Vase adventure

The FA Vase effectively replaced the old FA Amateur Cup for the 1974-75 season and the 37th edition of this very popular competition begins with a First Round Qualifying on 4 September. It features 302 clubs from Team Northumbria in Newcastle down to St Blazey in Cornwall.

The first Vase winners, Hoddesdon Town from the Spartan South Midlands League, come in at this stage and face an away tie at Bedford. Deal Town, the Kent League side who won the last Vase Final to be played at the old Wembley, have a home draw against Crawley Down.

Another Kent outfit, Tunbridge Wells, are best known for their involvement in an FA Cup replay five years ago that had 40 spot-kicks in a shootout. They start this season’s Vase adventure with a home tie against Hailsham Town from Sussex.

Fisher FC are a new club who were formed after Fisher Athletic, a former Conference side, were wound up in 2009. They play in the Kent League, still sharing Dulwich Hamlet’s ground at Champion Hill, and will welcome Ringwood Town from Hampshire there in The Vase.

In amateur football’s ‘glory days’ in the ‘50s, when there were capacity crowds for Wembley Finals, Bishop Auckland and Willington were two North-East clubs at the forefront and they now meet in an intriguing tie at Hall Lane, home of the latter.