The FA Cup
2013 – 2014
Epilogue
(More
photo’s to follow, I’ve got over 5,000 to wade through… with two very special
ones to come one with of them happening next Saturday… Shhh Mom’s the word…)
Well that was
fun.
There
were times when I didn’t think I’d complete it. There were times when I wish
I’d never started it and if I’m being honest, if I wasn’t writing this blog,
there were times when I almost walked away from it. The blog became a crutch to
lean on. It helped keep me focused and you wouldn’t believe the times I went
back into it and re-read it. It helped me remember why I was doing it.
Once
in a while I would get an E Mail, or a text, or a phone call, or I’d be
chatting and I’d get positive feedback, it was such a massive buzz and I was so
grateful. Which leads me neatly to this.
Without
the help of the people I met along the way not only would this all have been
very difficult, it would probably have been impossible.
AND…
just for the record, to all the people that I said, “It will not go on the
blog” to, I meant it. Anything that you said to me stays said to me.
Here,
for what it’s worth, is my thank you list and maybe a little bit extra.
The Stats
Goals
70
Attendance 239,270
Tickets
£353.00
Miles
3,415 – including the 753 to and from my daughters – 4,168
Travel cost £607.30 - ish
Programmes £44.50
Badges
I did manage to get a full set of club pin badges (in the end) £47
Days If I
include Aug 16th and May 17th then my journey took 275
days.
FA Cup Extra
Preliminary Round, Friday 16th August 2013
Here are the nine games that got moved from Saturday 17th to
Friday 16th August.
Hoddesdon Town v St Margaretsbury.
Final Score 1-1 First Goal 46
SECONDS!
Worksop Parramore v AFC Blackpool.
Final Score 2-0 First Goal 11
mins
Sherborne Town v Christchurch.
Final Score 2-1 First Goal 40
mins
Hadley v Oxley
Jets. Half Time 0-0 Final Score 1-1
Peterborough Northern
Sky v Yaxley. Half Time 0-0 Final Score 3-0
Thetford Town v Diss Town. Half
Time 0-0 Final Score 2-0
Flackwell Heath v Binfield.
Final Score 0-0
Bishop Auckland v Tadcaster Albion.
Final Score 0-0
Enfield 1893 v London Tigers.
Final Score 0-0
If
anyone out there knows different then please let me know. Don’t be shy.
Ware FC
Well
what can I say? When I first turned up on that Saturday and bumped into Colin, who
just got it straight away. Colin, Jackie (still
spelling) and Sean Mynott. THANK YOU!
As
for Ware FC. They started their season with a home defeat and continued the
season in the same vain only avoiding relegation in the last few weeks,
finishing 21st out of 24th.
Because
of the extent of the bad weather we had in Hertfordshire over December, January
and February they only played 12 games in three months, leaving them to play
ELEVEN games in March and TWELVE in April.
As
for that night in August. Who’d have thought that everyone inside the ground
that night was about to witness the opening goal in this year’s FA Cup.
Also,
who’d have thought, has I took photos of the Ware v Kidderminster framed shirt
and programme from when Ware FC got through to the First Round Proper in the
season 2007/08 that I’d spend so much time with Kidderminster.
Ware v Kidderminster Harriers. FA Cup First Round Proper. 10th November 2007.
Hoddesdon
Town
Jane
Sinden, who answered my E Mail with such speed and support, she is probably the
reason I started to think, you know, this might just be achievable. THANK YOU!
I
never did get to go and see them play at their own ground. Maybe next
season.
They
had a good season and finished 6th out of 22nd.
And
just like Ware FC they had a very busy March and April.
They
also conceded the first goal in this year’s FA Cup.
St
Margaretsbury FC
Gary
Stock, Richard Palette, and let’s be honest about this, everyone at St
Margaretsbury and I do mean EVERYONE! This was the game changer. This is where
my love of the game was re-born. I have a strange feeling that this relationship
is going to continue. THANK YOU!
L-R, Richard Palette (Treasurer and Secretary) Steve Barker (Vice Chairman) Gary Stock (Chairman).
How
was I to know just how pivotal they would be in getting me to the Final.
They
had a great season finishing 4th out of 22nd. They also reached the Final
of The Herts Charity Shield - they lost…
Also,
like Ware and Hoddesdon their season got destroyed by the weather, playing four
times in December, once in January and twice in February leaving them with
EIGHT in March and NINE in April.
