Greenwich was the focal point for the Millennium celebrations but it was a million-to-one chance their team Greenwich Borough would make it to the Millennium Stadium for this weekend's FA Cup Final.

Even so, they were the first team featured in TheFA.com Cup Trail - failing to make it beyond the extra-preliminary round, beaten 4-1 at home to Three Bridges with Pat Massaro scoring twice.

The Sussex League side did us proud for a couple of rounds, beating Didcot and then local rivals Chipstead. But they found their match in the Second qualifying round against Aveley.

Aveley versus Canvey Island in the third qualifying round was a real David v Goliath confrontation. Aveley's average gate is 90 - Canvey had beaten Port Vale, Wigan and Northampton in the previous two seasons.

Aveley boss Dave Patients urged patience but this time Goliath won through, Canvey progressing 2-0.

However Canvey missed another first round tie when they were beaten 3-2 at Slough. The Berkshire town is the home of Ricky Gervais' wickedly funny portrayal of everyday suburban life in The Office and good-natured Slough Town boss Steve Browne was even persuaded to pose as David Brent before their first round tie against Harrogate Railway.

Alas for Slough, unfancied Railway won 2-1 and became a big national story for a week leading up to their Second Round tie against Bristol City.

Sky Sports showed the game from Harrogate's less-fashionable club live, temporary stands were brought in but Danny Wilson's Second Division side kept their cool to win 3-1.

Leicester City, in administration, were pleased to collect the £50,000 prize money for beating Bristol City 2-0 in the third round with goals from Paul Dickov and Matt Elliott.

But hopes of a bigger payday were dashed by Wolverhampton Wanderers, who put four past The Foxes and then scored twice in the last 10 minutes to end the run of the competition's last Third Division side Rochdale.

In the last eight, Wolves manager Dave Jones made an emotional return to Southampton but found Gordon Strachan's side in unsentimental mood.

The Saints beat Wolves 2-0 and then accounted for Watford in the semi-final with Brett Ormerod rather than James Beattie the scoring hero for once.

So now we have just two teams left - Arsenal and Southampton. It has been a long nine-month journey to get here but the good news for anyone who suffers post-FA Cup blues after Saturday's final...only another three months and the fun starts all over again!

The FA Cup Trail was composed by Joe Bernstein

The FA Cup Trail this Season...

Extra-Preliminary round - Greenwich Borough 1 Three Bridges 4
Preliminary round - Three Bridges 3 Didcot Town 1
First Qualifying Round - Chipstead 1 Three Bridges 3
Second Qualifying Round - Three Bridges 1 Aveley 3
Third qualifying round - Canvey Island 2 Aveley 0
Fourth qualifying round - Slough 3 Canvey Island 2
First Round - Slough 1 Harrogate Railway 2
Second Round - Harrogate Railway 1 Bristol City 3
Third Round - Leicester City 2 Bristol City 0
Fourth round proper - Wolves 4 Leicester City 1
Fifth round proper - Wolves 3 Rochdale 1
Sixth round proper - Southampton 2 Wolves 0
Semi-final - Southampton 2 Watford 1

FA Cup Final - Arsenal v Southampton

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