LIQUORICE, COAL AND THE DUKES

Pontefract once had a colliery and so did Worksop. Pontefract is reputed to have had more pubs per square mile than any other town in Britain, no doubt to "slake" the miner's thirst and, of course, it is the centre of the national liquorice industry. Pontefract cakes have to be eaten by everyone at least once in their lives. Haribo now owns the business and a Liquorice Festival still takes place in the town. Even Sir John Betjeman has written a poem about the  "Liquorice Fields". The Liquorice plant no longer grows in the area, though a local farmer has announced that he would re-introduce it.

Worksop, also a mining town of some note, but is also suffering from the decline in the industry. The town has a long history and is known as the "Gateway to the Dukeries", look up the Dukeries, you may learn something.

Ok, then, let's get back to football. Rather than visit Bradford City for an FA Cup match, or FC United v Harrogate, it was the attraction of the FA Vase that took me to La, La Liquorice land.

The "Colls" were founded as early as the 1890s and was probably originally a garrison team. After the 1st World War, the club was known as Pontefract Borough, then United as it merged with local sides and by the 1950s Pontefract Collieries were formed playing in the Yorkshire League.

A fire in the stand, the miners' strike, the closure of the colliery and the loss of an electricity supply (why?) has not daunted the club which plays in the Toolstation Northern Counties East Premier-the same as Worksop and Penistone Church.

Worksop Town was founded in 1861 and acquired land through the generosity of the Duke of Newcastle. Local born Jack Brown played for England in goal against Wales (3-3) on February 12  1927, then against Scotland (2-1) in April 1927 at Hampden Park, and went on tour to Belgium (9-1), Luxembourg (5-2) and France (6-0), just one season. While he played against Wales, his captain was J.Bower, an Old Carthusian and amateur, made captain midst the professionals to keep order!

The club nearly folded when they opted to play an FA Cup replay in 1921 against Spurs, choosing to return to White Hart Lane for the replay, after the first tie ended 0-0. The larger crowd at Spurs brought money to the club but they got hammered 9-0 and many of their loyal supporters, fed up because the game should have been brought back to Worksop, where there would have had a "home" advantage! As a result the locals decided to stay away from the following club's games, not helping with the financial stress.

Well, the Colls won easily in this Third Round Proper and go through to the next round of the Buildbase FA Vase. I had a wonderful afternoon driving along the M62 and enjoying the hospitality of another Non-League ground. Today Pontefract earned £1125 to add to their other prize money. Now its the last 16 draw to look forward to. Worksop got £375. probably will pay for the coach?