The FA Cup conjours up all sorts of "nice" stories and here's another one. For one reason and another I have a bit of a soft spot for Tonbridge Angels. I saw them play at their home ground a few years ago when an old pupil of mine was entertaining me at Tonbridge School, more famous for the cricketing Cowdreys, rather than any footballer. I also caught the Angels away once but I can't remember where! The game may have been memorable, unfortunately my memory isn't.
Why Angels? They used to play at the old Kent CCC, Angel cricket ground, named after a nearby pub. Founded 1947.
On Saturday the 7th, the Angels entertain League Two, Bradford City at 12.30, in the FA Cup 2nd Round Proper, having beaten Farnborough Town 0-1 away at the beginning of October, in the Second Qualifying Rd. (they had a bye in the First Qual Rds etc)
Then they beat Chichester City in Third Q Rd 1-2 away and most recently Taunton Town 5-0 in the 4th, at home on October 24th. It is 48 years since the Angels' last appearance in the First Rd proper, along this prestigious journey to Wembley. This is the bit I LOVE:
48 years ago in the 1972-3 FA Cup, the Angels did this:
Preliminary Rd at home v Maidstone Utd 1-1, win away 1-2. Qual Rd 1 v Ramsgate Athletic home 1-1; away 0-3 win Qual Rd 2 v Folkestone away 0-1 win Qual Rd 3 v Sittingbourne home win 4-1 Qual Rd 4 v Romford 0-0 home; away 1-2 win
First Round PROPER v Charlton Athletic lose at home 0-5....great moments.
This season's tie is being televised and of course, there should be some ££££s for a reward. There will be FA Cup money for being in the First Round Proper BUT there is no crowd and therefore the club is losing out on a generous "pay day". BUT enter the generous Bantams, led by fan, Jonnie Carrington, who has set up a Crowd Funding page to help make up for the loss of income. By this morning £2,200 had been raised, exceding an original total of £1,000. There have been some BIG donations, an anonymous one of £500, with fans from Aberdeen and Fulham covering the UK. Tonbridge's home stadium, Longmead, has a capacity of 3,000, so the money raised goes some way to help the club cover their costs. Even at the lower ends of the "Pyramid" for just a simple Non-league fixture, referee and linesmen fees are around £70 a game. Let's not mention "wages", taxes, energy bills.......
Remember this? https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2bvz46 or this if the first one don't work! https://twitter.com/i/status/960483984252817408
Stuart (left) has had four manager spells at City: 2000 caretaker: 2007-10, 2016-18, 2020.
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