https://hadleyfc.co.uk/club/index.html
It doesn't take long to find inspiration for this blog, especially when there is an FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round draw due. There have been 221 fixtures drawn out of the hat including clubs from the Southwest Peninsular League, from Liskeard Athletic to Sunderland Ryhope Community Association in the Northern (Eastern) League.
You will remember that the FA Vase was introduced to the FA's series of trophies, taking the place of the now defunct FA Amateur Cup which had first been contested in 1893-4 and won by the Old Carthusians (old boys of Charterhouse School) 2-1 beating the Casuals. The early years were dominated by Southern clubs and even Tottenham Hotspur were in the draw, being amateur at this time, but were "suspended" for the next round, giving Clapham Rovers a walk over.
The Vase came into being when football went "open" with no divide between amateurs and professionals. Who played in which competition depended on the "Pyramid" with lower Step clubs playing in the Vase, intermediate Step clubs playing in the FA Trophy and the highest Step clubs obviously enjoying the FA Cup Proper.
Tie 113 involves Hadley FC from the Essex Senior League (Step 5) who have previously reached the Second Round https://hadleyfc.co.uk/club/index.html.
The club is sited in Monken Hadley, site of the Battle of Barnet, one of the battles in the War of the Roses, 1471.
I would recommend looking at this website where "The Bricks" feature. You must look at the fund raising effort involving tennis balls. Founded in 1882, the website tells me that they are the oldest football club in Barnet!
The Bricks coincidently play Hadleigh United from the East Counties League, whose best effort in the Vase has been a quarter-final berth. https://www.hadleigh-utd.co.uk/ Another website worth browsing!
Founded in 1892, the Suffolk club is known as the Brettsiders and their best effort in the Vase has been getting to the quarter-final in 2012-13.
Why Brettsiders? Obvious-it's Geography again....the town of Hadleigh, pop: 8,500 is sited between Ipswich and Sudbury on the River Brett.
HISTORY? The Kray twins were evacuated to the town with their family during the Second World War.
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