They
also scored the first goal in this year’s FA Cup.
Presented to Lee Roberts, who was somewhere else other than at the presentation night.
Hemel
Hempstead Town FC
Tony
Conway, just like Gary and Richard, jumped at the chance to help and the thing
I love about him is that he’s still got that fan mentality. Yes he has to do
all that corporate stuff, but he still “gets” why people “want” to do it. If I
get my way I’m going to drag him over to St Margaretsbury. THANK YOU!
Again,
just like St Margaretsbury, every one there made me feel so welcome, I even
missed Walsall’s last away game to go to Hemel’s last game of the season such
was there attitude and friendship.
As
for Hemel they were run away League Champions and if I remember correctly they
smashed through 100 goals, YES, ONE HUNDRED GOALS, by the start of December.
They have been promoted to The Conference South. I shall watch with interest.
And I
cannot mention Hemel without mentioning One Direction (even if I didn’t meet
Caroline Flack…) without even having to think about it they were the best fans
I heard all season.
The day I met Tony (far right - NO! Not politically...) and the last day we met (The Final).
Sutton United
FC
Gerard
(Millsy) Mills, it was short, sharp and brief but it was truly a pleasure.
THANK YOU!
They
had a great season finishing SECOND in the league but then losing to Dover
Athletic in the play offs.
Also,
Bruce Elliott (Chairman) and Gerard – Millsy – Mills have truly missed their
calling, easily the funniest double act not to appear on TV even if one of them
is an accountant…
Leon, Bruce Elliott (Chairman - back to the camera) and Gerard - Millsy - Mills.
Kidderminster
Harriers FC
The
lovely Helen McDonald, who by the time I got to the First Round Proper I was
starting to panic about getting tickets. I shouldn’t have. Helen made it so
easy. THANK YOU!
As
for Kidderminster, who’d have thought I’d arrive here after that opening game
played at Ware FC and that framed shirt and programme.
But
by God didn’t they complicate the story. They sold their star player. They
sacked their manager, after letting him talk to another team and he said no and
decided to stay. They got another manager that no one had heard of, who got
them a giant killing away at Peterborough and a cash cow away at Sunderland
before sacking him. The Chairman quit. The new Chairman threatened to do the
same. Their league formed dropped and by the time the third manager had got the
team back on track it was too late to get into the play offs never mind
straight promotion. Truly bizarre… Even for football.
Kidderminster
also had the best food.
For all of the chaos, they still got to Wembley... sort of...
Sunderland
AFC
Chris
Waters the kid who’s truly living the dream. I want his job, but at Walsall FC.
He took looking after me to a whole new level. I’m writing this on Sunday 25th
May 2014 at 20.15 Top Gear is on BBC2, Orient have stuffed up the play offs to
Rotherham and as I type this and think of Chris and that phone call on that
Friday evening, I’m smiling like a loony and I’m still almost in tears. THANK
YOU!
Chris's modest little office where all the magic happens.
The infamous car park pass with assorted tickets, pass, voucher and a programme.
A
special mention to that un-named steward.
As
for Sunderland, they finally beat relegation and even though it’s a different
competition they got to the League Cup Final and I still hear people talking
about that weekend when Sunderland took over London and it still makes me
smile.
To
the fans of Sunderland AFC the people of London loved you and everything you
bought to the capital.
Me, Jim F***ing Montgomery and Keith
Hull City AFC
James
(was that his name, James? I still don’t know) and Ben Milhench who gave me a
whirl wind tour of the KC Stadium. THANK YOU!
Again,
a special mention to the two un-named stewards who without knowing it pushed
over that first domino.
The un-named heroes of the day.
As
for Hull’s season, they survived the relegation battle finishing 16th
out of 20th. BUT… they got to The Cup Final breaking and setting
records on the way losing to Arsenal who themselves broke and set records along
the way, while qualifying for Europe next season, another record.
I
might even pop up for their first game in Europe, if I can get a ticket.
Again,
just like with Sunderland fans let me write this, I can’t speak for everyone in
London and even if I could I wouldn’t, but to the Hull City fans, London loved
you, I went back into London for the parade and everywhere I went that day all
I heard were people talking about how much fun the Hull City fans were.
Wembley
Stadium Staff
Well
who’d have thought it? As you know me and Leon from BT sport had that running
joke about “at some point the hospitality will stop”, except it didn’t. Even
when I turned up at Wembley Stadium, the new home of the FA, even when you
think it’s nothing more than a massive soulless faceless monster that
stubbornly sits there not listening or seeing you couldn’t be more wrong if you
tried. I thought that what I’d witnessed at last season’s European Corporate
Whore Final was a one off. I was wrong.
