ALPORT ENTERING ALL NEW TERRITORY
Half of the last 16
8
clubs competing in the FA Vase fifth round have never gone beyond this stage of the competition before.
Six of those clubs
6
are making their first ever appearance. Stansfeld FC and Whitchurch Alport have only competed in the Vase a few times, whilst Loughborough Students and Wythenshawe Town are both in their 14th campaign. Western League side Hamworthy United are participating in the Vase for the 23rd time, while it is 28 seasons for Abbey Hey.
Abbey Hey are involved
2 in one of two ties that will guarantee a club appearing in the quarter-finals for the first time as they travel to Loughborough Students. Anstey Nomads versus Wythenshawe Town guarantees the same, whilst the winners of Newport Pagnell Town and Buckland Athletic will at least equal their best Vase run this season.
Loughborough
5
Students, Anstey Nomads and Newport Pagnell Town are three of five clubs still in this year’s competition from the United Counties League – by far and away the highest represented league of the fifth round. Coventry Sphinx and Rugby Town are the other two.
Coventry Sphinx
19
and Rugby Town are also the joint highest goal-scorers still in this year’s FA Vase. Along with Abbey Hey, they have scored 19 goals so far. Sphinx’s Callum Stewart will be looking to score his third hat-trick in this year’s competition when they host Whitchurch Alport.
Abbey Hey and
7
Stansfeld FC are the last two remaining clubs from Step 6. They are also two of seven clubs who began their Vase campaign this year in the earliest possible first qualifying round along with Tunbridge Wells, Whitchurch Alport, Wythenshawe Town, North Shields and Rugby Town.
North Shields and
2
Rugby Town are the last two clubs still standing that have lifted the FA Vase in the past and they go head to head in this fifth round. Southall FC and Tunbridge Wells are the only other two clubs that have appeared in a Vase Final before.
Tunbridge
48
Wells are one of two clubs to have competed in all 48 FA Vase campaigns there have been. The other is Brockenhurst FC who travel to Littlehampton Town and who are appearing in the fifth round for the first time since their debut campaign in 1974/75.