ARSENE-ALL AT SEA

Founded in 1863 the British Royal Navy College accepts naval recruits from the age of 18 until 32. Like universities, students will need 180 UCAS points to qualify for a place at the college, assuming they get through the interview procedure. The training course lasts around 49 weeks.
As well as educating young men and women into the ways of the Royal Navy, students will learn a variety of skills, many related to the sea (of course) but there are other activities on offer, especially sports. Applicants may be reminded that there are 187 steps from the college pitches overlooking the Dart estuary down to the Sandquay where the boats are moored. And there are 187 steps back up.
Football is a major occupier for the recruits, male and female, though from my short stay on the Dart Ria, rowing seemed to occupy a number of moments in the youngsters' daily schedule.

The College plays in the Devon Wednesday League and occasionally win competitions such as the George Lang Cup, which the squad won beating City Police in May 2017, see above. Having just toured Gibraltar and taken on fellow military teams, the College was prepared for a successful season. One issue to overcome is the constant change of clientele as recruits are often shifted off for naval training, sometimes at short notice.

By coincident, the Football Association was founded in 1863 and nine years later the decision to run a Cup competition (FA Cup) for the many clubs joining the association in 1872 was made. This is the oldest football competition.

This year, the 137th of the competition, saw 737 clubs join the competition, which was quickly whittled down to 124 in the main competition, from the First Round proper. The eventual winner will gain immediate access to the Europa League. Arsenal have no chance of progressing having been well beaten by Nottingham Forest. It is 22 years since Arsenal went out of the cup at the Third Round, the defeat in 1996 by Sheffield United. It is the first time the Gunners have retired early under Arsene. 
Forest earned £67,500 from their win.

The last time Arsenal conceded 4 goals in a cup tie was in January 1908 against Hull. The Gunners were then called Woolwich Arsenal and they lost 4-1 at Hull after a 0-0 draw. Other clubs in that round included The Wednesday, Gainsborough Trinity, Stockton, New Brompton and Glossop. Another non-league club, Rock-a-Nore, a club formed in 1893, which eventually became Hastings United FC, played Newcastle Utd and lost 0-1. By coincidence Newcastle had previously beaten Nottingham Forest in the First Round.