The FA cup doesn’t just begin when the Premier League teams enter in the 3rd Round proper. It began in summer with the First Qualification Round and one pre qualifying round before.

In the truest traditions of the grassroots tournament, we are following a side from the outset and hope to stay with them and be at their games, or those of the side who eliminate them, all the way to Wembley.

This site already sponsors the manager of Carlisle City, James Nichols. So in the interests of geographical balance, we selected a club at the other end of the nation, Portsmouth’s own Moneyfields FC. Our assistant editor Conor Smith claims to have played against their reserves for Netley which may have influenced our choice. 

The decision was cemented by their opposition Aylesbury United. The Ducks are a club with an FA Cup pedigree, who currently play their home games in Chesham, agonisingly far from their own Buckinghamshire home town, but agonisingly close to Wembley which is where this story ends next May.

So we started our series, “Moneyfields to Wembley“ with their visit to Aylesbury United, the Ducks, now playing their home games at the Meadows, home of Chesham United.

The Moneys however lost to London’s oldest club Cray Wanderers. Wanderers went to the West Country on October 17th and won through on penalties against Bristol Manor Farm.

They now face a trip to Canvey Island.

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Fascinating derbies in 4th Qualifying Round draw

The draw for the Fourth Round Qualifying of the Emirates FA Cup was made on Thursday 15th October.

It threw up some mouthwatering games with some of the big names from the National League drawn away to non league opposition. The National League is England’s fifth tier, one division below the Football League.

FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Draw Northern Section

Stafford Rangers v Skelmersdale United
Fylde v Atlrincham
Chester v Marine
Stockport County v Chesterfield
Kings Lynn v Notts County
Ilkeston Town v Hartlepool United
FC United of Manchester v Guiseley
Brackley v Marske United
Banbury United v Bury Town
South Shields v FC Halifax
Solihull Moors v Wrexham
Darlington v Cambridge City

Chorley FC get bye to First Round proper

Northern Section Highlights

63 teams were in the hat with one lucky side in the 25 team Northern Section given a bye to the First Round proper. That lucky side is Chorley FC.

Ilkeston Town of the Northern Premier League Division One South East have never reached this stage before. They drew a home tie with Hartlepool United of the National League.

At the other end of the country minnows Sholing FC play their league football in the Southern League Division One South. Torquay United are heading into Southampton to play them at the Mackoy Stadium .

Previous FA Cup winners Notts County will travel to Kings Lynn also of the National League.

FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Draw Southern Section

Bishops Stortford v St Albans
Concord Rangers v Chippenham
Eastleigh v Weston-Super-Mare
Sholing v Torquay
Bath v Havant & Waterlooville
Boreham Wood v Wimborne Town
Yeovil v Dover Athletic
Leiston v Barnet
Weymouth v Oxford City
Eastbourne v Dulwich Hamlet
Maldon & Tiptree v Haringey Borough
Dagenham & Redbridge v Hartley Wintney
Tonbridge Angels v Taunton Town
Hemel Hempstead v Hampton and Richmond Borough
Aldershot v Woking
Canvey Island v Cray Wanderers
Wealdstone v Hayes and Yeading United
Sutton v Bromley
Maidenhead v Cray Valley PM

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All Non League

More FA Cup

Moneyfields to Wembley

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Southern Section Highlights

There are some all National League ties in the Northern Section notably Stockport County v Chesterfield and Solihull Moors v Wrexham.

Fylde v Altrincham is an interesting Lancashire derby.

In the south, the biggest smiles will be in Hampshire where Sholing drew a home tie with Torquay. Both Concord Rangers and Chippenham will think they have a chance of progress in their tie, while Concord’s near neighbours Canvey Island will fancy their chances  of upsetting Cray Wanderers.

Sutton v Bromley and Aldershot v Woking represent two enticing local derbies in the landmass south of London both of them all national League.

Neither Cray side were awarded a home draw as Cray Valley Paper Mills travel to Maidenhead .

Leiston will be delighted to draw National League Barnet for whom the trip to Suffolk represents a banana skin.

The shortest trip will be undertaken by Hayes and Yeading United who make the five mile trip to Wealdstone in a non league West London derby.

Bishops Stortford v St Albans is a 30 mile trip for the Saints but still represents a local derby as there were few clubs nearer in the hat, except maybe Hemel Hempstead who drew a home tie with Hampton and Richmond Borough.

Hartley Wintney will be traveling into London to play Dagenham & Redbridge.

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