Eastbourne Borough v Oxford United
The FA Cup, First Round
Priory Lane
05 November 2005, 12.00
Winning clubs receive £16,000




Eastbourne Borough will write a money-spinning new chapter in the club’s short but astonishing history when they face League Two promotion chasers Oxford United at home in the First Round of The FA Cup on 05 November.

The Conference South side - who were playing parks football a few seasons ago - have reached this stage of the world’s most famous domestic football trophy for the first time.

Borough are also celebrating an FA Cup crock of gold - three wins have yielded £18,750 in prize money, and a shock triumph over Oxford would be worth a further £16,000.

"People talk about the romance of The FA Cup but our whole story over the last few years has been a fairytale," says chief executive Mike Spooner.

"From the Sussex County League we’ve come through the Dr Martens League into the Conference South, and lost 2-1 in the Nationwide promotion final against Altrincham last season - it’s been unbelievable.

"There’s always been a dream at this club that one day it might reach the First Round proper of The FA Cup. This is something a lot of people have been looking forward to for a long time.

"A few years ago we were watching local visiting teams running out and giving us a hard game. Now we are taking on the full-time professionals and hoping to give them a hard game."

The club was formed as Langney FC in 1964, and played in the Sussex County League as recently as 2000. But the modern Priory Lane ground has a capacity of 5000, and around 3000 fans are expected for the Oxford game. That would almost double the club’s current record gate of 1700 - set against Crawley in 1993.

"We don’t have benefactors putting their hand in their pocket," said Mike. "We budget carefully and we have been in the black from day one, but this extra money from The FA Cup is fantastic.

"A lot of money has been spent on ground developments. Six or seven years ago we were virtually playing on a field with one covered area. Now we are the only ground in Sussex with cover on all four sides."

Garry Wilson’s side have reached the First Round despite being drawn away three times, plus an injury crisis that has left the club languishing in the league.

In the Second Qualifying Round - worth £3750 in prize money - Borough beat Redbridge 5-1 in a home replay after skipper Stuart Tuck’s last-gasp header earned a 2-2 away draw.

In the Third Qualifying Round victory over the Metropolitan Police was worth £5000 - secured with a 3-2 home replay success after a 3-3 draw. And Scott Ramsay scored the only goal in a 1-0 Fourth Qualifying Round win at Bishop’s Cleeve which was worth another £10,000.

Former Brighton captain Tuck won The FA’s Player of the Round award for his display against Bishop’s Cleeve.

Now Borough are determined to shock Oxford - though the visitors boss Brian Talbot boasts an impressive FA Cup pedigree having won the competition in successive years with Ipswich and Arsenal in 1978 and 1979 respectively!