Wembley
Stadium staff were great. Just like everyone else that I’d meet along the way,
they got what I was trying to do. They, like everyone else, just fell over
themselves trying to help. THANK YOU!
On
Thursday 22nd May I was on the phone to Martin at the stadium shop
trying to track down two Cup Final badges that I’d forgot to pick at the Final
(my phone went off and I got distracted in getting that ticket to Tony) anyway,
I’d spoken to Martin after the game and he said he’d try and find two badges
for me and he did. Can you image that? Can you believe that? Well do, because
it happened.
From
Ware to Wembley all the people I met were football fans simply living the dream.
If I hadn’t witnessed it I wouldn’t have believed it.
Leon from BT
Sport
What
can I say about Leon? He would always just suddenly appear. He would pop up
with a new companion. He was like my very own Dr Who.
Once
Leon had arrived I knew I was in the right place. It was nice to travel to far
off places and see a familiar smiling face coming towards me.
As
for BT Sport pulling the plug on that feature, once it had been done, I missed
seeing Leon, somehow it wasn’t quite the same without him. I kept expecting to
bump into him around the next corner. It never did happen.
To
the next time.
Keith Raymond
I
can’t believe that I didn’t bump into him sooner. He was doing the same thing
as me but he was doing it for charity.
We’d
been at the same games from Kidderminster v Newport County (I think) but we
didn’t meet until Sunderland v Southampton. Keith is a proper bloke, no fuss, no
drama, sees it and tells it like it is. He’s not corrupted politically he’s
straight down the line and God it was so refreshing to meet someone that missed
the old days as much as me.
To
the next time.
Keith and me in the dugout at Sunderland AFC.
Anna
What
can I say about my lovely daughter? As I wrote in that last blog, if at any
point she’s had said no to doing St Margaretsbury v Hoddesdon or Sutton United
v Hemel Hempstead - ALL 700 MILES AND 24.5 HOURS of it, I would simply have
walked away.
I
really would have walked away from it all.
But,
Anna, being Anna, saw the bigger picture, she understood what I was trying to
do, 12 years old and still smarter than me. One day I really will make her as
proud of me as I am of her.
Go
and tidy your room.
I
Love You Princess…
I didn't win the raffle but I did get the first prize...
ME
Me? I
can’t believe I actually did it. I wish I’d have done this sooner. I should
have done it years ago. I can honestly put my hand on my heart say that it was
worth every negative that came my way because the positives were so massive.
But,
I’ll tell you what… I’LL NEVER DO IT
AGAIN!!!
Non
League football got under my skin. The standard of football is surprisingly
high. If you’re reading this, then go and watch your local Non League team, you
won’t be disappointed.
As
for next season? Such was the impact that Non League football had on me that
I’m thinking of doing the FA Vase or FA Trophy.
The FA and FA
Cup
Here is the
financial break down of this seasons FA Cup.
The FA Cup with
Budweiser
Season 2013-14
Payments made from The FA's Prize Fund
Extra Preliminary Round winners
|
(185)
|
£1,500
|
Preliminary Round winners
|
(160)
|
£1,925
|
First Round Qualifying
winners
|
(116)
|
£3,000
|
Second Round Qualifying winners
|
(80)
|
£4,500
|
Third Round Qualifying winners
|
(40)
|
£7,500
|
Fourth Round Qualifying winners
|
(32)
|
£12,500
|
First Round Proper winners
|
(40)
|
£18,000
|
Second Round Proper winners
|
(20)
|
£27,000
|
Third Round Proper winners
|
(32)
|
£67,500
|
Fourth Round Proper winners
|
(16)
|
£90,000
|
Fifth Round Proper winners
|
(8)
|
£180,000
|
Sixth Round Proper winners
|
(4)
|
£360,000
|
Semi-Final winners
|
(2)
|
£900,000
|
Semi-Final losers
|
(2)
|
£450,000
|
Final runners-up
|
(1)
|
£900,000
|
Final winners
|
(1)
|
£1,800,000
|
Amounts are per club in
each round. Numbers in brackets represent the number of winning
clubs per round.
