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.

Chasing The Vase

It has been a rather hectic summer for me. After last season's FA Cup exploits, in which I travelled over hill and dale in search of real football, I have had little time to sit down and reflect on what was quite an experience. Writing a blog, fielding newspaper interviews, even a slot on the radio and a brief appearance in front of a TV camera were all alien to me and somewhat surreal. Not to mention the great football along the way.

But I entered the summer months, with Euro 2008 and the Beijing Olympics on the horizon, knowing I was going to be kept very busy. The FA Cup blog turned into an FA Cup book; details, if you are interested, can be found here. Writing a book is a first for me, and as much as the FA Cup journey itself was a real eye-opener, so was publishing a tome about it. I have learnt so much in a short space of time. Whoever said "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" was wrong, frankly. But that is a different story - suffice to stay I have not stood still for four months.

Whilst all that was going on, I had in the back of my mind plans for a significantly more low-key venture for this new season, 2008-09. Many have asked "would I be doing the FA Cup journey again?" The answer? Maybe in a few years' time, but not again so soon. But I felt as if I should do something. I enjoyed many, many things about the FA Cup last season: the new grounds; the travelling to uncharted parts of the country; making new acquaintances and friends. But the fondest memory is that of watching non League football, down in the lower reaches of the English football pyramid. The tiny grounds, the part-time clubs, the small but dedicated helpers, all in places I'd never heard of before.

So for this season I have chosen to take a butchers at the Vase - the FA's knockout competition for clubs at Steps 5, 6 and 7. Another journey to Wembley is on the cards and seems appropriate. Last season's FA Vase winners were Kirkham & Wesham (since renamed AFC Fylde) who beat Lowestoft in the Final. Those names alone give you an idea of the level of football we are talking about. I know I won't attract as much interest as I did last season, but that's not why I'm doing it. Getting into the matches will be far easier; the only real challenge will be the possible distances to travel, once again a potential nightmare if I should be faced with a mid-week replay. I'm already looking forward to a journey into the unknown, and having no control over where in the country I will be sent or who I will meet along the way.

As the publication date for my FA Cup book approaches I can begin to breathe a little easier and focus on my 2008-09 journey. This season 513 teams have entered the FA Vase and I will start (as I did last season in the FA Cup) with my local club, Chertsey Town. They have been drawn away, in the First Round Qualifying (on Saturday 6th September 2008) to Sussex County League Division One side Oakwood.

Never heard of them? No - neither have I. This is where the fun starts.