Leamington v Bemerton Heath
The FA Carlsberg Vase
Fourth Round Proper
Saturday 20 January 2007
£1,500 to each winning club

Midland Alliance leaders Leamington entertain Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the Fourth Round of The FA Carlsberg Vase on Saturday.

Leamington secretary Brian Knibb previews the game.

Brian, is there a lot of interest in your Vase tie against Bemerton?
Yes, there is a fair amount of interest and we are looking for a big crowd on the day. I would think at least 800.

You have a good cushion at the top of the Midland Alliance table. So how do you assess that position?
It is going very well. We set our stall out to go up this season. We’ve improved our facilities and brought in some new players to bolster the squad. We certainly wanted to be in the running but we are doing better than we anticipated by being well clear at the top. So I feel we are in with a good shout now.

Your FA Vase opponents Bemerton play in the Wessex League. How much do you know about them?
Hardly anything! I’ve spoken to their secretary on the phone and that’s about all. But our manager will probably have them watched before we play them.

Your club was reformed from the ashes of AP Leamington in the year 2000. You have made great strides since then, haven’t you?
Yes. The old club folded when the ground was sold. So we didn’t have a local team. Then we acquired a piece of farmland, marked a pitch out and the facilities have been developed beyond all recognition. It was just an open field to begin with. But now we have a superb playing area, a training pitch, clubhouse, good dressing rooms and stands. And we have progressed from the Midland Combination Division Two to the top of the Midland Alliance.

And you have further ambitions, don’t you?
Yes. Everyone here is ambitious. The supporters, the board, the players, everyone! The eventual aim is to get back to the Conference where the old AP Leamington were. But that is not a short-term thing. It is going to be in the future, I think. We’ve got to get promotion to the Southern League first and then get up to the Premier Division. And hopefully from there we will look at future targets.

How much would an FA Vase run help with raising interest and awareness?
It would be massive! Last season we reached the FA Cup First Round and the FA Vase Fourth Round. And the support was phenomenal. We have an average home gate now of 580, which is very good at our level when you look at some of the other clubs. That would increase even more if we progress further in The Vase. I would love to think that it is our year to win the competition!

If we gain promotion, then we will have to enter The FA Trophy next season. So really this our last chance to have a go in The Vase!