WATERLOGGED PITCHES AND GIANT KILLING

The weather has turned bad, the local bonfire (scheduled for Sunday night, why on Sunday? Commercial interests?) has been cancelled, my little U12s had to wade through a waterlogged pitch this morning, losing 1-8 to a team two divisions higher in the League Cup and Spurs have just nicked a point off the Arsenal. It is lashing down outside.

But it is the underdogs who attract me this weekend and where better to start than the FA Cup and Sussex based Whitehawk, a suburb of East Brighton, originally known as "Vied Ac" in pre-history as Holy Oak, Whitehawk is set in an area known for being a military rifle range, a racecourse (Brighton's Course is still there) and a rubbish dump nestled on the edge of the South Downs, a site of settlement since Neolithic times (c 2700BC) dealing with Brighton's overspill.

Whitehawk FC, founded in 1945, has made remarkable progress from being a "County League" side when I was playing in the 1970-80s, to becoming one of the foremost Non-League Clubs in the National League South. A little investment, a few good signings and an improved stadium makes a lot of difference. And today they beat Lincoln City, 5-3 in a Cup thriller at the Enclosed Ground, so that the Hawks will appear in the draw for the 2nd Round proper.

Brackley Town from Northamptonshire, is another one of those places that I am sure I have heard of, but I'm not entirely sure where it is. Famed for wool and lace and Silverstone, whatever, the club drew with Newport County 2-2 today and they too will be in the hat.

Founded in 1890 they play at St James' Park and have risen from the Oxfordshire Senior League, through the North Bucks and District, to the Hellenic League, United Counties and Southern League, arriving in the National league North. In 2013-14 they reached the 2nd Round Proper of the FA Cup and will be hoping to to do the same this week. The prize money is important.

Aldershot Town(are they minnows?), Maidenhead Utd (Alan
Devonshire), and Chesham United (remember 1980?) have made their names this weekend too.

Looking forward to the draw.