THE FA VASE 2021/22

It is FA Vase weekend, an exciting time for nurds!, and for many lower pyramid clubs that dream of getting involved in this, the lowest (but still most important) national cup competition administered by The Football Association. In 1974 it replaced the FA Amateur Cup competition when amateurism bit the dust and professionalism was appropriate for all football clubs in England and Wales, allowing clubs to play whom they liked (assuming they could afford it).  

Hoddesdon Town beat Epsom and Ewell FC in the 1974-5 final at Wembley in front of 9,000. Over 200 clubs joined in the first round. Clubs from Step 5 (Ninth Tier) and 6 on the Pyramid and below, are eligible.

638 clubs this season are entering the Buildbase sponsored FA Vase. BT Sport has televised the final.

Last year's winners are Warrington Rylands 1906 FC,  who won through 638 clubs. Only five teams have won the FA Vase more than once. Whitley Bay are the only team to win the FA Vase three times in successive seasons, while Billericay Town (Essex), Tiverton  Town and Haleswoen Town have won back-to-back titles. As of 2017-18 at least one Northern leagueteam has reached the final for 10 consecutive seasons, with teams from the league winning the title in all but two of those years. In 2017 Forest Green Rovers became the first FA Vase winners to go on to play in the English Football League while one former Football League team, Glossop North End have been beaten finalists.

First Round Ties this weekend include beautifully named clubs such as: Newark Flowserve founded 1901 (Notts pump manufacturing)) v Deeping Rangers (Market Deeping, Lincs est 1964), Billingham Synthonia (est: 1923-4 in Durham) v Isle of Man from Douglas, The Ravens was founded in 2019. play in the North-west Counties League. The club pays opposing team travelling expences!

Mousehole (Penzance) v Wells City (Somerset), https://www.mouseholeafc.co.uk/

 Motto :'Wealth, drawn from this spring, flows forth unto our country and our people.'

Norwich United v New Salamis (They are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at the Coles Park, White Hart Lane, London, groundsharing with Haringey Borough F.C. and have a Cypriot heritage, founded in 1971) 

Fareham v Jersey Bulls, Ashton and Backwell Utd v Bemerton Heath Harlequins, Quorn (near Loughborough, from attendees at a Weslyan Methodists' Church) v Hinckley Leicester Road (The Knitters based on local industry).  Below: Bemerton Heath Harlequins FC, at the Moon Ground.