Here’s something that I
hadn’t thought about. After that first game at Ware FC, I was chatting to some
of the club Chairmen and club Secretary’s. They bought me up to speed on the
realities of running a football club. If a team plays in the Extra Preliminary
Round at HOME and they LOSE then that club will be out of money. The crowds
aren’t big enough to cover the costs of putting on a Cup game. Utility Bills. Match
Officials wages. Staff wages. Basic club running costs.
Imagine that, you get
dumped out The Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round at home and you’re already in
debt. OUCH!
Maybe the FA could take
some of the money from “The FA's Prize Fund” and if nothing else pay for the wages of the Match Officials. Just a
thought.
Does anyone really think
that Arsenal NEEDS that £1,800,000? I wonder just how much money went through
the tills at Arsenal in the week following their Cup victory.
While we’re on the subject
of money. Why not have a financial reward for the first goal scorer in each
round? The first goal scorer gets £1,000 which goes to the club they are
playing for and the player gets a pair of tickets to the Cup Final.
Why not have a financial
reward for the most goals scored in that seasons FA Cup – at an individual and
team level? It would favour players and teams in the earlier rounds. The money
going to the club and not the player/s. Tickets to the Cup Final for the winner/s.
Obviously there should also
be a financial reward for the first goal scorer in the competition and just
like the above the money goes to the club while the player gets tickets to the
Cup Final. Just a thought.
The FA Cup final should be
the last game of the season, on a Saturday at 3pm. I’m not going to have an
argument over this. If you think differently then you are wrong, please go away
somewhere and deal with it.
Mr Dyke’s point of view is
that a later kick off means a bigger TV audience. He doesn’t give any thought
to the fan that has to get home after the game. But, if Mr Dyke really wants to
raise the TV audience, then simply let BBC and ITV show the FA Cup Final. By
ITV not having to be better than the BBC it doesn’t have to try. Next season
the BBC have the rights to the FA Cup Final - which they will share with BT
Sport - that frankly is still not good enough.
Let them all have it. Let
them all go head to head. Survival of the fittest. Then have a look at the TV
audience figures.
Changing the subject
slightly, please bring back the street venders to Wembley. They helped turn a
day out at Wembley into a carnival atmosphere.
Also. Where the hell were
Budweiser? Really, where were they? I didn’t see them once. What is the point
of a sponsor that isn’t visible? I’m sure that they gave money and did things
behind the scenes, but again, frankly, it is still not good enough.
I was at Wembley for last
season’s European Corporate Whore Final and it was brilliant fun. All the
sponsors were there. Loads of fun. Loads of freebies. One big massive carnival.
It was just like London 2012. Huge blocks of colour. Fantastic stuff.
Tragedies
No words are needed.
Hillsborough,
Valley Parade and the other football tragedies.
I
need to be careful what I write here, but a lot of football fans get very pissed
off that some football tragedies get more press than others and seem to just
get forgotten and buried.
Valley
Parade for example. If that had happened at a London club or a more glamorous
club up north like Manchester United it would be on the news every year and
you’d have to study it at school.
Here’s
a thought. Let’s have a memorial at Wembley Stadium. Yes you can have the
individual memorials at individual grounds but what about a “National Memorial”
at Wembley.
A
simple plinth with an old fashioned lace up football with old fashioned
football boots. No religious iconography on it. Just plain and simple. Then
when we go to Wembley for England games or Finals or Play Off’s we can pay our
respects.
If
that’s too much to organise, why not just use the Bobby Moore Statue whenever a
game is played at Wembley. Just a thought.
Don't just stand there... DO SOMETHING!!
I'M WAITING!!!
That Book…
So,
I’m not the first person to do the Cup trail and I won’t be that last. But, I probably am the first person to do the Cup trail while seeing the FIRST goal and the LAST goal.
Ian gave
me a book that documented the FA Cup in 1976/77, it was written by Brian James
who was writing for the Daily Mail at the time, so he didn’t have to worry
about travel or tickets or getting hold of data either - unlike the rest of
us… and it’s well worth getting a copy
of.
I did
try to contact the Daily Mail to see if they had the contact details of Brian
James - presuming that he’s still alive. I didn’t receive a reply. I’d love to
know what he thinks of what I’ve done.
“Journey
To Wembley” by Brian James. Published by Marshal Cavendish London & New
York.
ISBN 0
85685 307 0 (hardback) ISBN 0 85685 321 6 (softback).
I’m
going to stop writing now.
The
end?
Peace
and Love.
Noggin
xx
