come from that tie. Don't bet against it.

Bitton AFC

One draw and two postponements later, Cogenhoe’s opponents in the Fourth Round Proper of the FA Vase are now known; they will travel to Bitton AFC after the Bristol side overcame Street on Wednesday evening. The teams failed in their second attempt to play their replay when it was called off last Saturday after torrential rains had saturated the South West. On Wednesday, the teams were still deadlocked 1-1 at 90 minutes, and it eventually took an extra-time goal from Bitton's Mark Reynolds to settle the tie.

So on January 17th, 2009, I will be off down the M4 to Bitton’s Recreation Ground. It will come as no surprise that it will be my first ever visit to Bitton.

I have struggled with my research on Bitton AFC; information about the club is sparse but I’m sure I will find out more during my trip. Up until the late 1980’s the club played in the local Bristol and District Football League with limited success. They were in the Senior Division in season 1989-90 and with two successive promotions they reached the Premier Division of the Bristol Premier Combination. In 1994-95 they won the Gloucestershire FA’s Senior Amateur Cup and finished in 2nd spot in the League. As a result they were promoted to the Gloucestershire County League. Two seasons later Bitton AFC finished runners-up in the Gloucestershire County League and were promoted to the Western League First Division. In 2003/2004 the club achieved its highest ever status, finishing runners-up in the Western League First Division with the reward of another promotion, this time to the Premier Division. This is where they remain to this day. Last season they finished 7th in the League.

Bitton AFC has relatively little FA Vase experience, having only competed in the competition since 2001-02. Their most successful season – to date - was in 2003-04 when they reached the Fifth Round Proper before losing 2-0 at Colne. This season they have seen off Poole Town and Street to get to this stage.

Their FA Cup experience is even more limited. They first entered in 2002-03 and have never progressed beyond the Qualifying Rounds. This season they were knocked out by Paulton Rovers in the Second Round Qualifying after disposing of Thame United, Bishop’s Cleeve and Beaconsfield SYCOB.

Nicknamed ‘The Ton’, Bitton AFC is managed by Andy Black. Black has been at the club since October 2006 and has had previous managerial experience with Cadbury Heath, Mangotsfield (where he spent most of his playing career) and Frome Town. Black took Frome to the FA Vase Quarter-Finals in 2004-05; a not insignificant FA Vase pedigree.

Bitton AFC it is then, one month on from now. We had to wait a while before we found out where the next leg of this journey would take us. And while all is now clear, the local media in Bristol have not quite got it right. In this week's 'Bristol Evening Post' it was reported that Bitton face "an FA Vase fourth round clash with Cogenhose United". Someone else who evidently struggled with the research.

Another Away Day

Following Cogenhoe United's 4-1 win at Arundel last Saturday, and before the draw for the Fourth Round Proper on Monday, an amusing entry appeared on the home page of Cogenhoe's website. Under the 'Cup Competitions' fixtures column, it showed the next FA Vase game on 17th January 2009, opponents not yet known, but described as an "Away" tie. This made me chuckle. I doubt whether the webmaster has an ability to see into the future, but on the face of it this appeared to be an extremely confident prediction. And for good reason; 8 out of the last 9 FA Vase ties for Cogenhoe United have been played away from home. Perhaps someone up at the club was trying to tempt fate; or maybe it was just inevitable that they would be on their travels again.

Whatever the reason, the webmsater was right. When the draw was eventually made, Cogenhoe Untited were the second ball out of the hat and will face a trip to either Street or Bitton AFC. The draw had me once again diving onto Google to find out exactly where these two places are. I had heard of Street, but Bitton was another new one on me. Both are out west; Street is in Somerset, south-west of Bath, and Bitton is just outside Bristol. Which ever team prevail, it will be a trip down the M4 for me in the New Year. For Cogenhoe United, it will be a round trip of about 230 miles, and that's if they take the direct cross-country route.

Street and Bitton drew 0-0 in their Third Round Proper game; their replay was scheduled for the Wednesday just gone, but it failed to survive the cold weather. They will try again tomorrow. For me, I'm contemplating a trip up to Peterborough United (v Oldham) with POSH Mate tomorrow, whilst Cogenhoe United wait to find out who their opponents in the next round will be. But there is one thing Cogenhoe United already know for sure about the next round: it will be yet another away day.