LAST OF THE FIRST

Things could be worse. It's blowing a gale out there and lashing down. Hoping to watch an Independent Schools FA cup tie tomorrow in Manchester and The Grammar School. They are due to play Ardingly College from Sussex, a school I played against when I was at Collyers GS, in Horsham, in the 1960s and the legendry George Robb from the great Spurs side of the 1950s was their coach. That didn't mean much to us teenagers in those days but it should have done.

Carol Kirkwood is out of "Strictly", so that must have something to do with the weather and Downton is over bar the Christmas Special. Will Edith get her man? Will Barrow be liked by anyone?

What can be worse than being the last FA Cup tie on schedule (not including the replays of course), when FC United of Manchester play Chesterfield, the twisted spire men, at 7.45 at the new Broadhurst Park? I wonder if their drainage is as good as the Manchester Grammar School's, who promise that their cup game will be on. The clubs are a bit miffed because the game has been moved to Monday evening for TV needs. It's not like a traditional Saturday is it? And the weather is foul.

There are a number of coincidences associated with this game; Charlie Raglan and Ollie Banks in the Chesterfield squad learned their trade at FC United, both teams have experienced being owned by a supporters' trust and both clubs have "new stadia" Broadhurst Park (left) and the Proac, in Derbyshire.

Chesterfield are guided by manager Dean Saunders, a goalscorer of much note and FCUtd have Karl Marginson as boss. FCUtd beat Rochdale 3-2 on Bonfire Night, on their way through the early rounds in 2011-12, eventually losing to Brighton after a replay.
Whereas Chesterfield made it to the Fourth Round last season, their best showing since their amazing run in 1996-7, when they got to the semi-finals. Imagine the twisted spiremen playing at Wembley, the spire would go all trembly!

In 1996-7 Chesterfield had one of those "lucky" runs to the final rounds playing:
at home to Bury (1-0) in the first round,
at home to Scarborough (2-0) in round 2,
home to Bristol City (2-0) in Rd3,
away at Bolton (3-2) in Rd4,
then Nottingham Forest (1-0) at home 5th Rd,
Wrexham in the quarter-finals (what??) home 1-0 with only an 8735 crowd and
then losing to Middlesbrough (Ravanelli and all) after a 3-3 at Old Trafford, and
the replay at Hillsborough (2-3) with David Elleray reffing both ties.

Oh yes, David Elleray is the Chairman of the Independent Schools FA. FULL CIRCLE.