By Adam Hulme
( A first ever write by would-be sports journalist Adam Hulme, who is currently part-way through a journalism degree course at Huddersfield University. Hopefully we'll hear more from Adam in the future - Howard Borrell)
FA Cup time can seem like the Christmas period, it comes once a year (an appropriate analogy with our recent record) and can bring happiness to millions. Although at the same time it can cause distress and bring even the hardest of football fans to tears. The world's oldest football competition,
which came to life in the 1871/72 season, has a habit of creating drama and causing upsets.
The 2008 to 9 season saw close to 800 clubs enter and the lowest ranked started battling through from the Extra Preliminary Round on the 16th August. There were plenty of goals as St Neots Town hammered Holbeach United 7-0 and Mildenhall Town fired eight past Felixstowe and Walton United without reply but I suspect those scorelines didn't make many national newspapers. Which is a shame because the FA Cup is made up of 14 rounds and each round will have some great stories to tell. Famous teams that have
fallen on hard times or teams that are starting their rise up the ladder.....all are part of the tapestry of the FA Cup with the winner receiving a very healthy sum of two million pounds.
The lower ranked teams need to win six ties simply to simply to reach the First Round proper, the Blue Square Premier (formerly the Conference) are exempt until the final qualifying round. The whole qualifying process sees over 600 fixtures (plus replays) take place around the country just to arrive at Round 1.
All non-league teams dream of a glamour tie - ideally Manchester United away at Old Trafford - and a big pay day. Thankfully the FA has stepped in toensure the glamour doesn't get too discoloured as there was a danger a few years ago when Farnborough opted to switch their home tie v Arsenal to the Londoners ground purely to maximise their income. That practice has rightly being stopped as the history and tradition has now being given priority over profit. Of course money matters and the FA's objective is to redistribute
funds throughout the game. This way clubs are rewarded for their dedication to the sport. If a club starts at the extra preliminary round and makes it into the first round, a sum of £29,750 comes their way. This type of money, especially in Britain's current financial situation, can provide crucial help and support and enable clubs to develop further.
Every year sides outside the Football League have ambitions to cause upsets and drama against the giants of the game. 'Giant killing' is hardly an unheard of event; every year we watch a team make the unthinkable happen. Lower Division League teams used to be the main ones making headlines as 'giant killerd but in recent years it has been the non league wonders that have stolen those headlines.
Conference South team Havant and Waterlooville were the most recent side to show the League Structure what the non league clubs are capable of. The Hawks made it through nine intense rounds to finally succumb in the fourth round, having first knocked out York City, Notts County and Swansea City.
The fourth round saw Premier League giants Liverpool finally put an end to the 'Giant killing cup run' although the non leaguers did twice go in front at a packed 42,000 Anfield ground (which was eight times the total capacity at their own home ground, West Leigh Park).
In the same year, Chasetown made FA cup history, by being the lowest ever ranked team to reach the third round of the competition. The Scholars beat League team Port Vale before meeting Championship side Cardiff City at the sold out Scholars ground. This year on 1st Round Day Chasetown unfortunately have to make do with an away BGB Midland Division fixture against Woodford United.
A cup run can also give players a chance to shine and show off what skills they have. Kyle Perry 21, became a Port Vale player this year after impressing with Chasetown. It's probably fair to say that a certain Kevin Davies owes a lot of his current Premiership success to a famous hat-trick against his current Bolton side.
The Spireites know what its like to be the underdogs. The odds were always against us during our famous 1996/97 FA Cup but undoubtedly the increasing belief of the Blues supporters helped us progress and the pride remains to this day. No club lower than the second tier has got as close to the FA Cup final since.....and but for a David Elleray blunder.....nevertheless the sheer passion of the performance epitomised everything that's great about the world's oldest knockout competition and gives others a yardstick to aspire to.
On the road to the semis, John Duncan's men felled Forest, wrecked Wrexham and even trotted past Bolton in the last ever FA Cup tie at Burnden Park. However it's the memories of Sunday 13th April 1997 that will forever live in the minds of every Chesterfield fan that witnessed the Old Trafford
classic, and of football fans all over the world.
Which team will capture the imagination and be remembered as this season's 'Giantkillers' ? They'll have done well if they make any where near as big an impression as the Class of '97 !
