TORQUAY AGAIN, AND IT'S NOT EVEN CHRISTMAS

The FA spotted an opportunity some years ago when they founded the FA Trophy competition. Previously there was the FA Cup (1872) and the FA Amateur Cup (1893), the Football League Cup  was thrown into the hat and when Amateurism seamlessly merged with Professionalism, the FA scrapped the "Amateur" Cup and reformed the cup competitions for Non-League clubs at different levels into the FA Trophy and the FA Vase.

The FA Challenge Trophy, as it is fully known, was first won by Macclesfield Town. By 2008 it covered Steps 1-4 of the National League or L5-8 of the Football League.
Woking, Scarborough and Telford Utd have won the Trophy three times.

Present holders are AFC Fylde who have a home local derby with Southport this afternoon. Fylde beat Leyton Orient in last year's final at Wembley. Today Orient play Grimsby in the Sky Bet League Two, so they are back in business.

The FA Amateur Cup was scrapped in 1974 to be replaced by the FA Vase. Hoddesdon Town won the first Vase final beating Epsom and Ewell FC.
Whitley Bay have been winners four times and the following have won the Cup twice: Billericay Town (4 out of the first six finals), Tiverton Town (1998-9), Halesowen Town  (1985-6). Forest Green Rovers were the first Vase winners to go to the Football League. One former Football League team has been a Vase winner. Glossop North End; but that delves deeper into "history".  Present holders are Chertsey Town who built Cray Valley Paper Mills in 2019.

Today 11-Jan-2020,  I witnessed Torquay United being squashed by AFC Halifax in a decent FA Trophy 2nd Rd game 2-1. Nice stadium, Plainmoor!