It’s been a good week for Darlington Football Club. On Wednesday they announced an award of £90,000 of National Lottery funding which helps cover the club’s running costs for October to December. Whilst positive news it’s also a reminder to those of us looking from a distance of the extent that, without match day revenue, clubs like Darlington are limping through the current season. It’s also why prize money from a cup run is extremely useful (yesterday’s win earning £9375), but given the depths Darlo dropped following their disastrous time at the Darlington Arena, reaching the FA Cup First Round for a second season in a row is a major footballing boost for supporters too. The irony of the times being that last year’s run to eventual defeat at Walsall saw all four cup ties away from home, whereas in 2020 behind closed doors, their three victories over Prescot Cables, Tadcaster and now Cambridge have all been at Blackwell Meadows.
A 2-nil victory looks comfortable enough. I dipped into the commentary provided by Radio Cambridge (Brentford were 3-nil down away at Stoke) and by the second half neither game felt in doubt. City fought hard with the Darlington match report describing them as “never say die” and manager Alun Armstrong was left disappointed his team didn’t build on their lead as they’d done against Tadcaster. You can watch his reflections on the game here and see the goals that won the game here.
Darlington take their place as ball number 49 in Monday evening’s draw on BT Sport. Referring to this as “the first round proper” is not something I’m a fan of as it implies the six matches to this point have somehow been improper. That’s certainly not the case for Skelmersdale, who entered the competition at the Extra Preliminary Round and are the lowest ranked team remaining with six victories to their name (as well as over £23,000 in prize money). National TV coverage is a distinct possibility with the dream tie surely neighbours Wigan Athletic, winners of the Cup as recently as 2013.
As well as Wigan, seven other previous winners join the competition at this point. They are: Bradford City, Bolton (three times including 1923, the first final played at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of over 126,000), Sunderland, Portsmouth (twice including 2008), Charlton Athletic, Ipswich Town and, perhaps the most famous victory for an underdog, Wimbledon in 1988. Hull City (2014 losing finalists) appear in the first round this season. One notable name not in the competition is Bury, a club who only recently fell out of the Football League through financial problems, are two time previous winners of the Cup in 1900 – a 4-nil victory over Southampton in front of 68,945 at Crystal Palace, and 6-0 winners over Derby in 1903, again at Crystal Palace and this time watched by just over 63,000.
48 EFL names await. Some neutrals like to see non-league clubs paired together as it ensures “the romance of the cup” goes deeper into the competition, but that’s certainly not what I’d be dreaming of tonight if I was a player for Skem. For Darlington number 44, Sunderland, at home and the inevitable TV coverage would go nicely with that Lottery funding, even if as a fan there would surely be mixed feelings not being able to see the match live. Alun Armstrong is understandably keen for his side to improve on last season where their run ended at the first round.
Glory Hunting 